From the Office of Commissioner Nan Rich
Before Hurricane Dorian strikes, all Broward County residents should have a plan in place to help ensure their safety, especially those who have disabilities and/or health issues that make them even more vulnerable during an emergency. Follow this 5-step plan to make sure you and your loved ones are prepared:
1. Find Shelter Options
- Seek emergency preparedness and response advice from your local, state, and federal governments, as well as from trusted community organizations. Find out what emergency plans are in place in your community and workplace, and with your service providers.
- No shelter openings have been announced, but if announced, location information will be posted on Broward.org/Hurricane. Not all the shelter locations listed will be opened. Shelters that are pet-friendly will be indicated as such. Check out this link to View Shelter Locations.
2. Pre-Register for Important Services
- Register with Broward County’s Vulnerable Population Registry. This registry allows people who are disabled, frail, or have health issues to register in advance with their city so that emergency workers may plan a better response to vulnerable residents in a recovery effort following a hurricane or other emergency. For more information or to register, call 3-1-1 or 954-831-4000.
3. Make Arrangements for Animals
- Broward County Animal Care will open pet-friendly shelters on an as-needed basis. Contact (954) 359-1313 for more information. No shelter openings have been announced, but when announced, they will be updated on www.broward.org/animal.
- Animal Care and Adoption will be closed to the public Saturday, August 31st, to transport animals to other locations, allow staff to prepare for the storm and prepare to receive donated supplies for anticipated recovery activities. After Saturday, the shelter will be closed until further notice but available for priority cases.
4. Prepare Important Documents
- Create a Personal Information Card with all your health information (doctors, insurance policy numbers, hospital preferences, current medications, medical conditions, etc.) and identify your disability-related or special medical needs.
5. Prepare Equipment and Collect Supplies
- Collect your emergency supplies early. Supplies will vary, depending on whether you choose to go to a shelter or stay at home. Broward County has created a convenient shopping guide that can help you spread the expense of purchasing emergency supplies over eight weeks. View the Hurricane Shopping Guide.
- Keep ample supplies of prescription and non-prescription medications on hand, especially during hurricane season.
For more details and resources, please visit the following Broward County link: http://www.broward.org/AtRisk/Pages/default.aspx
Broward County Commissioner Nan Rich represents the Woodlands Country Club in Tamarac along with Weston, Sunrise and Plantation.
