Pasco official: Preparing for hurricane is key

Harry Randall Truman would not leave - no matter what.

The owner of the Mount St. Helens Lodge, Truman became something of a celebrity in the weeks before the famous Washington state volcano erupted in 1980.

Despite warnings to leave the area or die when the volcano erupted, the 83-year-old infamously said that he had "enough food and liquor to stand a hell of a siege." Plus, he didn't think his beloved mountain could actually kill him.

Truman was dead wrong. He is now presumably buried 150 feet under a lake that formed after the volcano blew and lava destroyed everything in its path, including Truman's beloved lodge.

That same mindset can get people killed when a hurricane is approaching; Hurricane Season 2010 officially starts Tuesday and ends Nov. 30.

People's apparent disregard for their own safety in the face of an approaching potential disaster is one thing that frustrates Jim Martin, Pasco County's emergency management director.

"When we call for evacuations, it will (probably) be a hot and sunny day," Martin said. "But many people put their head in the sand and that's what we have to get out of."
Don't hesitate.

It isn't just people who refuse to evacuate, he said. People who hesitate, then try to leave at the last minute may find themselves in a dangerous bind.

"For smaller storms, evacuation routes haven't been a significant issue, but it's a Category 4 or 5, that dog is going to cover more than just Pasco," Martin said. "Those counties to the south will migrate through us and we'll absorb a lot of traffic coming out of Pinellas.

"I have to be sensitive to that and let our people get out as well. We have a great relationship with emergency management offices in all the counties, so before an event occurs, we're all talking. But it's a concern of all of us that people will wait to the last minute to evacuate. You can't do that and expect to get out."

This year, the county's hurricane evacuation zones have changed, but not the evacuation routes. Basically, the county's entire west coast is an evacuation zone, although the evacuation levels vary.

The evacuation zones were extended east to as far as East Road and Sheila Drive in Hudson; into Moon Lakes Estates, as far as Texel Avenue; east of Little Road to parts of Starkey Boulevard; and just east of where Little converges with Mitchell and Trinity boulevards.

The evacuation zones highlight which areas are most susceptible to storm surge.

"If you know your zone, you can make a plan and put a kit together of seven days of food and water to survive," Martin said. "I'd hate to wait on the federal government to deliver food to your house.
"With evacuation zones there's an insurance question, but it won't cost homeowner's anymore because homeowner's insurance doesn't cover water damage. I would encourage everyone in Florida to have flood insurance."

Active season predicted

On Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said an "active to extremely active" hurricane season is expected for the Atlantic Basin this year.
A division of the National Weather Service, the NOAA projects a 70 percent chance that 14 to 23 named storms could hit the Atlantic, including eight to 14 hurricanes, three to seven of which could be major hurricanes - Categories 3, 4 or 5 - with winds of at least 111 mph.

"The main point to get across is to prepare for one storm each year, regardless of the seasonal forecast," Daniel Noah, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said in an e-mail.

"During an average Atlantic hurricane season there are 11 tropical storms each year; six of these become hurricanes, of which two or three become major hurricanes. About five hurricanes strike the U.S. coastline in an average three-year period."

In 2005, there were 28 named storms and not one directly affected the Tampa Bay area, Noah said.

"We just assume that there's a chance we'll get hit," said Martin, Pasco's emergency management director. "If it's an active season and none of it hits Pasco or Florida, OK. But you have to be ready."

There will be 27 hurricane shelters available this year, two more than last year. That means the county can shelter 31,000 people with 20 square feet provided per person at the shelters.
In a worst-case scenario, it is suggested that the county be able to accommodate 45,000 people. If it comes to that, Martin said officials can condense how much space each person would get at shelters.

"We want people to call and pre-register" for shelter spaces, he said. "We can accommodate 2,400 to 2,600 people with special needs - such as people who are oxygen-dependent. And if you need transportation to a shelter, if you register, we can accommodate it."

Treat pets like family

There will be one pet-friendly shelter available in Pasco. This year, that shelter will be at the Mike Fasano Regional Hurricane Shelter, 11611 Denton Ave., Hudson; last year, the pet-friendly shelter was at Pine View Middle School in Land O' Lakes.

Martin said people who may want to use that shelter should pre-register; information about registering will be available at www.pascoemergencymanagement.com.
He implores people with pets to treat the animals like any other family member, and evacuate them if possible.

Besides wind damage and flooding, hurricanes can also leave people without power.
Martin cautions people who use generators to follow safety warnings carefully, as people in Florida have died from electrical shocks and carbon monoxide poisoning related to post-hurricane generator use.

"You need to read the instructions and do it the right way," he said. "Safety after the storm can be as important as going into it."