On Monday, state Attorney General Ashley Moody today released the 2020 Hurricane Preparedness Guide.
The 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season began on Monday and runs through the end of November. Moody urged Floridians to review the preparedness guide now and understand that planning will be different this year as Floridians continue to take measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
“As Floridians, we know that hurricanes are an unfortunate reality of living in our beautiful state. As we continue to deal with the challenges presented by COVID-19, it is equally important that we not drop the ball on our preparedness for hurricane season. The safety of you, your family, pets and property, depends on you preparing now,” Moody said on Monday.
Entering hurricane season with already two named storms, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season to be “extremely active” with 13 to 19 named storms. Moody’s Hurricane Guide could serve as a useful tool to help families prepare with helpful tips, resources and information.
Below are some important hurricane preparedness tips from the guide:
- Know evacuation routes, noting that some shelters may not be open this year due to COVID-19;
- Stock up on food, water and emergency supplies—including supplies that can help protect you
and others from COVID-19, such as hand sanitizer, cleaning materials and cloth face coverings; - Verify that storm-related products are actually hurricane-proof or impact-proof before purchasing;
- After the storm, be wary of any contractor who approaches unsolicited or offers to perform repairs at a discount with leftover supplies from another job; and
- Research recovery charities before giving, as solicitations increase following a disaster and so do charity scams designed to profit off the goodwill of others.
With the start of the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Moody will launch a week-long Twitter campaign to encourage Floridians to prepare and stay informed about storm-related scams. Follow the campaign on Twitter using #WeatherTheStormOAG.
Price gouging is one of the most common consumer complaints reported during hurricane season. Florida’s tough price gouging laws are designed to protect consumers from becoming victims for a second time after a disaster. Throughout a declared state of emergency, it is unlawful to sell essential commodities for an amount that grossly exceeds the average price for that commodity during the 30 days before the declaration.
While Florida is currently under an emergency declaration due to the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers should know that essential commodities protected under the current declaration differ from those covered during a hurricane declaration.
