Local disaster resource guide

Greater Oviedo and Winter Springs is no stranger to major storms and how they can affect our lives, so OCN wanted to provide a locally helpful guide that will help residents before, during and after a storm (or other disaster).

Hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. There are steps you can take now to get prepared for the season. This guide will be updated if storms or other disasters impact our community with event-specific information and resources.

We also created a printable graphic with QR codes, phone numbers and addresses at the bottom of this guide, in case you need the information but don’t have power or internet access.

This hurricane season, expect “above-normal hurricane activity,” according to NOAA National Weather Service. NOAA predicts that anywhere between 8 to 13 of the 17 to 25 forecasted named storms will be hurricanes, meaning they will have wind speeds of 74 mph or higher.

Of the total forecasted named storms, 4-7 are predicted to become major hurricanes, which is considered to be a category 3-5 with winds of 111 mph or more.

While this is just a prediction, be prepared: Visit hurricanes.gov, follow @NWS and @NHC_Atlantic on Twitter, @NWS on Facebook, and @NWS on Instagram to stay up to date. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) will be providing a Spanish translation of its primary communications, which include public advisory alerts. To view translated alerts, visit NWS Product Translations.

Sandbag
stations

Local
resources

Tips for power
outages

Printable
guide

Tips for water
disruptions

Local sandbag filling stations by municipality

-Sandbag filling station hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7

-Location: Central Winds Park, 1000 Central Winds Drive

-Empty bags and sand will be available to Seminole County residents while supplies last

-Limit: 15 sandbags per household

-Bring your own shovels, gloves

-Be prepared to fill and load the bags, which weigh approximately 35 pounds each

-Watch this video on proper sandbag use

Map courtesy of the city of Winter Springs

-Sandbag filling station hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7 and 7 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Oct. 8

-Location: Public Works Facility, 1725 Evans St.

-Enter and exit the facility off of Evans street. The Lockwood Boulevard access will be closed for the duration of the sandbag operation

-Bring your own shovels, gloves

-Be prepared to fill and load the bags, which weigh approximately 30 pounds

-Limit: 10-bag maximum

-Folks do not have to be an Oviedo resident to get sandbags

Map courtesy of the city of Oviedo

The above locations are the only ones in Greater Oviedo and Winter Springs. For additional Seminole County sandbag locations, click here

According to SCPS spokesperson Katherine Crnkovich, school buses cannot safely run once there are sustained 35-mph winds.
Parents can find out about school closures through email, text, and voicemail. If you are not receiving calls from SCPS, check with your child’s school.

Local resources by municipality

-Oviedo has a Hurricane Milton page for storm preparation tips and a supply list.

-Find tips for hurricane supply kits, steps to take before a storm hits and local hotlines on the city’s Hurricane/Storm Preparation page

-Learn how to create a disaster plan on the city’s Hurricane Preparedness page

-Visit the city’s Alert Center to find information such as boil water advisories, roadway bulletins and to receive email or text alerts

-Find alerts via the City of Oviedo’s Facebook page

–General population emergency shelters: Evans Elementary, 100 E. Chapman Road, and Lawton Chiles Middle School, 1240 Sanctuary Drive

-Find post-disaster information

-Find details on hurricane response and updates specific to Hurricane Milton

Visit the city’s Disaster Preparedness website to find guides on securing your home before a storm, creating an emergency plan or compiling a disaster supply kit. The site also has city updates, such as debris collection schedules

-Learn how to create a disaster plan on the city’s Create a Plan page

-Sign up to receive city emergency alerts

-Find alerts via the City of Winter Springs’ Facebook page

–General population emergency shelter: Winter Springs High School, 130 Tuskawilla Road in Winter Springs (pet friendly) and Layer Elementary School, 4201 FL-419 in Winter Springs

-Get post-storm information here or call the city’s hotline at 407-327-2669

-Visit the county’s Emergency Management website for disaster information, including hurricanes, wildfires

-See if your home is in a flood zone

-Sign up for alerts on significant weather events, evacuations, road closures and boil water notices here or text SEMINOLE to 888-777

-Find alerts on the county’s Facebook page

-Watch more than a dozen tip videos on anything from filling and placing sandbags to how to prepare pets for a storm

-Visit the county’s website with storm-specific information, such as assistance programs, flooding information and volunteer information

-Find county shelter information

-Find an emergency checklist

-Access a disaster guide for those with disabilities or special needs through the county here or through the Department of Homeland Security here

-Visit the FEMA website Find hurricane tipshere

-Know your area’s flood risk

-View a list of preparedness actions

-Find the Department of Homeland Security’s hurricane preparedness guide

-Access Department of Homeland Security’s disaster guide for those with disabilities or special needs

-Find up-to-date hurricane information through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Seminole County released the following tips:
–Report it: Contact your power provider to report the outage.
Duke Energy: Text OUT to 57801 or call 800-228-8485
Florida Power and Light (FPL): Call 1-800-4-OUTAGE (1-800-468-8243)
–Unplug electronics: Protect your devices from potential power surges when electricity is restored.
–Keep freezers and refrigerators closed: Minimize opening them to preserve food as long as possible.
–Use generators safely: Operate generators outside, far from windows or doors, to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
–NEVER touch a fallen power line: If you believe someone has been electrocuted, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Seminole County released the following tips:
-Store at least 1 gallon of water per person per day for 3 days, for both drinking and sanitation needs.
-Commercially bottled water is a reliable source, but you can also use containers you already have at home to store tap water.
-Fill food-grade containers such as bottles, jars, pitchers, baggies, or coolers with tap water for drinking or cooking. Ensure the containers have tops that can close tightly and are washed and sanitized before use.
-For cleaning and bathing: Fill buckets, storage bins, or bathtubs with tap water. Do not drink the water from these containers.
-Important safety note: Never use containers that previously held toxic substances for water storage

OCN Community Advisory Board Member Marcie Gumieny contributed to this guide.