The Emergency Preparedness Committee (EPC) held a “Block Party” for the Block Captains to kick off hurricane season in the clubhouse multipurpose room. Almost 50 volunteers showed up to meet their team members. The room was decorated in multicolored balloons to foster a festive atmosphere and “Just Desserts” were served. There were games and prizes related to the business of hurricane preparedness. The theme was centered around Team Building because our community is divided into four color groups: Orange, Pink, Yellow, and Green. In keeping with the theme, team leaders are designated Color Guards and given correlating-colored visors to identify their areas. Each group was given lists with phone numbers and emails to facilitate communication among themselves. They were asked to decide together how they might keep abreast of each other’s travel plans during hurricane season to be sure areas are covered if a storm threatens.
With a few new faces in each area, the activity was planned to help everyone put names with faces and feel more comfortable sharing the workload. Nearly 500 of the 729 homes have already been surveyed to ascertain our permanent residents who might need extra help during a disaster. The division of labor should lighten the load for each area. Block Captains are asked to become familiar with folks on their block who they may need to reach out to if a hurricane is approaching to secure shutters, get generators running, or provide information during power losses.
If you have not met your Block Captain, please reach out to the EPC for a survey form. Members are posted on the bulletin board outside the HOA office.
We are so grateful for all the volunteers who have stepped up to serve their neighbors. This community is blessed with some amazingly helpful residents! I’m sure you interact with them every time you’re out and about. Please thank them when they come to your door to familiarize you with our storm procedures. And one more thing, the EPC is looking for someone with Excel experience to help maintain the database. Call Donna Milbee if you can help.
BE PREPARED!
SHARON HUNT
Hurricane season is here. We need to keep our community as prepared as possible and hope we avoid all hurricanes. The EPC Committee prepared a list of items to help you be as prepared as possible.
1. Start accumulating water now.
2. Be sure to keep at least a two-week supply of all medications.
3. Be sure to keep a supply of nonperishable food.
4. Don’t forget your pets. They need food and water also, and many of them need medications.
5. If you plan to leave for an extended period of time, be sure to get those projectiles—anything that the wind can move—inside.
6. Grills need to be brought inside, not just pushed up against a wall.
7. Check to make sure shutters are working properly.
8. If you have a generator—start it up and run it to make that it is working properly.
9. Take pictures of your house—inside and out.
10. Check your insurance coverage.
11. Check your generator. Do you have oil and gas/propane? Run it for 10 to 15 minutes every month.
12. Check your carbon monoxide detectors.
13. Are you going to stay? Let the EPC Committee know. Plan where you are going to shelter if necessary. Waiting till later, you may not get out.
14. STAY SAFE!
2025’s HURRICANES
The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season will use the following list of names: Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dexter, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto, Imelda, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo, Melissa, Nestor, Olga, Pablo, Rebekah, Sebastien, Tanya, Van, and Wendy.
These names are part of a rotating list used by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which is reused every six years.
