Don’t procrastinate any longer: Get your hang tags!

BY MARCY SHORTUSE - Tropical Storms Debby and Isaac didn’t pack much of a punch for Boca Grande, but they were good warm-ups for potential future storms. One of the most important things any resident or business owner can do right now, if they haven’t already, is to get their hurricane hang tags updated.

The tags are new this year, and the old ones won’t work anymore. So it is vital that those who wants to return to the island after a severe storm get their tags now at the Boca Grande Fire Department.

The program, implemented in 2006, is designed for ease of access. Anyone who needs to check their property, return to work or help in storm clean-up should get them. The new tag colors are orange, for commercial users, and blue, for residents.

“The biggest problem we’ve had so far is people waiting too long,” said Nancy Coleman the executive assistant at the fire station. “Just before we had the last storms go through it wasn’t too bad, but there was a steady and consistent flow of people coming in.”

Prior storms proved to be more hectic, though. Coleman said she had lines out the door in previous years, all just before a storm was supposed to hit the island.

“The fact is, a lot of people don’t realize they have to renew the tags,” said Fire Chief C.W. Blosser.

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