Emergency Preparedness and Response
Florida Department of Health - St. Johns County
- 904-506-6081
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Mailing Address
200 San Sebastian View
Saint Augustine, Florida 32084
St. Johns County Hurricane Preparedness Guide
Preparedness Braille Toolkit for Blind or Visually Impaired Residents
The Florida Department of Health in St. Johns County (DOH–St. Johns) was recognized nationally as a "Project Public Health Ready" certified county health department in 2010 and 2015.
Project Public Health Ready (PPHR) is a national criteria-based public health preparedness program that assesses local health department capacity and capability to plan for, respond to, and recover from public health emergencies. We stand ready to serve our community in any emergency, such as staffing Special Medical Needs Shelters when tropical storms or wildfires force evacuations, or operating Points of Dispensing or Mass Vaccination clinics to protect the public from disease outbreaks or epidemics.
St. Johns County residents are encouraged to prepare well in advance of disasters. Make a plan for yourself, family members, and pets so that everyone knows what to do in an emergency. Assemble an Emergency Supply Kit of important papers, supplies, and medications that you will need with you if you have to evacuate your home. Be Informed before, during, and after a disaster.
- Hurricane Preparedness
- Hurricane Resources – St. Johns County
- Prepare for Emergencies: Make a Plan!
- Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Generator Safety
- Volunteer Today
- Additional Resources
Be Prepared This Hurricane Season
St. Johns County residents have experienced many storms throughout history . When the waves swell, the wind blows, and rain starts to pour you will ask yourself, how prepared or unprepared are you?
Hurricane Season
COVID-19 Update
Preparing for hurricane season can be stressful, and because the 2020 hurricane season comes during the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be especially so.
As hurricane season approaches, listen to local officials on questions related to how you may need to adjust any evacuation plans based on the latest health and safety guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and your local officials.
- Give yourself more time than usual to Assemble Disaster Supplies such as emergency food, water, and medicine supplies.
- Take steps to protect the health of your community when running essential errands and when filling prescriptions.
- Pay attention to local guidance about updated plans for evacuations and shelters, including potential shelters for your pets.
- When assembling disaster supply kits include items such as soap, hand sanitizer, and cloth face coverings.
- Follow social distancing recommendations when checking on neighbors and friends.
Hurricane Safety Messages with
American Sign Language (ASL)
Determine Your Risk
The threats from hurricanes to you and your family can vary widely depending on where you live. It is not just those along the coast that can experience significant, life-threatening impacts. Evaluate what you need to do to protect your home, family, and business NOW.
Develop An Evacuation Plan
Make sure you have a hurricane evacuation plan. The first thing you need to do is find out if you live in a storm surge hurricane evacuation zone or if you are in a home that would be unsafe during a hurricane. During a hurricane evacuation order, St. Johns County mobile home residents must evacuate regardless of their zone. If you are, figure out where you would go and how you would get there if told to evacuate. You do not need to travel hundreds of miles. Identify someone, perhaps a friend or relative who does not live in an evacuation zone or unsafe home, and coordinate with them to use their home as your evacuation destination. Be sure to account for your pets, as most local shelters do not permit them. Put the plan in writing for you and those you care about.
As hurricane season approaches, listen to local officials on questions related to how you may need to adjust any evacuation plans based on the latest health and safety guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and your local officials.
Assemble Disaster Supplies
Just having enough supplies to make it through a hurricane is not enough. You need plenty to make it through what could be a LONG recovery period too. Water and electricity could be out for a week or more. Have enough non-perishable food, water and medicine to last each person in your family for a MINIMUM of one week. Also make sure you have extra cash, a battery-powered radio, flashlights, and a portable crank or solar powered USB charger to charge your cell phone. The CDC recommends if you need to go to a public shelter, bring at least two cloth face coverings for each person and, if possible, hand sanitizer. Children under two years old and people having trouble breathing should not wear face coverings.
Build an Emergency Supply Kit with help from www.Ready.gov/kit.
Don't Forget Pets When Preparing
Remember, when preparing for a hurricane what is good for you is good for your pet, so get them ready today. These Pet Preparedness Tips can help you to prepare now. Pay attention to local guidance about updated plans for evacuations and shelters, including potential shelters for your pets.
Resources:
- Animal Welfare Websites
- Country Property – Disaster Planning Guidelines
- Is Your Pet Ready – Preparing Before a Disaster
- SJC Pet Shelter Brochure
Get An Insurance Checkup
Call your insurance company or agent and ask for an insurance checkup to make sure you have enough homeowners insurance to repair or even replace your home. Remember, standard homeowners insurance does not cover flooding. Whether you are a homeowner or renter, you will need a separate Flood Insurance policy. Visit www.FloodSmart.gov to get started. Act now as flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period.
