Aaronson's Alert

The 2011 hurricane season has officially begun. As your Commissioner I have always worked diligently with county staff to provide information vital to helping my constituents prepare. I would like to remind you that the County’s Hurricane Survival Guide can be found on the Division of Emergency Management’s webpage at www.pbcdem.org. Here you can view, download and print this in-depth Guide or visit a Publix near you where they have similar guides published by WPTV News Channel 5.

According to Assistant County Administrator Vince Bonvento, the webpage has a myriad of resources in addition to the Guide such as:

• List of Palm Beach County gas stations with generators or that are generator-ready
• Home Depot, Lowe’s and Publix stores that are generator powered
• Links to other information preparedness resources

Residents living in a Hurricane Evacuation Zone or a mobile/manufactured home who require special transportation assistance due to a disability can pre-register with the special transportation assistance program (STAP).  All registered persons will be called when an evacuation order is issued. A Palm Tran bus or Palm Tran Connection vehicle will transport them to the nearest American Red Cross hurricane evacuation shelter. To pre-register, call Palm Tran at (561) 649-9838. 

Persons with special health or medical conditions that require professional observation, assessment, and maintenance should register with the Special Needs Program.  To register for the program, visit Emergency Management’s website, download, print and complete the application, and mail it in now before a storm develops. If you cannot access this information online yourself, please contact Emergency Management at (561) 712-6400 or my office to request one.

For those planning to ride a storm out at home: stock up on food and water, make sure you have enough of your prescription medicines on hand, get flashlights and batteries in lieu of candles as they can be hazardous, charge your cell phone or have a corded telephone on hand since cordless phones will not function and cell service may get knocked out, stay in your home during the storm and remain there. If you must travel after, remember – ROAD SAFETY IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE.

While I am confident in the County’s Emergency Management Division and all that they do to keep our residents aware and safe, I would be remiss not to remind you that the onus is on you to have a plan and to prepare. Despite all of the good intentions of government, it takes time to get help to you – at least 24 to 48 hours. That is why I cannot emphasize enough the importance of getting ready for the upcoming season. 

As always, I invite your comments on any issue of interest to you.  As your Commissioner, I am here to help you.  You may write me at 301 N. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach, 33401 or call my staff at 276-1310 or toll free at 877-930-2205.  My email address is:  baaronso@pbcgov.org.