This week, state Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis recognized September as National Preparedness Month (NPM).
NPM is recognized each September to promote family and community disaster planning now and throughout the year. The 2021 theme is “Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.”
“It is critical for Floridians to be prepared for the next disaster and that is why I am recognizing September as National Preparedness Month,” Patonis said.
“This year is especially important for Floridians to prepare since the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently released their latest hurricane outlook and it called for even greater odds for an above-average hurricane season, with 13 to 20 named storms and seven to 10 hurricanes. Florida was recently spared from Hurricane Ida, but we cannot let our guard down. We are currently in the peak of hurricane season, so now is the time to prepare if you have not done so already. As we have seen in the past, storms can develop extremely fast leaving little to no time to prepare. Visit PrepareFL.com for important storm tips and resources,” he added.
Patronis’ Insurance Consumer Helpline is available to assist Floridians with insurance-related questions, help you review your policy, understand your coverage, file a claim for damage and offer assistance in the event that you are having trouble communicating with your insurance company. Call the toll-free helpline at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (693-5236), to talk to a knowledgeable insurance specialist Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or visit MyFloridaCFO.com.
For additional hurricane financial preparedness tips or resources, visit PrepareFL.com.