VOL. 35 NO. 7
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JULY 2025
Commissioner’s Update
Hurricane Season In Palm Beach County: Prepare Now To Stay Safe
By Mayor Maria G. Marino Palm Beach County has a long history of severe weather, including hurricanes, tornadoes, lightning storms, flooding, droughts, and wildfires. Frances, Jeanne, Wilma, Fay, Matthew, Irma, and more recently, Helene and Milton, have all left their mark on our community. These events underscore the importance of being ready and resilient. The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30. While we all hope South Florida will be spared, it’s essential that every resident takes time to prepare—by reviewing evacuation plans, securing their homes, and gathering necessary supplies. Familiarity with severe weather is part of life in Palm Beach County, but preparation can reduce disruptions and speed up recovery.
The Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management provides a range of resources to help you get ready. One of the best tools is the Official Palm Beach County Hurricane Planning Guide, available at https:// discover.pbcgov.org/publicsafety/PDF/Hurricane-Guide.pdf. It includes checklists, evacuation zone information, shelter options, and guidance on home preparation. If you need a printed copy, call the Emergency Information Center at (561) 712-6400 or contact our office. Start by building an emergency supply kit. Stock several days’ worth of nonperishable food and water, first aid items, hygiene products, prescription medications (including a way to keep refrigerated medications cold, such as ice packs or a cooler), paper goods, flashlights with extra batteries, tools, cleaning supplies, and a waterproof container for important documents. Use tap water in reusable containers instead of buying bottled water—this is both cost-effective and environmentally-friendly. Don’t forget your pets; they need supplies too. If you have a generator, test it now and ensure you have fuel. Keep your vehicle’s gas tank at least half full throughout the season in case of evacuation orders. Electric vehicle owners should maintain battery levels between 50 and 80 percent, depending on the manufacturer’s recommendations. This is also the right time to trim trees and manage yard debris. Once a storm watch is issued, collection isn’t
guaranteed. Yard waste pickup is limited to one pile of up to 6 cubic yards weekly. If you’re disposing of expired storm supplies like fuel, propane tanks, or batteries, use the Solid Waste Authority’s Home Chemical and Recycling Centers. A convenient site is the North County Transfer Station at 14185 North Military Trail in Jupiter. Visit swa.org or call (561) 697-2700 or (866) SWA-INFO for more details. Stay informed by signing up for AlertPBC, the county’s emergency notification system, at https://discover. pbcgov.org/publicsafety/dem/Pages/Alert-PBC.aspx. You’ll receive alerts by phone, text, or email about local hazards and emergencies. Your information is protected and used only for public safety. You can also download the Disaster Awareness and Recovery Tool (DART) app to check evacuation zones, shelter openings, and storm updates on your phone. More information can be found at: https://discover.pbcgov.org/publicsafety/dem/Pages/ dart.aspx. Check in with your neighbors—especially seniors, individuals with disabilities, and those who may be new to the area. Remember, we are a community first. A small gesture can make a big difference during an emergency. Stay safe and take action now. Preparedness truly makes all the difference. If I can assist you, contact me at (561) 355-2201 or email mmarino@pbc.gov.
• How will my family or household get in touch if cell phone, Internet, or landline service doesn’t work? • How will I let loved ones know I am safe? • How will my family or household get to a meeting place after the emergency? Complete a contact card for each adult family member and print them out. Have them keep these cards handy in a wallet, purse, backpack, or other convenient location— additionally, complete contact cards for each child in your family. Put the cards in their backpacks or book bags. Information should include contact details for family, friends, and neighbors, as well as doctors and school information. You can find an example of an emergency contact card on redcross.org. Identify a contact, such as a friend or relative, who lives out of state for household members to notify if they are safe. An out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members. Technology has made it easier than ever to prepare for emergencies. Still, it can be unreliable in an emergency if you haven’t kept your gadgets protected and powered up. Here are some tips to make sure you are tech-ready. Be Informed • Download the FEMA app. Get weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five different locations anywhere in the United States. • Sign up for FEMA text messages to get updates from FEMA (standard message and data rates apply). • You can download either or both from here: https:// w w w. f e m a . g o v / a b o u t / news-multimedia/mobileproducts
Here are basic commands to get started: • To sign up to get preparedness tips, text PREPARE to 43362 (4FEMA). • To search for open shelters (for disaster survivors), text SHELTER and a ZIP code to 43362. • To get a list of all keywords you can subscribe to, text LIST to 43362. • To unsubscribe (at any time), text STOP to 43362.
Northern Notes Family Communication During And After Disasters By Katie Roundtree, Director of Finance and Administration, Northern Palm Beach County Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so plan how you will stay in touch with one another. Think about how you will communicate in different situations. Consider the following questions when making a plan. • How will my family or household receive emergency alerts and warnings? • How will my family or household get to safe locations in the event of relevant emergencies?
Northern Notes on page 2
In Memoriam Virginia (Ginny) Luongo It is with sad hearts we announce the recent passing another member of the POA Board of Governors, Ginny Luongo. Since moving to PGA in 1996, Ginny was very active in our community. Ginny was a member of the POA Board for eight years. During that time, she served as a director and secretary for the Board, and as vice-chair of the ARC committee and was active on several other POA committees as well. Ginny also served for many years on the Board of Directors for Club Cottages HOA and was an active member of the Women’s Golf Association at PGA National. We will deeply miss Ginny’s dedication to the community, her tremendous strength, and beautiful smile. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ginny’s family and thank them for allowing the PGA family to work with her over the years.