Hurricane Preparedness
Are You Storm Ready?
Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.
There are several sources of information about hurricane preparation and safety. Although not specific to Southbay, it is excellent information that all Southbay residents should know.
TampaBayPrepares.org has a link to download the "Sarasota County Florida All-Hazards Disaster Planning Guide". It provides comprehensive information about the local area and contains a list of 10 way that you can "Prepare Now" for a hurricane:
The Red Cross provides an excellent "Hurricane Safety Checklist" with guidance on what to do, supplies, you should get, and what to do after a hurricane. All Southbay residents should download and review these two excellent resources.
The National Hurricane Center provides information about current storms but also has educational resources with useful information on Hurricane category, wind speeds, associated damage potential and storm surge. There is information regarding Hurricanes and COVID-19, as well as, public shelters during COVID-19.
Sarasota County Emergency Management has a website that is a definitive source for Sarasota County.
In the event that Sarasota County will be impacted by a tropical storm or hurricane, evacuation centers will be opened. These centers are handicap accessible and pet friendly. Please click here for a list of evacuation centers and useful information.
If you own a boat in Southbay please click here to see detailed information on protecting your boat.
Cert is a nationwide program that teaches volunteers how to prepare for hazards most likely to impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. More than 600,000 people have been trained since CERT became a national program and there are over 2,700 local CERT programs nationwide; Southbay has one of them.
The Southbay CERT has 17 active members, 6 of whom have completed the CERT Basic Course, which is offered periodically by Sarasota County. Other profressionals in our community have also volunteered to help in an emergency, including doctors, law enforcement, and Ham radio operators. If you are interested in volunteering your skills to help your neighbors by particpating in CERT, please contact the Community Manager or current CERT Chairman.
If anyone would like to take the CERT Basic Course in order to get certified for official service, Sarasota County has their schedule on line. Please click here for the schedule.
Southbay is divided into 6 CERT zones (A-F) and falls entirely with Evacuation Zones A or B as shown in the graphic below.
Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.
There are several sources of information about hurricane preparation and safety. Although not specific to Southbay, it is excellent information that all Southbay residents should know.
TampaBayPrepares.org has a link to download the "Sarasota County Florida All-Hazards Disaster Planning Guide". It provides comprehensive information about the local area and contains a list of 10 way that you can "Prepare Now" for a hurricane:
- Make Your Family Disaster Plan
- Pull Together Disaster Supplies
- Brace for Hurricanes
- Discuss Your Evacuation Plan
- Help Your Neighbor
- Keep Your Pets Safe
- Take Steps to Protect Your Home
- Review Your Insurance
- Know your Disaster Safety Tips
The Red Cross provides an excellent "Hurricane Safety Checklist" with guidance on what to do, supplies, you should get, and what to do after a hurricane. All Southbay residents should download and review these two excellent resources.
The National Hurricane Center provides information about current storms but also has educational resources with useful information on Hurricane category, wind speeds, associated damage potential and storm surge. There is information regarding Hurricanes and COVID-19, as well as, public shelters during COVID-19.
Sarasota County Emergency Management has a website that is a definitive source for Sarasota County.
In the event that Sarasota County will be impacted by a tropical storm or hurricane, evacuation centers will be opened. These centers are handicap accessible and pet friendly. Please click here for a list of evacuation centers and useful information.
If you own a boat in Southbay please click here to see detailed information on protecting your boat.
- Provide Southbay Community Manager with an emergency phone number for you and the person responsible for your boat in your absence.
- Under normal conditions, Southbay requires two bowlines, two stern lines, and one spring line. If you will be gone for more than a week, leave your boat prepared for a storm: double all lines, set chafing gear and fenders, remove canvas and bridge enclosures to reduce wind load, stow items such as chairs and cushions that could be blown away.
- If a storm threatens, double all lines and leave excess that can be adjusted from the dock. Leave enough slack so the boat can rise with the tide; four or five-foot tidal surges can be expected. Use fender boards to protect your boat from slamming into pilings and docks. Wave action during a storm can chew up your boat quickly, even if you have a built-in rubber fender along your gunwale.
Cert is a nationwide program that teaches volunteers how to prepare for hazards most likely to impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. More than 600,000 people have been trained since CERT became a national program and there are over 2,700 local CERT programs nationwide; Southbay has one of them.
The Southbay CERT has 17 active members, 6 of whom have completed the CERT Basic Course, which is offered periodically by Sarasota County. Other profressionals in our community have also volunteered to help in an emergency, including doctors, law enforcement, and Ham radio operators. If you are interested in volunteering your skills to help your neighbors by particpating in CERT, please contact the Community Manager or current CERT Chairman.
If anyone would like to take the CERT Basic Course in order to get certified for official service, Sarasota County has their schedule on line. Please click here for the schedule.
Southbay is divided into 6 CERT zones (A-F) and falls entirely with Evacuation Zones A or B as shown in the graphic below.
Public