SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Seminole County is gearing up for hurricane season, and officials say preparation is everything.
More than 40 agencies gathered for the county’s annual hurricane exercise, each playing a crucial role in the county’s emergency response plan. The training simulates how those roles would work together if a hurricane were to strike.
“So simulated calls will come into the emergency operations center and the participants have to follow through whatever the event is that’s being brought to them. These are real life scenarios that have happened in previous hurricanes that they’re going to have to respond to,” Seminole County Emergency Manager Alan Harris said.
The exercise brings together a wide cross-section of county services and community partners to rehearse storm response.
“Everything from animal services to utility providers to the school board to emergency sheltering. Our nonprofit partners, American Red Cross, everybody is here with the same mission to help the people in our community prepare and respond to hurricanes,” Harris explained.
Joseph England, Seminole County Solid Waste Division Manager, said the exercise is important for his team, which is responsible for debris pickup in the aftermath of a storm.
“It’s absolutely crucial. You know, things are constantly evolving. It’s important for us all to be, you know, continually trained. Because once an event happens, you got to revert back to your training,” England said.
County officials say they hold this training, along with others throughout the year, to make sure every team member knows their role and how to support the broader response effort.
“This is important. For everybody here for the time being, this is a real event for us,” England said.
Officials are also urging residents to take their own preparedness steps before a storm hits.
“We’re not going to ask our citizens to do anything that we don’t do, and you can see clearly a lot of people in this room preparing for the season. We want you to prepare for the season as well. Go through your disaster kits, get your plan together, and know where you’re going to evacuate,” Harris said.
Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.