AIR DATE JUNE 9, 2022
Title: Hurricane Readiness
Hurricane season is fast approaching. Get your disaster preparedness list ready to make sure you’ve got everything you need this year.
Guests and Locations
Metro Orlando Hispanic CERT, Founder & Secretary – Sergio Padilla & Margarita Gomez
Orange County Emergency Management, Assistant Manager – Carlos Durden
Community Support Gets Us Through Each Hurricane Season
I know that life in Orange County can be wonderful, but it does come with particular challenges. One of the biggest ones we all face each year is the threat of the hurricane season. Although most storms go to the north or the south, a few always seem to target the central part of the state.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Carlos Durden, who serves as the Assistant Manager for the Orange County Office of Emergency Management. In 2020 and 2021, we had a combined 51 named storms, so it seemed prudent to ask how to manage the season better.
“We tell everybody [to] start off with a hurricane kit,” said Durden. “One of the best things you can have is a weather alert radio. It alerts you to all disasters, and it keeps you informed with the National Weather Service and what’s going on.”
Durden also recommends reviewing generator safety while ensuring enough supplies are available to get through a storm. “If you have a generator, do not run it in your garage,” he said. “If the door is still cracked, you’re still trapping carbon dioxide or monoxide inside the garage right there.”
Each year, it also helps to drain the gasoline or use stabilization products to keep it fresh until the next hurricane season.
Recovery After a Storm Starts at the Grassroots Level
One of the most beautiful things about life in Orange County is the diversity you’ll find in our communities. I’ve also found that this advantage can lead to some unique disadvantages when focusing on hurricane recovery.
Sergio Padilla founded Metro Orlando Hispanic CERT to fill in the response gaps that he recognized in our community. CERT stands for “Community Emergency Response Team.”
In 2004, Padilla recognized that our community lacked the education to face emergencies successfully. We had four hurricanes that season, which meant many people had their lives turned upside down. Only a few Hispanic volunteers spoke Spanish, but they received over 40,000 calls for support in that language.
That meant a lot of people didn’t get the help they needed.
When the state removed funding to help the Hispanic community, Padilla founded Metro Orlando Hispanic CET to help those in need. “We were invited to Washington and recognized for being the only Metro Hispanic CERT,” Padilla said. “There is still no other group in Florida that teaches or educations the community about emergencies in Spanish.”
The Biggest Problem Is a Lack of a Budget
Padilla says the issue isn’t a lack of teachers. There is no budget to provide the proactive disaster relief supports the community requires. Even when they collaborate with the Red Cross, local police, and other organizations, the best solution is for people to work on educating themselves.
“What I’d like to say is before the season starts, just stock up on a couple cases of water and keep them with your emergency supplies,” Durden said. “When the storm actually comes, you’re not stressing and running, trying to fund water like everyone else.”
Durden also recommends having up to seven days of essential supplies, including food and medication. “You want food that won’t spoil,” he said, “like peanut butter and jelly, crackers, and cookies.”
Hurricane seasons are part of the annual routine in Florida. Knowing how to prepare for them makes it easier to get through the storm or recover from its aftermath quickly and successfully together.
