Hurricane Resource Center
Stay Safe Before, During and After a Storm
Every year our community faces hurricane season from June 1 through November 30. Planning and preparing can make a big difference, especially in the wake of a hurricane.
United Way Miami is the county’s official volunteer and donations arm. In partnership with the Miami Herald/el Nuevo Herald and Operation Helping Hands, we are here for our community before, during and after an emergency. The United Way Hurricane Resource Center offers helpful information to create a preparedness plan, as well as what to do during and after a hurricane.
Prepare Your Home
We’re committed to keeping our community safe and healthy. To help keep you, your family, your home and your pets safe, here are some resources to help you prepare:
- FEMA Guidance for Hurricane Preparation
- FEMA Guidance for Flood Preparation
- Storm categories and basic preparedness
- National Hurricane Center – up-to-date storm tracking and alerts
- Federal Emergency Management Agency – comprehensive storm preparation information
Miami-Dade County Resources
- Miami-Dade County Emergency and Evacuation Assistance
- Miami-Dade County Hurricane Website – information on gearing up for hurricane season, what to do before a hurricane hits, how to stay safe during a hurricane and keeping your guard up after a hurricane.
- Pet-friendly hurricane evacuation information
- Miami-Dade County Police (non-emergency)
- Miami-Dade Transit Services
- Miami-Dade County Office of Emergency Management – evacuation zone maps, special needs evacuation, shutter and generator safety guidelines, as well as tips on bottling water, protecting your home, keeping your pet safe, securing your boat, accessing shelter and register to receive public safety text and email alerts.
The Basics Before a Storm
- Create a disaster supply kit
- Financial planning for a natural disaster
- American Red Cross – emergency contact card template, tips on creating an evacuation plan for your family, information on shelter-in-place, guidelines for creating a disaster supplies kit
- AT&T – tips for preparing your home and ensuring telephone line safety
- Florida Power & Light Company – tips on what to do in case of a power outage, how to prepare for power being turned back on, electricity-related hurricane tips
Prepare Your Business
A business continuity plan can help you stay operational even if a disaster affects your business. The links below offer tips on how to create and implement such a plan. Once you create a plan, be sure to make every employee aware of his or her responsibilities.
Business Disaster Planning – tips for creating a business continuity plan, talking to employees about an emergency and protecting your business assets.
Managing Communications
Internal: Preparation and training are key to executing your internal emergency communications plan. Your management and human resources teams should work together to ensure that employees have access to the following items so that when a hurricane approaches, your staff can focus on other efforts.
- Up-to-date employee emergency contact list
- Call tree and instructions – a structured way for you to account for every employee after a hurricane
- Links on your organization’s intranet to your employee contact lists, emergency preparedness and recovery responsibilities, etc.
External: When a hurricane threatens our area, if you have standard mass communications in place that you can share with your clients, not only will your last-minute preparations be easier to manage, but your clients will also appreciate your taking the time to inform them of your intentions. Consider the following:
- Mass email to clients
- Temporary banner or headline on your website’s home page
- Temporary phone greeting
- Informational signage at your office or business entry points (particularly important if you receive regular deliveries or have walk-in clients)
Get Help After a Hurricane
If you need help after a storm, please call JCS Helpline Services at 305-576-6550 or dial 211– a free 24-hour hotline offering information, referral, counseling in English, Spanish and Creole.
The links below help you access important services like assistance, information/data recovery for businesses, legal and financial counseling for individuals, help filing for state assistance and more.
United Way Impact Partners Offering Relief and Recovery Assistance
- American Red Cross of Greater Miami & The Keys – health, safety and emergency services
- Branches
- Catholic Charities
- Catalyst Miami
- Centro Campesino
- Feeding South Florida
- Jewish Community Services of South Florida
- Legal Services
- The Salvation Army Miami – services for disaster victims
Important Links
- Florida Division of Consumer Services
- Miami-Dade County Office of Emergency Management – portal to the services provided by the OEM when disaster threatens our area
Poison Control – 800-222-1222 - Small business disaster loan application (U.S. Small Business Administration)
- National Hurricane Center
- Legal Services of Greater Miami provides free legal assistance with disaster response/recovery.
Useful Emergency Contacts
- Miami-Dade County Animal Services: 305-468-5900
- Miami-Dade Police Department: 305-476-5423
- Miami Dade County Emergency Management Evacuation Assistance program: 305-468-5900
- Florida Division of Emergency Management: 850-815-4000
- Florida City Gas: 888-352-5325
- Peoples Gas (TECO Energy): 877-832-6747
- Department of Financial Services Claim Hotline: 877-693-5236
- National Flood Insurance: 800-427-4661
- Poison Control: 800-222-1222
Give Help after a Hurricane
As the County’s official volunteer and fundraising arm, United Way Miami is here for our community before, during and after an emergency.
We specialize in bringing people together to reach out in the event of a disaster, whether through donations of money, time or goods.
VolunteerMiami, powered by United Way Miami, hosts pre and post disaster-related volunteer opportunities.
