Hurricane
Season 2008 - Preparedness:
Dated: 08 APR 2008
The following
tips will make you better prepared in the event of a hurricane. The
best way to get ready for a hurricane is to be well prepared.
Hurricane Tips: REMEMBER
THE BEST PLAN IS TO PLAN AHEAD!
#1. Now is the
time to review your homeowner's insurance policy. Check with your
agent to make sure you have enough coverage. You might find you do
not have enough coverage. The time to find out is now, not when a
hurricane is bearing down on you.
#2. Trim your
trees and bushes now for better air flow through the tree canopy.
The trees will be able to withstand high winds better once they are
thinned out.
#3. Check your
roof for loose shingles or tiles. If they are loose, get them fixed
now, rather than waiting
for a storm to blow them off and they become projectiles.
#4. Install
either hurricane panels over windows and doors, accordion shutters,
impact resistant windows or, as a last resort, use plywood.
#5. Think about
purchasing a portable generator and have a licensed electrician install
a hookup for thegenerator.
#6. Get a "Family
Preparedness" plan from the following website:
- NOAA
-
FEMA
-
American
Red Cross
Below are some questions you need to ask yourself and your family:
#1. Does your
out-of-state family know how to contact you after a hurricane?
#2. Do you have a "safe
room"? Where is it and do your children know where it is?
#3. If you have a pet?
What are your plans to do with your pet?
Need
help answering these questions (and others)?
Call these frequently-called numbers for Hollywood residents. Links
to other important organization and their contact information are
provided on the 'Links'
page.
| Hurricane Hotline: |
(954) 831-4000
|
| Hearing Impaired
TDD/TTY: |
(954) 831-3940
|
| Broward American
Red Cross: |
(954) 763-9900
|
| Florida Power
& Light: |
(954) 797-5000
|
| People's Gas Company: |
(877) 832-6747 |
| Broward County
Special Needs Registry: |
(954) 537-2888 |
| Broward County
Emergency Management: |
(954) 831-3900
|
* * * * * * *
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A Message from the Mayor / Commissioners
Office of Hollywood, Florida USA
Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 8:15 AM
 |
|
 |
|
Sadly we report the passing of Mr. Chuck Vollman, longtime
Hollywood resident and active participant in civic groups,
city government and the Hollywood Fire Rescue Community Emergency
Response Team (CERT). You can read more about Chuck's accomplishments
and recognitions on a webpage
dedicated to him by his family.
In lieu
of flowers, the Vollman family has requested donations to
the American
Cancer Society:
Donate by Phone
American Cancer Society
(To donate via telephone)
Call: 1-800-227-2345 |
Donate by Mail
American Cancer Society
P.O. Box 22718
Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718 |
|
The
following news article is dedicated in loving memory of
Charles
Francis Vollman
for his meritorious service to CERT
and the entire community of Hollywood, Florida USA.
 |
South
Florida

Hollywood
seeks CERT volunteers
By Sergy Odiduro
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
July 20, 2008
Hurricane season is here and Hollywood's Community Emergency Response
Team is looking for leaders and active residents willing to step up
when help is needed.
CERT is a national
program initiated by the Los Angeles Fire Department in 1985 to train
residents in assisting the fire department and other government agencies
during disaster relief.
The program
has proven beneficial to overwhelmed government agencies that normally
handle emergencies in the midst of a catastrophe.
Sam Rivera,
Hollywood's CERT coordinator, has been involved with the program for
11 years. He says CERT is a good way to get involved in the community
while learning a variety of life-saving skills.
"[CERT
members] work with the fire department to learn to identify emergencies
around the home, basic fire suppression, simple search and rescue
of homes and basic first aid," he said. "Each member is
trained to take care of themselves and their neighbor."
Interested applicants
must be at least 18 and submit to a background check. Certification
to become a member involves taking a two and a half hour course, one
evening a week, over a seven-week period. Instruction is given under
the guidance of the Hollywood Fire Department.
"One of
the things about this training is that people come in on their own
time," said Mark Steele, battalion chief with the department.
"I applaud their efforts. It's really good to see people come
in on their days off, during their busy schedules, and devote the
time into getting this training, and all because they want to help
their community post-disaster."
There are close
to 400 members listed as CERT members in Hollywood. However, the number
of active participants has dwindled. Steele usually notices that there
are a high number of participants, particularly after a hurricane,
but it tapers off if there is no storm activity.
"You have
outrageous participation at first, but like everyone else, we often
get complacent especially when there are no hurricanes," Steele
said. "We see so much disaster and we're always on edge, especially
at this time of the year, that I think people want to help, for their
own benefit but also to help their neighbors."
Steele emphasized
that the community runs its own CERT unit. They are vital in post-disaster
relief, where they are used alongside city employees in rapid assessment
that determines where help is most needed.
Eddy Wagner,
who stumbled upon the CERT program at a Hollywood meeting a year ago,
said they're is looking for a diverse group of participants who can
help the cause.
"I'm a
Hollywood citizen. I want everybody to join so we can help each other
in the event of a catastrophe or major disaster when a major service
can't get to us."
For more information,
call 954-967-4341 or contact
us via this website.
Copyright
© 2008, South Florida Sun-Sentinel