Jacksonville, Fl — The 2022 Atlantic hurricane season is forecast to be another active six months. 104.5 WOKV and Action News Jax are committed to keeping NE Florida informed and safe before, during, and after any storm that threatens.
St. Johns County emergency management director Joe Giammanco says he’s concerned that with a population boom, a lot of people could be unsure of what to do if an evacuation order is given.
“Now is the time to understand all those orders, what that means, what does an evacuation order mean, what is your evacuation route, how do you actually get out, what roads are you gonna use”, Giammanco said on First Alert Weather - Preparing for the Storm.
New for 2022, St. Johns County updated its evacuation zones, mainly for people on the coast.
HURRICANE GUIDE: Evacuation routes, resources, more
Todd Smith with Duval County Emergency Management says preparing should happen all year long.
“When you’re building your kit, use your kit as a repository. Use your kit as a place that you keep your batteries so that your batteries are always fresh. Use your kit as a place for canned or nonperishable foods. But cycle them into your daily life”, Smith said.
Complacency of residents in Clay County is a concern for emergency management officials. John Ward, director of emergency management, says making sure residents are acting when evacuation orders are given is a concern for him.
“We have folks that think that they’ve been through Hurricane Irma, that think they’ve been through Hurricane Matthew, when we truly haven’t had the sustained winds of a tropical storm or a hurricane in northeast Florida since Dora. We’ve had gusts.”, said Ward.
TALKING THE TROPICS WITH MIKE: Daily updates from First Alert Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh
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