Strengthen Your Home
If you plan to ride out the storm in your home, make sure it is in good repair and up to local hurricane building code specifications. Have the proper plywood, steel or aluminum panels to board up the windows and doors. Remember, the garage door is the most vulnerable part of the home, so it must be able to withstand the winds. Follow these tips to prepare Before the Storm.
Help Your Neighbor
Learn about all the different actions you and your neighbors can take to prepare and recover from the hazards associated with hurricanes. Start the conversation now with these Neighbor Helping Neighbor strategies but, remember that you may need to adjust your preparedness plans based on the latest health and safety guidelines from the CDC and your local officials.
Complete a Written Plan
The time to prepare for a hurricane is before the season begins, when you have the time and are not under pressure. Take the time now to write down your hurricane plan. Know who issues evacuation orders for St. Johns County: Emergency Management, determine locations on where you will seek shelter from the storm, and start to get your supplies ready now. Prepare Your Family Disaster Plan today, visit:
- Florida Disaster.org
Get a Plan! - Family Communications Plan for Kids
Do you know how to get in touch with your family? - Family Communications Plan for Parents
Does your family know how to get in touch with each other? - Red Cross
Make a Disaster Preparedness Plan! - St. Johns County Emergency Management
View preparedness publications.
Print the St. Johns County
Hurricane Preparedness Guide
Remember, it only takes one storm to change your life and community. For more information on hurricane preparedness in St. Johns County, visit: St. Johns County Emergency Management – Hurricane Preparedness.
Stay Informed this Hurricane Season
Receive alerts about emergencies by signing up for the new
St. Johns County Emergency Notification System:
The Alert St. Johns system will replace the Code Red notification System, so it is imperitive that residents sign up for these critical notifications.
PLEASE NOTE: Some addresses within St. Johns County may not be immediately recognized by the Alert St. Johns system. If yours is one of them, follow the instructions to have your address added manually.
Additional Resources:
- Alert St. Johns — Emergency Notification System
- Be Prepared. Get Connected.
- Being Informed — St. Johns County
- Alert St. Johns will replace Code Red notification System so it is imperative that residents sign up for these critical notifications.
- FEMA — Mobile App
- Florida Disaster.org – Division of Emergency Management
- National Hurricane Center
- NOAA Weather Radio
- St. Johns County Emergency Management
- State Assistance Information Line (SAIL)
- Wireless Emergency Alerts
Take Care of Mental Health
Dealing with multiple disasters is difficult, but taking care of emotional health helps people think clearly and react to urgent needs. Children may not say how they are feeling during a crisis: Talk to them, answer questions, and make sure they feel loved.
Need Help? Know Someone Who Does?
CLICK HERE
View these additional resources about mental health:
- Children may not say how they are feeling during a crisis
- CDC: Coping with a Disaster or Traumatic Event
- CDC: COVID-19 Stress and Coping
- CDC: Preparing for Hurricanes During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Helping Children Cope with Emergencies
- Story-Book to help children understand how to stay safe and address fears about COVID-19
- SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 or text "TalkWithUs" (for English) or "Hablanos" (for Spanish) to 66746
Treatment Locator
Additional Resources
The source for portions of this content is the National Weather Service — National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). For more information on hurricane preparedness visit:
- Emergency Management – St. Johns County
- FloridaDisaster.org – Division of Emergency Management
- Hurricane Preparedness – American Red Cross
- Hurricane Strong – Federal Alliance for Safe Homes
- Hurricanes and Other Tropical Storms – CDC
- National Hurricane Center
- National Hurricane Preparedness
- NOAA – Weather Radio
- NWS – Hurricane Safety Tips and Resources
- Ready.gov – Hurricanes
- Special Medical Needs Shelter – St. Johns County
Note: This page contains materials in the Portable Document Format (PDF). The free Adobe Reader may be required to view these files.
St. Johns County Hurricane Preparedness Guide
Preparedness Braille Toolkit for Blind or Visually Impaired Residents | |
COVID-19 & Hurricane Preparedness | |
 | St. Johns County Hurricane Evacuation Map PDF |
 | Evacuation Zone Finder |
St. Johns CountyEmergency Management | |
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 | My Florida 511Real-time road and traffic information Connect.Know.Go. |
Receive alerts about emergencies by signing up for the
St. Johns County Emergency Notification System:
The Alert St. Johns system will replace the Code Red notification System, so it is imperitive that residents sign up for these critical notifications.
