How To Prepare For Hurricane Milton, Cope With Power Outages

FLORIDA — As Hurricane Milton barrels through the Gulf of Mexico ahead of a predicted Wednesday night landfall, here's how to prepare your home and family for the storm's potentially catastrophic storm surge, winds and power outages.

On Tuesday, Milton weakened slightly to a strong Category 4 storm after rapidly intensifying into a Category 5 on Monday. Milton is expected to remain a ferocious storm and could land a once-in-a-century direct hit on the Tampa Bay area.

“I think this is the one that we've long feared," said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. "Please, please heed the guidance from our officials."

• RELATED: ‘Worst-Case’ Scenario: Hurricane Milton Barrels Towards FL, Tampa Bay

Duke Energy said it was mobilizing 10,000 responders to prepare for more than 1 million power outages associated with damage from Milton. The company also urged Floridians to have a plan in place in case of extended power outages.

"We need [Floridians] to take this very, very seriously," Seixas said.

Here are a few general ways to prepare for Milton's arrival:

• Stock or replenish an emergency kit. It should include nonperishable food, flashlights and/or lanterns (with spare batteries), a first-aid kit and a portable radio and TV or NOAA Weather Radio.
• Prepare for extended power outages. Visit Duke Energy’s Storm Center to learn how to remain safe during all phases of a storm, and make plans for the elderly and those with special medical needs in case prolonged outages occur.
• Sign up for alerts and know how to report a power outage. Receive updates on restoration efforts by enrolling in Outage Alerts. If you lose power, text OUT to 57801, report it online or through the mobile app, or call 800-228-8485.

For more tips on how to prepare for severe weather, visit duke-energy.com/StormTips.

FloridaDisaster.org walks Floridians through the process of setting up a family or business plan by listing your name, address and county of residence. It then asks you how many family members you have in your household and any special needs.

You also note how many dogs, cats or other pets you have in your residence and list an out-of-town contact who your household members can check in with if you become separated.

It also asks you to select a common meeting location in case your home is inaccessible.
The site also offers residents links to Shelter Information and to Know Your Zone in case of evacuations.

Here's what residents can do to prepare for and cope with power outages:

Generators

If you are using a portable generator for backup power, be sure to use it properly.

Don't:

• Place a running generator inside your home or garage. Keep it at least 15 feet from any enclosed structure. The odorless carbon monoxide exhaust fumes are deadly.
• Store fuel in your home, or in your garage near potentially combustible appliances such as a furnace or water heater.
• Connect a generator directly to your home's electrical box. It can create a fire hazard, and might energize area power lines that utility workers assume are not "live."
• Run a generator in rain or damp conditions. If the electrical panel gets wet, it could cause electrical shock or damage the machine.
• Refuel a generator while it's running. Fuel spilled on a hot motor can spark an explosion or fire.

Do:

• Start and briefly run your machine a few times during the year to ensure it is ready when you need it.
• Make sure you have plenty of fresh fuel to power your generator. If the machine runs on gasoline, figure on up to 21 gallons a day if you want to operate it around the clock.
• Check the oil.
• Make sure the combined wattage of devices you plan to power does not exceed the generator's capacity.
• Use heavy-duty, properly grounded extension cords.
• Hire a qualified technician to install a transfer switch if you want to connect an emergency generator to your home's main electrical system.

Power Outage Map

• If you want to know how many areas are without power or need updates on restoration, click Florida on the map section of PowerOutage.US, and click on the county where you live for its outage report. This site lists the most recent reported outages along with each electric provider in the state.
• Sometimes when electric power crews are responding to outages, they will need to turn off nearby power lines or an entire power line that may have not been affected by storm or hurricane weather for safety reasons, Duke Energy said.
• If you have medical issues that require assistance from a health device that is powered by electricity, make sure to have an alternate location that will have electricity, or make sure to have power backups, the utility said.

Backup Batteries

• Have a portable battery charger or multiple portable battery chargers for your laptop, cell phone and other electronics. Make sure the portable battery is fully charged before power outages occur.

