The most dangerous thing in any storm is complacency

Being a peninsula, Florida receives a wide variety of storms. The most important thing is to be prepared. Learning the storm terms will help you better understand the situation when inclement weather approaches. Recent years have taught us that the unthinkable can happen. When an storm threatens, it's important to follow recommendations of the weather professionals. Act smart, but don’t overreact and prepare before the storm arrives. Then, if a watch is posted, be ready to take action. If you are asked to evacuate, don’t gamble your life, go. If a storm turns out to be “nothing” be thankful.

While hurricanes are certainly dangerous storms, the weather service has the ability to track and post warnings days prior to landfall. With a tornado, having a 5 minute warning is good. Summer thunderstorms with lightning, though not as powerful, can be just as deadly. A tropical system can cause a deluge of 10 to 15 inches of rain and result in flash flooding.

Resources for information on emergency planning:

The National Weather Service
Your county emergency management office
Local American Red Cross chapter

SECO provides a free 8-page Florida Storms brochure available at all SECO offices. This comprehensive guide is an excellent resource on storms common to Central Florida. It contains safety tips, a glossary of weather terms, wind speed and pressure effects, and tips on preparation. SECO has staff on hand 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, 365 days a year to take your call. Service technicians are on call to handle your emergency electric service needs whenever problems arise. To report an outage by phone, call 1-800-SECO-141 (1-800-732-6141) or your local SECO office and follow the prompts. To report an outage online go to SECO's Storm Center.

Florida Statutes establish a registration program available through county and municipal emergency management agencies for customers who may need special assistance during emergency evacuations and sheltering. Customers with special needs may contact their local emergency management agency for registration and more information.

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Page last updated: Friday, March 5, 2010