Hurricane Preparedness in Deerfield

Hello friends,

Summer is here and while many of us are excited about vacation and time with the family, we are also preparing for another Hurricane Season.

Deerfield Beach has seen some pretty volatile hurricanes in past years.

Many of you might remember the damage that Hurricane Sandy left behind in 2012. The City spent tens of thousands repairing our most beautiful landmark, the International Fishing Pier. While Sandy did not devastate South Florida, 10 to 12-ft. waves caused serious damage to our coastlines.

I would like to take this opportunity to ask our residents the very same question I asked last year and will ask every year, because it is a very important question, “Are you prepared?”

Is your family prepared? Do you know what you will do with your pets if you are asked to evacuate? Are you signed up for the emergency notification?

These are all questions that you need to know the answers to right now in order to protect your family. We have resources and tools to help every resident in Deerfield Beach be better informed and better prepared for Hurricane Season, which extends from June 1 to Nov. 30.

Just follow these easy steps:

1. Read the Broward County Hurricane Preparedness Guide.

Just go to the City website, www.Deerfield-Beach.com/HurricanePreparedness. Click Residents, Find Information On, then Hurricane Preparedness.

2. Register for the emergency notification system, CodeRED.

This is a telephone-based emergency notification system that will call your home phone, mobile phone or send you a text message with important information and updates in the event of a crisis, such as a destructive hurricane. To register, visit www.Deerfield–Beach.com/codered or call 1-866-939- 0911.

3. Check out Broward County’s website, www.Broward.org.

The county now keeps the Hurricane Preparedness Guide and other important tools and information on- line only.

4. Create a plan with your family and put together an emergency preparedness kit

to have available year-round in the event of any emergency. For a complete list of materials to include in your kit just log onto: www.broward.org/ Hurricane/AtoZ/Pages/HurricanePreparedBeforeEvent.

Finally, I just want to remind you that the time to plan is now.

Please take advantage of the resources presented to you so that this year, you will be well-armed should a hurricane approach our shores.

All my best,

Mayor Jean Robb