What is #GenerationPrepared?
It is being a part of our community that realizes that we are each responsible for ensuring that we are prepared for emergencies and disasters that we may face. This includes learning about the hazards we face in Highlands County and taking steps to prepare for your safety and increase your resiliency after disaster.
#GenerationPrepared Checklist
- Learn the hazards that we face here in Highlands County
- Make a Disaster Preparedness Plan
- Build a Emergency Supply Kit
- Create an Emergency Communications Plan
- Create an Evacuation Plan
- Create a Go-Bag
- Mitigate hazards around your Home
- Attend a Community Preparedness Presentation
- Take a Hands-only CPR Training
- Take a Stop-the-Bleed Training
Emergency notification methods
Alert Highlands Notification System
Highlands County is committed to ensuring public safety, community awareness and emergency response. To uphold this, when critical information and public service announcements are available, we will reach out to our residents as quickly and reliably as possible. AlertHighlands allows the County to disseminate information across all types of devices, ensuring residents have access to real-time public information when they need it the most. Any weather alerts our citizens sign up for will automatically be received through the National Weather Service.
To register, click on the icon above or click here.
NOAA Weather Radio
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from the nearest National Weather Service office. NWR broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
We recommend the purchase and use of this radio in your home with a tone alert feature. This will allow you to receive warnings.
For more information, click on the icon above or click here.
For Highlands County programming information contact Emergency Management at (863) 402-7600.
Wireless Emergency Alert System
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are short messages - less than 90 characters - may look like a test message, but unlike tests, which are sent directly to your phone number, these warnings are broadcast to all phones within range of designated cell towers. The alerts will tell you the type of threat or warning, the time it goes into effect, when it was issued, the issuing agency and the time it will expire. You'll need to turn to other sources, such as television or radio, to get more detailed information about what is happening and what actions to take.
The Wireless Emergency Alert System can be used to broadcast three types of emergency alerts:
PRESIDENTIAL ALERTS
Issued by the U.S. President in the event of a nationwide emergency.
IMMINENT THREAT ALERTS
Typically issued by the National Weather Service; in the Highlands County area, these could include both “extreme” warnings (tornado and high winds) and “severe” warnings (flash floods).
AMBER ALERTS
Issued by law enforcement to share information about a child abduction.
Plan & prepare
The time to develop and practice your emergency plan is before a disaster.
Some things to consider when creating your plan are:
Know your Risk
What hazards and disasters are you at risk of experiencing?
Are you in a flood zone?Do you live in a mobile or manufactured home?
What year was your house built?
Does your house have storm shutters or other mitigation readily available?
Prepare your Emergency Supply Kit
Add a few pieces to your supply kit each week so that creating your kit does not create a financial burden.
Check your kit often and rotate out items that have expiration dates to keep items fresh.
Have a plan for refrigerated medicines and power-operated medical devices.
Remember your pets - they will need a supplies too, including food, water, leash, crate, and more.
Create a family communication plan
Be sure your family members know who to call or where to gather if you become separated.
Let family and friends know your evacuation plans and communicate once you arrive safely to your destination.
Have several evacuation options for you and your family
Shelter at home, if it is safe to do so.
Shelter outside the area, with and friend, relative or at a hotel.
If you have no other safe place to go, evacuate to a public shelter.
If you or someone you know needs to register for the special needs shelter, click here.
Secure items in and around your home prior to any high wind events
Trim trees and bushes on your property - if it is not yard waste pickup week, make sure to store your yard waste in a secure spot so they do not become potential projectiles.
Clean gutters so water flows away from your home.
Sand pile locations
Sebring: South George Boulevard just north of the Emergency Operations Center
Avon Park: Old Bombing Range Road and County Road 17A East
Lake Placid: County Road 621 and County Road 619
*PLEASE NOTE that these sites are not always stocked. During an emergency declaration, these sand piles will be made available to the public.
Building an emergency supply kit
When creating your Emergency Supply Kit, you want to think of your household's needs. Each person and family is different. This means not every kit will contain exactly the same items. Review the list below and make a list of supplies for your Emergency Supply Kit.
Personal Items
- Sleeping Bags / Pillows / Blankets
- Folding Chairs
- Clothing (Hot and Cold Weather)
- Sturdy Close Toed Shoes
- Rain gear
- Personal Hygiene Supplies
- Medications (Prescription and Over-the-Counter)
- Medical Devices (glasses, hearing aides, glucose monitors, etc.)
- Entertainment (cards, board games, books, etc.)
- Baby / Infant Care Needs
- Comfort Items
Food Items
- Water (one gallon per person per day for 7 days)
- Shelf Stable Food
- Manual Can Opener
- Instant Tea, Coffee, or Powdered (Dry) Milk
- Disposable Plates and Cutlery
- Coolers
- Plastic Wrap / Zip Lock Bags / Garbage bags
- Camp Style Cooking Equipment (Outdoor Use Only)
- Lighter / Water Proof Matches
Other Important Items
- Important Documents
- Cash
- Maps
- Spare Keys
- Weather Radio
- First Aid Kit
- Flashlights
- Batteries
- Basic Tool Kit and Work Gloves
- Plastic Tarps
- Unscented Bleach
- Assorted Cleaners and Cleaning Supplies
- Bucket (with tight fitting lid)
- Toilet Paper / Wet Wipes and Waterless Hand Sanitizer
Pet Supplies
- Water
- Cage or Carrier (for each pet)
- Food / Treats
- Toys and comfort Items
- Cleanup Supplies
- Identification / Immunization Records / Photographs
Need more ideas?
Check Plan & Prepare | Florida Disaster
Severe weather information
Hazardous Weather Outlook
A statement produced by the local National Weather Service offices to provide information regarding the potential of significant weather expected during the next week. This is issued to advise storm spotters and emergency managers of potentially hazardous weather and other threatening conditions.
Short Term Forecast
Issued by the National Weather Service as a 1-2 hour forecast of local weather conditions; emphasizing hazardous weather.
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Issued by the Storm Prediction Center to alert the public that conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. These watches are issued with information concerning the watch area and the length of time they are in effect. During the watch, people should review severe thunderstorm safety rules and be prepared to move a place of safety if threatening weather approaches.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Issued by local National Weather Service offices to warn the public that a severe thunderstorm has been sighted by storm spotters or has been indicated by radar. People in the affected area should seek safe shelter immediately.
LIGHTNING
In the United States, there are an estimated 25 million lightning flashes each year. In an average year, Florida sees around 1.4 million of these lightning strikes. This makes Florida the "Lightning Capital of the United States.
Even if it is not raining where you are, lightning can still reach you. Lightning can travel as far as 10 miles away from its thunderstorm, and has been observed as far as 25 miles away. This is why the best thing you can do when you see lightning is seek safe shelter as soon as possible.
Tornado Watch
Issued to alert the public that conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes in and close to the watch area. These watches are issued with information concerning the watch area and the length of time they are in effect.
Tornado Warning
Issued by local National Weather Service offices to warn the public that a tornado has been sighted by storm spotters or has been indicated by radar. These warnings are issued with information concerning where the tornado is presently located and what communities are in the anticipated path of the tornado.
WeatherStem
To view the WeatherSTEM portal for highlands County, click here.
You can register and choose the closest station to you.