Other Ways To Prepare:

• Take an inventory of the items you need that rely on electricity.
• Talk to your medical provider about a power outage plan for medical devices powered by electricity and refrigerated medicines. Find out how long medication can be stored at higher temperatures and get specific guidance for any medications that are critical for life.
• Review the supplies that are available in case of a power outage. Have flashlights with extra batteries for every household member. Have enough nonperishable food and water.
• Sign up for weather alerts from your nearby local weather provider, and follow hurricane tracking by the National Hurricane Center or your local emergency operations center.

Sandbag Locations

Sandbags can be acquired at several locations throughout the Tampa Bay region:

Hillsborough County

• Sandbag operations ended on Monday, Oct. 7. Sites are not open.

Manatee County

• 4700 66th Street W, Bradenton (self-service, open dawn to dusk)
• 400 Cypress Creek Blvd, Bradenton (self-service, open dawn to dusk)
• 2112 14th Avenue, Palmetto (self-service, open dawn to dusk)
• 7550 69th St E, Palmetto (self-service, open dawn to dusk)
• 65th Ave Cir E, Sarasota (pre-made, open dawn to dusk)
• 1505 Dam Road (self-service, open dawn to dusk)
• 6655 Greenbrook Blvd, Lakewood Ranch (self-service, open dawn to dusk)
• 5701 Marina Dr, Holmes Beach (bags only)
• 5350 Lakewood Ranch Blvd, Bradenton (self-service, open dawn to dusk)
• 10060 Wauchula Road, Myakka City (pre-made and self-service, open dawn to dusk)
• 11800 Erie Rd, Parrish (self-service, open dawn to dusk)
• 7915 40th Ave W, Bradenton (self-service, open dawn to dusk)
• 1309 72nd St E, Palmetto (pre-made, open dawn to dusk)
• 905 Rye Wilderness Trail, Parrish (self-service, open dawn to dusk)
• 955 Byron Pl, Sarasota (pre-made, open dawn to dusk)
• 5511 39th St E, Bradenton (self-service, open dawn to dusk)
• 715 17th St E, Palmetto (pre-made and self-service, open dawn to dusk)
• Trailer Estates, Florida Blvd, Bradenton (pre-made, open dawn to dusk)

Pasco County

• Magnolia Valley Golf Course: 7223 Massachusetts Ave., New Port Richey (open 24/7)
• Pasco Public Works C-Barn: 30908 Warder Rd., San Antonio (open 24/7)
• J. Ben Harrill Recreation Complex: 2830 Gulf Trace Blvd., Land O’ Lakes (open dawn to dusk)
• Mitchell Park: 4825 Little Rd., New Port Richey (open dawn to dusk)
• Veterans Memorial Park: 14333 Hicks Rd., Hudson (open dawn to dusk)
• Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center: 3032 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes (open dawn to dusk)
• Pasco Fire Rescue Station #29: 6907 Dairy Rd., Zephyrhills (open dawn to dusk)
• Former Dade City Police Department building: 38042 Pasco Avenue, Dade City

Pinellas County

• Sandbag operations have ended. County sites are not open. Residents outside of unincorporated Pinellas County should check with each municipality for the latest sandbag site information and to confirm availability.

Sarasota County

• Sandbag operations for Tuesday have ended. Follow Sarasota County Government for updates on daily sandbag locations.

More Safety Tips

• Do not walk, swim or drive through floodwaters.
• If rising water threatens your home or business — or if you evacuate due to flooding — turn off your power at the circuit breaker panel or fuse box.
• Never replace a fuse or touch a circuit breaker with wet hands or while standing on a wet or damp surface.
• If your home or business is flooded, Duke Energy cannot reconnect power until the electrical system has been inspected by a licensed electrician. If there is damage, an electrician will need to make necessary repairs and obtain verification from your local building inspection authority before power can be restored.
• Stay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging. Consider all lines energized, as well as trees or limbs in contact with lines.
• If a power line falls across a car that you’re in, stay in the car. If you must get out of the car because of a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground.
• Electric current passes easily through water, so stay away from downed power lines and electrical wires. Don't drive over — and don't stand near — downed power lines. Downed lines will be hard to see in the rain and can potentially be hidden in standing water. If you encounter large pools of standing water, stop, back up and choose another path.