In coordination with our cross-sector public safety partners, Titan Security is monitoring the activity related to Hurricane Milton, scheduled to approach the west coast of Florida on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. A state of emergency has been called for 51 Florida counties. The following preparedness efforts have taken place in preparation of Hurricane Milton’s landfall on Wednesday:

Florida Preparedness Efforts

• The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) has activated the State Emergency Operations Center to Level 1 since Tuesday, September 24, for Hurricane Helene, and is at a Level 1 for Hurricane Milton as of today, October 6, leading coordination efforts for the State Emergency Response Team. 
• The State Emergency Response Team is engaged in over 450 missions to assist counties in their preparedness efforts. These missions accomplish vital tasks like staging resources to deploy for immediate response as soon as it is safe to do so, protecting critical infrastructure facilities like hospitals and utility stations, and coordinating personnel statewide.
• FDEM is establishing a 10,000-person base camp at Tropicana Field to support ongoing debris operations and post-landfall responders.
• FDEM is coordinating the deployment of fuel and EV chargers to pre-stage along evacuation routes to support evacuations.
• The Florida Department of Veteran’s Affairs (FDVA) storm preparations are underway at all State Veterans’ Nursing Homes in anticipation of Hurricane Milton’s landfall.
• The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is performing maintenance on all equipment deployed during Hurricane Helene to ensure it is ready for use in Hurricane Milton. 
• FDLE Regional Operations Centers in Tampa, Orlando and Fort Myers are establishing their Regional Law Enforcement Coordination Teams (RLECT).
• The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has readied high-water vehicles and all other storm response resources statewide so they may be rapidly deployed to assist Floridians in need in the event of damage or flooding. Contingency plans based on forecasted landfall locations have been developed and remain flexible based on the storm’s projected path.
• In addition to local officers, approximately 75, FWC officers are ready to deploy and respond with a variety of specialized equipment as necessary, such as: 
  • Airboats
  • Shallow draft boats
  • ATVs/Side-by-sides
  • Larger platform vessels
  • Four-wheel vehicles
  • Specialized high water vehicles 
• FWC Special Operations Group (SOG) teams will serve as reconnaissance units for the state and report on damage after the storm has made landfall. 
• FWC Aviation Section has been placed on standby and has readied all appropriate aircraft for potential deployment for aerial assistance, reconnaissance, and post-storm damage assessments when needed.

General Hurricane Safety Tips for Residential Properties

• Monitor local media for weather conditions and emergency information. 
• Obtain emergency contact numbers for residents, and be sure they know what number to call for community information.
• Provide contact information for all team members and management contact persons.
• Ask residents to move furniture, plants, and other items from patios and balconies and place them indoors. 
• Advise residents to fill bathtubs with water that can be used to flush toilets if necessary. Even residents who are evacuating may need water supplies upon their return.
• Ask residents who are evacuating to remove perishable food from refrigerators, to avoid having to clean out spoiled food in the event of a lengthy power outage. 
• Drain pools about two feet. Move pool furniture, trash cans, outdoor seating, etc., indoors. Remove items from stairwells and walkways.
• Open property access gates that may become inoperable in the event of a power outage.

Flood Safety Tips

Before the flood reaches your area:

• Know if floodwaters might affect your home and property. Know your elevation above flood stage.
• Develop a flood emergency action plan.
• Evacuate immediately, if advised to do so. Bring important documents with you.
• Move to a safe area before access is cut off.
• Keep abreast of road conditions through the news media.

During the flood:

• Avoid areas subject to flooding. Do not attempt to cross flowing water.
• Never drive through flooded roadways. Nearly half of all people killed in floods are those who try driving through flooded areas.
• Do not drive around barricades, they are there for your protection.
• If your vehicle stalls, leave it immediately.
• Never try to walk through or allow children to play around flood water.

After the flood:

• Do not visit disaster areas, your presence may hamper emergency operations.
• Throw out food that has come into contact with the floodwater and boil drinking water before using it.
• Stay out of buildings that remain in flood waters.
• Do not handle live electrical equipment in wet areas.
• If the power is out, use flashlights to examine buildings. Flammables may be inside.
• Report broken utilities to the correct authorities.

Flood damage is not usually covered by homeowners insurance. Do not make assumptions. Check your policy.

Weather and Traffic Information

Florida Division of Emergency Management – Latest updates on Hurricane Milton and state emergency efforts.

Florida 511 – Get up-to-the-minute, real-time traffic conditions and incident information for the State of Florida with Florida 511.

Florida Highway Patrol – Florida Highway Patrol Live Traffic Crash and Road Condition Report. Reports are updated every five minutes. Incidents located within city limits also may not show on the map since it is not common practice for FHP to work incidents inside city limits.

Florida Traffic – Traffic incidents and conditions from Florida 511 and Florida Highway Patrol brought to you by Florida State Emergency Response Team Geographic Information Systems.

About Titan Security Group

Titan launched in 1994 with a vision for a better way to provide security services to communities. Today, we provide security services to 10 states across the Midwest and Southeastern United States. We employ more than 3,600 security staff and have enjoyed over twenty-nine consecutive years of successfully serving our clients across a wide range of industries. Titan delivers results to clients through flexible, customized security solutions, and superior customer service. The Titan approach combines traditional security staffing and emergency planning solutions with electronic security systems to provide integrated, efficient, and customized safety and security solutions from a single source.