11 Things West Pasco Residents Should Know for Hurricane Season

Hurricane season has arrived. Are you ready for it? We’ve got tips for our southwest Pasco County readers from local emergency planners.

Here are some suggestions on how to weather any coming storm from New Port Richey Fire Chief Alex Onishenko, Assistant Fire Chief Tim Exline, Pasco County Director of Emergency Management Jim Martin and the Pasco County Office of Emergency Management.

1. Because we live on the coast, a good deal of New Port Richey and surrounding Southwest Pasco County are in a flood-susceptible storm surge area. This means that if the tides reach a certain height, residents must evacuate. This area encompasses from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico in the west to Town Center and Moon Lake Roads in the northeast. It covers from the Gulf to the County Road 1-Town Avenue area near the Pinellas border in the southeast. The county issues evacuations based on a five-level system that goes by tidal height. Properties west of U.S. 19 and mobile homes will be evacuated first. Download a map of evacuation zones at the county emergency management website here.

2. Mobile homes are vulnerable to storm damage and are the first to be evacuated, but even site-built homes should be evacuated if they are in a storm surge zone.

3. One of the closest public storm shelters to New Port Richey is at 11646 Town Center Road, New Port Richey. Make sure you monitor what shelters are open and which ones aren't. Others in the area are:

• Chasco Elementary School, 7906 Ridge Road, New Port Richey
• , 3253 Town Avenue,
• 11646 Town Center Road, Trinity
• Trinity Oaks Elementary School, 1827 Trinity Oaks Boulevard, Trinity
• , 2209 Duck Slough Boulevard, Trinity.

Download the list of shelters here.

4. The closest special needs shelter to New Port Richey is the Fasano Regional Hurricane Shelter at 11611 Denton Ave, Hudson. Register ASAP to make sure you get space. Find more info .

5. If you have any choice, stay with your family or friends and not in a shelter.

6. Stay in the county if you have to evacuate your home.  Head inland if at all possible.

7. Plan to leave early if there’s a coming storm. State Road 54 and U.S. 19 are two major evacuation routes. If there’s a hurricane headed to the Tampa Bay, expect to see drivers from Pinellas using this road and U.S. 19. Leave yourself time to accommodate for the extra congestion.

8. Monitor the weather constantly during hurricane season. Be the first to know if there's a storm heading your way so you can be the first one to leave.

9. Keep a hand-crank emergency radio nearby. Should your power go off, this essential device will keep you informed of any weather or emergency alerts.

10. Shut your main breakers off if your power goes out. That way, when emergency responders get to downed wires, they won't be electrocuted. 

11. Make sure there's at least 72 hours worth of medication in your hurricane survival kit. Find out more about this kit.

Pasco's Emergency Operations Division has a wealth of information. Find it at http://www.pascoemergencymanagement.com.