On Wednesday, following a briefing from the Statewide Emergency Operations Center (EOC), state Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis urged Floridians in the path of Hurricane Eta to take this storm seriously and make final preparations for landfall immediately.
The CFO’s PrepareFL.com website is a one-stop-shop for disaster-related resources to aid Floridians before, during, and after the storm.
“Hurricane Eta is bearing down on Florida’s Western Gulf Coast and bringing heavy rain, wind, and storm surge to many of our coastal communities. Although it’s late in the 2020 Hurricane Season, Floridians must stay vigilant and make final preparations for this storm immediately. It only takes a few inches of flood water to cause dangerous road conditions and significant damage to your home and business. Even if Eta weakens as it approaches the coast, don’t be over confident as the large wind field can cause inland flooding and the possibility of tornadoes. Heed all watches and warnings from local officials and stay alert for shelter availability and voluntary evacuation information. My office will continue to coordinate with the Florida Division of Emergency Management as the storm progresses,” Patronis said on Wednesday.
“As we celebrate Veterans Day and honor the service and sacrifice of our servicemembers, also remember to keep our first responders in your thoughts as they work tirelessly to protect our communities during times of disaster. Visit my PrepareFL.com website for recovery tools including information with the flood claims process. Stay safe, Florida,” he added.
The CFO’S office offered the following “Final Storm Preparation Tips and Reminders for Floridians:”
- Never run a generator inside or too close to your home or garage.
- Use sandbags and plastic sheeting to ward off rising water.
- Take photos of items in your home to help make the recovery process easier.
- Gather all insurance, financial and other important documents and secure them in plastic bags.
- Secure outdoor objects, such as grills and lawn furniture, so that it cannot get displaced by high winds.
As tropical storm and hurricane warnings are issued throughout Florida, no new insurance policies will be written. Specific coverage amounts, total coverage limits, and deductible amounts are also locked in, per Florida law. Consumers are encouraged to review their current coverage to better understand their potential losses. If you have any questions leading up to and after the storm, please call CFO Patronis’ Insurance Consumer Helpline at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236) or visit MyFloridaCFO.com.
