Lee County provides online hurricane preparation resources

BY OLIVIA CAMERON- While hurricane season trudges on amid the current pandemic, Lee County is providing new resources for local residents to test their knowledge of hurricane safety.
As of July, online hurricane video seminars have been posted on behalf of the County to provide a replacement for the regular in-person seminars. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most typical activities have been canceled through the end of the year, which could leave residents unaware of the right steps to take.
The online resources include videos and quizzes as a measure of one’s awareness pertaining to hurricane season preparation. The instructional videos provide necessary steps to take in the event of a hurricane or tropical storm. 
In a time of social distancing, townspeople may be questioning where to take shelter in case of an emergency. The peak of hurricane activity, between August and October, will be here before we know it. It is important to understand how much preparation is needed when the winds pick up and it becomes difficult to drive on slippery roads.
Southwest Florida is no stranger to recovering after detrimental storm surges and high-speed winds. However, those new to the area can get caught up in the confusion of hurricane preparation. These seminars will guide viewers through the process of packing weeks ahead, double-checking emergency kits, understanding their evacuation zones and knowing when it’s not safe to wait through a storm at home.
Each “Hurricane Ready” quiz in the video sequence will provide a few questions and show results at the end of the seminar. 
The 2020 All Hazards Guide, also digital, will provide a map of updated evacuation zones as well as information regarding what to do in case of lightning and wildfires. Printed guides are also available at various Lee County Library branches. 
Residents of Lee County also have access to two emergency management tools, the LeePrepares app and the AlertLee notification system.
The LeePrepares app offers locals different resources to navigate through a possible evacuation, recovery information, a family disaster plan and an emergency supply list. The app also includes local weather updates and preparedness information in ASL.
AlertLee provides residents with notifications regarding emergency updates on a multitude of platforms. Emergency updates are not limited to weather conditions, but also provide alerts regarding missing people, fires and floods among other situations. To sign up for the free system, visit AlertLee.com.
An emergency evacuation can result when you least expect it. Taking action ahead of time will keep your family out of harm’s way.
These resources have been made available online at leegov.com/hurricane.