Commission: West Pasco Needs to be Weather Wise

Just because the temperatures are mild, rain is scant and storms have been kept well at bay in the New Port Richey area in recent weeks doesn’t mean those conditions are likely to continue.

Florida’s weather can turn on a dime and the threat of severe conditions is ever present, said Annette Doying, director of emergency management for Pasco County.

“We’re (Florida) at risk all year long and that risk changes,” Doying said during the Feb. 5 Pasco County Commission meeting. The risks, she added, go beyond hurricane season to include wild fires, rip currents and other natural disasters.

Doying was present at the board meeting to receive a resolution declaring the week of Feb. 11-15 Severe Weather Awareness Week in Pasco County. The week is designed to raise awareness about Florida’s potential for severe weather conditions and to encourage residents to prepare.

The reason for the declaration was clearly stated in the resolution:

“Numerous weather-related injuries and substantial property damage occurred in 2012 due to severe weather,” the resolution states. “Hurricanes, rip currents, extreme temperatures, thunderstorms, tornadoes and lightning were the cause of the death for at least 29 people and an additional 30 people were injured (in the state).”

Pasco’s awareness week coincides with a statewide observation and a campaign that asks residents to “get a plan.”

For more information on emergency preparedness in Pasco, visit emergency management online. To find out more about the statewide campaign, visit the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s website.

Do you have a severe weather plan in place?