​Commissioner Hal Valeche

As we approach late spring and head into summer, it is once again time to look in our cupboards to inventory our hurricane supplies, review our personal emergency plans, and keep our yard vegetation and trees pruned.  A chore yes, but a necessary one.  You want to make sure your various goods and batteries have not expired their "use by" date, and stock up on water, non-perishables, and pet food.

One of the most important steps you can take in preparing for hurricane season is replenishing your supply of prescription medication.  When building your emergency kit, make sure you have your medication ready to include along with a list of all medicines you take, the dosage and any other special instructions.

Under specific circumstances in the state of Florida, you may also be able to receive a 30-day refill on your prescription even if you just had it refilled.  When the Governor declares a state of emergency or the National Weather Service issues a hurricane warning, Florida Statute 252.358 allows you to contact your pharmacy and have your emergency refills ordered.

For hurricane weather events, since many homeowners have invested a great deal in hardening their structures and installing protective windows and/or shutters, it is preferable to shelter in place, unless you live in an area that is subject to a mandatory evacuation order.  In those cases, many residents make alternate arrangements to stay with relatives or friends who live outside the evacuation area until the storm passes.  However, if that is not an option for you, Palm Beach County opens emergency shelters in public school buildings. 

An important option for residents with medical problems who must evacuate is our Special Needs Shelter.  Individuals who cannot be without electricity because they depend on electrical equipment (i.e. oxygen, nebulizers, c-pap, or bi-pap, etc.) or those with chronic stable illnesses may qualify for admission to this shelter.  Pre-registration is required for this program, and residents can apply online at http://discover.pbcgov.org/publicsafety/dem/Pages/Special-Needs.aspx.

AlertPBC is Palm Beach County's Emergency Notification System, which allows residents to receive notices about emergencies in their area.  Residents may choose what type of notifications they want such as tropical storms, thunderstorm watches or warnings, or flash flood advisories.  With AlertPBC, residents can also elect to receive local information regarding police activity or boil water notices in the local jurisdiction.

Residents can sign up to receive notifications about as many locations as they wish, such as home, work or schools.  There is also an option to receive notifications from the city or town you live in.  When you sign up for AlertPBC, the information you provide is protected and will not be used for any other purposes.

To further review information on these county emergency programs and more, you can visit http://discover.pbcgov.org/publicsafety/dem/Pages/default.aspx.  If you do not have access to a computer, the county can provide written information to you, or, we can arrange for a member of the Emergency Management staff to speak at an upcoming meeting of your neighborhood organization or homeowners association.

As always, please let me know if there is any way that my office can assist you by contacting me at (561) 355-2201 or by email at hvaleche@pbcgov.org.