Page 14 - Florida Sentinel 5-31-19

Hurricane News
NOAA Releases 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Outlook
TheNationalOceanicand Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released its 2019 outlook for the upcoming At- lantic hurricane season, which officially starts Satur- day (June 1) and ends Nov. 30.
Experts at NOAA expect a normal season predicting 9 to 15 named storms, of which 4 to 8 could become hurri- canes, including 2 to 4 major hurricanes.
2019 Hurricane Names
The names chosen hurri- canes are recycled every five years. However, once a storm’s damage or number of deaths reach a certain threshold, that name is re- tired and another is chosen. The following is a list of
names chosen for the up- coming hurricane season:
Andrea Barry Chantal Dorian Erin Fernand Gabrielle Humberto Imelda Jerry Karen Lorenzo Melissa Nestor Olga Pablo Rebekah Sebastien Tanya Van Wendy
‘Sales Tax’ Holiday Set For 2019 Hurricane Season
Earlier this month, Gov- ernor Ron DeSantis signed the 2019 Florida No Sales Tax Holiday bill. The bill allows Florida residents to make purchases of disaster items for the hurricane sea- son. The Atlantic Hurricane Season begins on June 1st and ends on November 30th.
The no tax holiday goes into effect at midnight on May 31st and ends at mid- night on June 6th. During this period, certain items pur- chased for the 2019 Hurri- cane Season will not be taxed.
The items include:
Portable self-powered light sources such as lanterns or flashlights selling for $20 or less;
Portable battery-operated radios, two-way radios, or Weatherband radios selling for $50 or less;
Tarps, waterproof sheet- ing including visqueen plastic sheets, plastic drop cloths, tie-down kits, or other flexi- ble waterproof items selling for $50 or less;
A self-contained first-aid kit selling for $30 or less;
A ground anchor system or tie-down kit selling for $50 or less;
A gas or diesel fuel tank selling for $25 or less;
Non-electric food storage and ice coolers selling for $30 or less;
A portable generator used to provide light or communi- cations or preserve food in the event of a power outage selling for $750 or less;
Reusable ice selling for $10 or less; and
Batteries: AAA-Cell; AA- Cell; C-Cell; D-Cell, 6-Volt, or 9-Volt batteries selling for $30 or less. Batteries for au- tomobiles or boats are not in- cluded.
Always exempt
Bottled water (unflavored, uncarbonated)
Canned food, including meats, vegetables, fruit, peanut butter, and other non- perishable items
Prescription and non-pre- scription medications
Baby food and formula
For more information about the 2019 Florida Disas- ter Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday, visit www.flori- darevenue.com/disasterprep.
Hurricane Checklist
As you prepare for the hurricane season, several items should be included in your survival kit. Some of those items are:
Emergency Kit
In a major disaster, emer- gency workers may not be able to reach everyone right away. In some cases, it may take 3 or more days for help to arrive. Prepare kits to last up to 7 days.
Having a plan for your family and their needs will help ensure their safety and comfort during these difficult times.
There are some basic items you should stock -- - water, food, first aid supplies, clothing, bed- ding, tools, emergency supplies, and special items.
Water - at least 1 gallon per day, per person
Food – It could take as long as 72 hours (3 days) before First Responders can reach you, depending on where you live. Every home should have enough food to last 3 to 7 days. The food should be: non-perishable, packaged or canned food and juices ready to eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables, canned juices, milk, soup, sugar, salt, pepper, etc.
foods for infants or the eld- erly and snack foods
high energy foods --- peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars, trail mix, etc
vitamins
comfort foods --- cookies, hard candy, sweetened cere- als, instant coffee, tea bags, etc
non-electric can opener cooking tools and fuel
paper plates and plastic uten- sils
medicine dropper
NOTE:
Water can be purified by adding 16 drops of bleach (plain) to one gal- lon of water
Blankets, Sleeping Bags, Pillows, etc.
Clothing
seasonal clothing rain gear and sturdy shoes
Special Items Weather Radio,
Flashlight and extra bat- teries
Cash - Banks and ATMs may not be open or available for extended periods.
Keys, Toys, Books and Games
Cell Phone --- fully charged cell phone with extra battery and charger
Vehicle fuel tanks filled Make sure your vehicle has been checked for road readiness in the event you must evacuate. Also replace tires if needed before the season
starts.
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