Take a vacation when there is a hurricane warning
By Ben Kleinerman, Health and Welfare Committee, Mayor's Advisory Council

Think about these 3 related words.

EVACUATE, VACATE, VACATION.

August and September are the months during which Florida was hit by major devastating Hurricanes. Donna hit the West Coast in 1960 and Hurricane Andrew hit us in 1992. We in beautiful Sunny Isles Beach are in an area designated as Zone A; which means that when the Mandatory Evacuation order is given, we must evacuate or vacate our homes and businesses even when the classification is only Category 1.

If we go one step further, that is, from Evacuate to Vacate, the next logical step is Vacation. Why not take a vacation for a few days when ordered to vacate.

When the media tells us that a hurricane is due to arrive in a few days why wait for the mandatory evacuation order. When the hurricane is one day away or less, our streets, bridges, and highways become so congested, due to the mass exodus, that you might become stranded. During Hurricane Andrew people were stranded in their cars for hours and hours.

Don't wait to evacuate. Think about and prepare to leave 2 or 3 days before the forecast DOA (Date of Arrival) of the hurricane. Be prepared to take a vacation by visiting a friend or relative or hotel/motel away from our vulnerable area. Before leaving, be sure to secure your home and be aware that when you return you may not immediately have running water, electricity or telephone.

An excellent pamphlet, "Be Prepared to Evacuate," is available at City Hall. Call 305.947.0606 to be sure that copies are still available.


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