Hurricane Season Has Begun…Are you Ready
Hurricane season has arrived to southwest Florida and plans to stay through November 30. For the Veterans and staff at the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, preparedness is the key to weathering any potential impacts of what mother nature may bring.
“Since we are situated on the gulf, having a plan in place is paramount for our facility,” said Bay Pines VA Emergency Management Specialist Melissa Wallach. “Being so close to the water, we have to be prepared for things such as storm surges, tornados, and floods, which are all possible by products of the storm itself.”
Planning ahead is very important for the Emergency Management Specialists here at Bay Pines VA.
“There are more than 90 nursing homes in our area,” said Bay Pines VA Emergency Management Specialist Bryan Cain. “Once an emergency is declared, the state receives priority for all emergency equipment and transportation, so we have to ensure the Veterans who stay in our facility are moved to safety while resources are available.”
Once a potential storm is identified, the staff at Bay Pines VA start planning for worst case scenarios.
“Planning includes messaging Veterans, stakeholders and employees about potential storms,” said Wallach. “We also start discussing possible patient transfers and other situations with our incident command team and executive leadership.”
Wallach added, “Employees should update their profile in the Emergency Alerting and Accountability System (EAAS) so they receive up-to-date alerts about upcoming storms and emergencies,” said Wallach. “Veterans will receive emails and phone calls about alerts and notifications about changes to their appointments.”
Staying updated on weather alerts and other notifications is important but there is additional advice that everyone should be aware of before a potential storm, added Cain.
“Depending on the area where they live, they may want to evacuate to a shelter or stay at home,” said Cain. “People need to have supplies on hand such as non-perishable food, water, gas, cash, and medications, just in case the storm impacts their ability to access those items.”
Cain continued, “One of the things that people tend to forget about is that if there in no power, ATMs or credit card machines won’t be available.”
According to Florida law, people can obtain a 30-day refill of prescription medication if the county you reside in is under a hurricane warning issued by the National Weather Service or is under a state of emergency executive order declared by the Governor.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is expecting an above average hurricane season this year with 17 to 25 named storms. Of those storms, eight to 13 are expected to become hurricanes.
“Severe weather and emergencies can happen at any moment,” said Cain. “This is why Veterans and our communities need to be prepared today.”