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Sep 26, 2023

Seminole County emergency staff prepare for storm season

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Seminole County staff are preparing for the 2023

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Seminole County staff are preparing for the 2023 hurricane season this week through training exercises.

Emergency operations staff prepare for whatever may happen during a storm by responding to real-time simulated phone and radio calls.

On Tuesday, they were trained in setting up local shelters at Lyman High School.

"Each storm is different. We know the storm that happens this year will be vastly different than the last year," said Alan Harris, Seminole County Emergency Operations manager. "We’re going to look at the risk and determine based on the risk what we need to do."

According to the Office of Insurance Regulation, the estimated total insured loss from Hurricane Ian in Florida was almost $14 billion. The hurricane resulted in historic flooding, with some Seminole County residents reporting flooding up to 6 feet deep, leaving their first floors underwater.

Alarmingly, AAA reported about 1-in-4 Floridians would ignore warnings to evacuate in the event of a hurricane.

Seminole County staff said they’ve made some new purchases ahead of this hurricane season, including an oxygen generator. The generator can be used at special needs shelters, where some residents may rely on oxygen tanks. According to county officials, Seminole County is one of only two counties in Florida to have one.

"Even in the slowest season, we are going to prepare to be hit directly," said Harris. "(We’re) preparing for a Category 5 hurricane coming in at the Volusia-Brevard County line. For us, that would be the worst-case scenario."

Seminole County will hold its hurricane exercise with emergency operations staff at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday.