One of the most important lessons of Wilma was not that we need to prepare. Experts have been preaching preparedness for years. What Wilma taught Broward County, and all of South Florida was just for how long to prepare. The conventional wisdom of 72 hours is good. Any preparation is better than none. But I encourage you this season to rethink your hurricane plans. Rather than the usual three days worth of supplies, I urge you to have 7 days worth of food and water ready to go.
That is why the Broward Sheriff's Office is launching its “Hope for 3 – Plan for 7” awareness campaign. No one wants to become a victim of Mother Nature. Yet if we do find ourselves in the path of a storm, we can hope to only need supplies for three days. But we should plan on having supplies for seven days.
There is no reason any of our residents should find themselves in desperate need of food or water immediately following a storm. Every time you go grocery shopping, grab an extra can of food, a second bottle of water or another package of batteries. In no time you will have enough for you and your family to weather almost any storm. The greater peace of mind you will have is worth the minimum of expense and effort it will take.
It's also important to have extra prescription medications on hand. Flashlights are also a necessity. Candles are too dangerous to use as an everyday light source. Don't forget to get batteries for your portable radio too. Television news coverage will be simulcast on local radio stations so you can stay informed without cable TV.
Think now about where you will stay during the hurricane. If you live in a mobile home or you believe your house or apartment could be breached by hurricane winds and rain, make arrangements now to hunker down with family or friends who have sturdy, shuttered homes. If you're in a condominium the elevators won't work without power, so you might not be able to come and go. As a last resort, shelters will be opened at some schools and other public buildings, and my deputies will keep them safe, but we can't offer much in the way of comfort there.
Waiting for a storm to swirl just off our shores is not the time to begin preparations. But there are some things you do need to remember to take care of just before a hurricane reaches Broward. The need to plan ahead for fuel became evident when filling stations could not pump gasoline after they lost electricity. Port Everglades is Florida's primary petroleum hub, so our supplies were replenished quickly and fuel, albeit it high-priced, was available, but few stations had generator power. That is why it's so important to top off your gas tank before the hurricane and to limit your driving in the days right after. Besides being wasteful, a post-storm sightseeing drive is dangerous when trees are down, streets are flooded and traffic signals don't work.
The bottom line: be self-sufficient in a hurricane. Don't count on government to supply your food, water and basic necessities. Don't wait for relief trucks and supply lines. Hopefully, there will be no hurricane of 2006, but if there is, be prepared and you can weather any storm.