August through October is the busiest stretch of hurricane season in South Florida, and folks in South Dade know the drill better than most. Still, it is easy to put off the small stuff until a storm is three days out and the shelves are empty.
This guide walks through what Miami-Dade County asks residents to do, from stocking a supply kit to knowing your evacuation zone. Every detail here comes straight from the county.
Know Your Zone First
This is the single most useful thing you can do today. Evacuation orders in Miami-Dade go out by zone or partial zone, so knowing yours turns a stressful decision into a simple one.
Use the county’s Storm Surge Planning Zone Finder to look up your address. When a storm threatens, the county posts which areas must leave on miamidade.gov and through local media.
There are two kinds of instructions. An evacuation recommendation may go out to people who need extra time to leave or who live in flood-prone spots outside the surge areas. An evacuation order is issued for specific areas the Mayor deems in danger based on the storm track and projected surge.
Where to Go If You Leave
The county is direct about this one: stay with family or friends who live inland in a non-evacuation area if you can. Hurricane evacuation centers do open, but the county calls them a shelter of last resort.
Once an order is issued, the Storm Aides For Everyone app, known as SAFE, shows open evacuation centers, bus pickup locations, disaster assistance centers, and points of distribution for food, water, and operating hospitals.
Build the Kit Now
The county wants supplies fully stocked by June 1, so if you are reading this in August and your kit is thin, catch up this week. Keep everything in one place, in easy-to-carry duffel bags or containers near the exit you use most, and make sure every family member knows where it lives. Check it once a year.
Your kit should include a seven-day supply of non-perishable food and a seven-day supply of water at one gallon per person per day, pets included. Add a manual can opener, a flashlight and battery radio or TV with spare batteries, a first-aid kit and manual, and a Type ABC fire extinguisher.
Then the everyday things people forget: sanitation and hygiene items, masks and gloves, matches in a waterproof container, a whistle, cooking utensils, cash, extra clothing and blankets, mosquito repellent, and sunscreen. The county recommends 45 SPF.
Keep prescription medications, eyeglasses, contact solution, and hearing aids together. Families with babies need formula, baby food, diapers, and pacifiers. For the car, pack a tire repair kit, booster cables, a pump, and flares. Toys and games for the kids are on the county’s own list, and any parent who has ridden out a long outage knows why.
Protect Your Paperwork
Store important documents in a waterproof container or bag. That means birth and adoption certificates, marriage licenses, divorce papers, Social Security cards, passports, green cards, wills, insurance policies, and bank statements. Photocopies of ID, insurance, prescriptions, credit cards, and a utility bill help too, along with a household inventory.
Make a Family Plan
Your family may not be together when a storm comes. Talk now about how you will reach a safe place, get in touch, and get back to each other.
A good plan lists a pre-assigned contact person everyone can call, along with contact information for family, friends, neighbors, and doctors. It should cover how you will help older adults or anyone with functional needs in the home, and it should spell out how to safely shut off the water, gas, and electricity.
If Someone Needs Extra Help
The Emergency & Evacuation Assistance Program, or EEAP, offers free evacuation help to eligible county residents who need specialized transportation or sheltering, or who want a wellness call after a disaster.
Register before a storm. Residents who may need medical monitoring, help with daily living, or who rely on life-saving equipment that needs electricity should sign up, because pre-registered residents get priority during an emergency. Call the registrant hotline at 305-513-7700, use the TTY/TDD line at 305-468-5402, or email [email protected].
People living in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or group homes are not eligible, since those facilities are required by law to have their own emergency plans.
Don’t Leave Pets Out of the Plan
Whatever you plan for yourself, plan for your animals. If you ride out the storm at a relative’s or neighbor’s home, take your pets with you.
Staying home? Keep pets in a crate or carrier in the same safe room as the family, with collars and tags on. The county recommends microchipping, since pets tend to lose collars.
If you live in an evacuation zone, an unsafe structure, or a trailer, Animal Services runs pet-friendly evacuation centers, and pre-registration is not required. Centers are announced as needed. A licensed veterinarian examines pets on arrival, and any animal considered a safety risk will not be allowed in.
Trees: Trim Early, Not Late
South Dade has beautiful tree canopy, and a healthy tree can shield your house from wind. A badly cut one becomes a hazard.
Do not prune once a Hurricane Watch or Warning is up. Trim several months before season, during the species’ dormant period or early spring. Use a certified arborist and ask to see registration or license and insurance.
Never top or hatrack a tree. Do not remove more than 25 percent of the canopy, and do not cut the root system. Take out mainly interior branches so wind passes through. Then dispose of the cuttings properly and schedule a bulky waste pickup, because loose branches turn into projectiles.
After the Storm
Look for downed power lines before anything else. Call FPL at 1-800-468-8243 and keep everyone well away from broken lines. Never try to move a tree resting on a power line, since the wires may be live.
Clear what blocks emergency access, including branches across major roads and your own driveway, and cut leaning or split trees likely to fall. A partly uprooted tree can often be saved by keeping the root ball wet and covered with burlap or old sheets, never plastic, until you have time to reset it.
Stay Informed
Sign up for Miami-Dade Alerts and download the Ready Miami-Dade app before you need them. Miami-Dade Emergency Management can be reached at 305-468-5400 or [email protected].
Frequently Asked Questions
When is hurricane season in South Florida?
June 1 through November 30. The county asks residents to have supplies fully stocked by June 1.
How much food and water do I need?
A seven-day supply of non-perishable food and a seven-day supply of water, at one gallon per person per day. Count your pets in that total.
How do I find out if I have to evacuate?
Look up your address with the Storm Surge Planning Zone Finder now. When an order is issued, check the county’s Evacuation Orders map, miamidade.gov, and local media.
Can I bring my dog to a shelter?
Yes. Animal Services runs pet-friendly evacuation centers during emergencies, and you do not need to pre-register. A veterinarian will examine your pet on arrival.
Is it too late to trim my trees in August?
Pruning is best done months before season. Never prune during a Hurricane Watch or Warning, and never remove more than 25 percent of a tree’s canopy.
Who do I call if my power goes out?
Call FPL at 1-800-468-8243. Report downed lines right away and stay far back from them.
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