Don’t wait for the last minute! 

Prepared now!

Florida TS/Hurricane Situation Page

The first step is to consider your own evacuation. If you live in a storm surge flood plain or a mobile home, you must evacuate.  Flood plain maps are available from your county government. Whether or not you evacuate, you may want to consider evacuating horses if they are maintained in stables or small pastures in urban areas where they will be unable to avoid debris and collapsing buildings.  If you decide you must evacuate ...

DO NOT TRY TO EVACUATE WITH YOUR LIVESTOCK TRAILER UNLESS THERE IS SUFFICIENT TIME!   IF YOU CANNOT BE ON THE ROAD 72 HOURS BEFORE THE STORM IS DUE TO HIT, YOU COULD EASILY BE CAUGHT IN TRAFFIC AND HIGH WINDS.  

Traffic on the highways will be moving very slowly, if at all.  Consider alternate routes as interstate highways will be very congested.  A livestock trailer is a very unstable vehicle in high winds and high winds will arrive 8-10 hours before a storm.

Remember, a fire engine, loaded with water - a very stable emergency vehicle - is considered "out of service" when sustained winds have reached 40 mph. Therefore, long distance evacuation is not recommended as the storm approached in the final hours just before landfall.  Evacuating your animals out of the area may be too dangerous then, but there are alternatives. MAKE PLANS NOW to move your animals to a safer area relatively near your home in this case. 

Before hurricane season begins, make sure all animals have current immunizations and Coggins tests and take the necessary papers with you if you must evacuate.  Locate a safer area and make arrangements now to move your animals to this location - then assist the receiving property owner in developing a disaster plan!

A WRITTEN DISASTER PLAN will help you and your animals survive.

 LEAVE EARLY AND AVOID THE TRAFFIC JAMS.  

A well written disaster plan should include.

• Have enough hay and feed to last for at least 2 Weeks.

• Have plenty of water available.  If you have a well consider installing a hand pump.

• Be prepared to mark you horses with some type of ID.  (microchip/name tag on halters etc)

• Have a medical kit ready and well stocked.

• Check the property do any trees need to be trimmed? (Trim now to prevent damage to barn or fence or even worse you livestock)

• If you turn your horses out check the fencing to be sure it is in good shape. (repair now if needed).

• Do a full check of your barn. (How is your roof?)

• Remove all rubble from your yard or farm it will become a flying missile in high winds.

These are just a few steps you should take each location will be different and may require other measures. 

When you return to your home/farm you might consider coming back first to do a recovery survey before your return your animals.  When you arrive assume all power cables and wires are energized and stay away.  Keep away from flooded and debris-laden areas because they may be hiding downed power lines.

Be prepared to repair broken fencing.  Inspect your barn for damage (is it safe for your livestock/horses?)  Is there electricity at the barn.  Remember down power lines may be energized and they will be dangerous.  Do not try to remove them contact your local power company. 

If you use a generator it can help restore life to normal during emergencies, but its safe use requires care and planning. For example: Always read thoroughly the manufacturer’s instructions. This can help avoid dangerous shortcuts and assist you in ensuring safe operation of your generator. Keep generators away from all open windows – including neighbors’ – so deadly exhaust does not enter a home or business. Tip: You can’t trust your senses for protection from carbon monoxide; this deadly gas is invisible and odorless. When buying a generator, also buy a battery-operated carbon monoxide alarm. It works like a smoke alarm, sounding an alert if carbon monoxide levels become dangerous Be a good neighbor. If the power is out, your neighbors are probably sleeping with their windows open. Consider that the sound of your generator may not be music to everyone's ears! Here are some additional guidelines and tips more specific for those using portable generators and for those using stationary generators. Portable Generators Gasoline-powered generators produce deadly carbon monoxide fumes Always run portable generators outside the house. Never run generators inside, or in a garage. Keep generators well away from open windows – including neighbors - so deadly exhaust does not enter the home. Never connect a generator directly to your home’s wiring Power from a generator connected to a home's wiring will "back feed" into utility lines, potentially injuring severely or killing a neighbor or utility crew working to restore service. Either: Plug appliances directly into the generator's outlet. Use a heavy-duty extension cord rated for outdoor use to keep the generator safely outdoors. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for grounding the generator. Or: Hire a licensed electrician to connect the generator to your house wiring using a “listed” transfer switch, which means it meets nationally recognized safety standards as indicated by the UL Listing Mark on the product. Having an electrician install the listed transfer switch will safely prevent your generator from back feeding utility lines, thus avoiding a safety hazard to you, your family, neighbors and utility workers, and preventing possible damage to your generator when utility power is restored. Tip: the appliance has a three-prong plug, always use a three-prong extension cord. What will a small generator run? A small generator of about 3,000 watts can run a few lights, fans and a refrigerator all at one time. If used to start and run only one item at a time, it can run a ½ horsepower pump, or a small window air conditioner of about 5,000 BTUs. Each generator has a rated wattage, which provides a limit on the appliances it will safely power. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for proper use and capacity. Overloading the generator can result in damage to appliances it is powering. Tip: You don't need to run everything at same time; rotating larger items allows the use of a smaller generator.

Remember Hurricane Andrew? How about Katrina or even closer to home Hurricane Charlie in 2004?   These recent events are a good reminder of how Mother Nature can be and what we need to do to be prepared for here in the Sunshine State and the south .