PLEASE NOTE: Some addresses within St. Johns County may not be immediately recognized by the Alert St. Johns system. If yours is one of them, follow the instructions to have your address added manually.
More information to help you get prepared is available on the St. Johns County Emergency Management website. This is also where you can register for Special Medical Needs Sheltering and transportation assistance to shelters in emergencies and find maps to the general population, pet friendly, and special needs shelters.
The State of Florida Division of Emergency Management provides an interactive online tool, Get a Plan!, to help families and businesses stay prepared. This useful tool allows you to answer a series of questions and create a customized plan. More information to help you get prepared is available on the St. Johns County Emergency Management website. This is also where you can register for Special Medical Needs Sheltering and transportation assistance to shelters in emergencies and find maps to the general population, pet friendly, and special medical needs shelters.
Plan and Prepare for Emergencies Visit:
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The Florida Department of Health — Emergency Preparedness and Response Program has valuable information to help you prepare for emergencies:
- Hurricane Information Fact Sheets
- Prepare Yourself
- Community Preparedness
- Health Care System Preparedness
- Environmental Health Preparedness
- Preparedness Planning
- Disaster Response Resources
- Training and Exercise
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also offers several on-line resources to help citizens prepare for all-hazards. These web-based courses are free of charge and have lots of good information:
CO is an invisible, odorless and tasteless gas that is very poisonous. It can cause Fatigue, weakness, chest pains for people with heart disease, shortness of breath, stomach pain, vomiting, headaches, confusion, lack of coordination, vision problems, loss of consciousness and in severe cases, death.
Florida Poison Information Center
If a person has collapsed or is not breathing, call 9-1-1 immediately. If you suspect CO poisoning, call the Florida Poison Information Center :
1-800-222-1222.
CDC Highlights
- Generators, grills, camp stoves, or other gasoline, propane, natural gas, or charcoal-burning devices should never be used inside a home, basement, garage, or camper – or even outside near an open window.
- Every home should have at least one working carbon monoxide detector. The detector’s batteries should be checked at least twice annually, at the same time smoke detector batteries are checked.
- Learn more:
Portable Generators can Produce High Levels of CO Very Quickly
Safety Tips
- Never use a generator indoors, including homes, garages, basements, crawl spaces and other enclosed or partially enclosed areas, even with ventilation. Opening doors and windows, or using fans will not prevent CO buildup in your home.
- Always keep portable generators or gasoline engines outside and away from open windows,
doors, window air conditioners or exhaust vents that could allow CO to come indoors. Follow
the instructions that come with your unit. - Remember, you cannot see or smell CO. If you start to feel sick, dizzy or weak while
using a generator, get to fresh air immediately. - Do not burn charcoal or gas grills inside a house, garage, vehicle, tent or fireplace.
Keep Your Generator | Generator |
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CO Alarms Save Lives
- Install battery-operated CO alarms or plug-in CO alarms with battery backup in your home. Follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions. The CO alarms should be certified to the latest safety standards: UL 2034, IAS 6-96, ASTM D6332, or CSA 6.19.01.
- Test your CO alarms—follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and replace dead batteries.
Residents interested in volunteering to help during and after public health and medical emergencies may contact DOH–St. Johns Disaster Preparedness and Response Planner.
Alert St. Johns – Emergency Notification System
The Alert St. Johns system will replace the Code Red notification System, so it is imperitive that residents sign up for these critical notifications.
PLEASE NOTE: Some addresses within St. Johns County may not be immediately recognized by the Alert St. Johns system. If yours is one of them, follow the instructions to have your address added manually.
Residents of St. Johns County can be notified of Public safety issues by high-speed telephone emergency notification services. The Alert St. Johns system gives county and city officials the ability to deliver pre-recorded emergency telephone notification/information messages to the entire county or to targeted areas. Officials from the Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Management, St. Johns County Fire Rescue, St. Augustine Police, and St. Augustine Beach Police Department have been trained on the system to ensure all citizens can be informed of any public safety issues.
Additional important resources for disaster planning and preparedness information for individuals, businesses, families, children, and persons with disabilities can be found on these sites:
- Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Generator Safety
- Disaster Preparedness for persons who are Electric Dependent
- Disaster Preparedness for persons with Access and Functional Needs
- FloridaDisaster.org — Plan and Prepare for Emergencies
- FloridaHealth.gov — Emergency Preparedness and Response
- Hurricane Information Fact Sheets
- National Hurricane Center – Tropical Weather Outlook
- Ready.gov — Plan ahead for disasters
- Ready.gov/Tsunamis
Connect with DOH