Hurricane Season Begins June 1
With hurricane season beginning shortly, it’s important for all Floridians to develop a plan about how to react before, during and after a disaster.
Florida’s more than 20 million residents speak many languages. The state is also the most vulnerable in the country for hurricanes with nearly 120 in recorded history, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
According to the U.S. Census, about 28 percent of Floridians speak a language other than English at home. The most common of these languages are Spanish and Haitian Creole.
Online resources like brochures and flyers are available in many languages including Spanish and Haitian Creole to help Floridians develop plans in advance of the upcoming hurricane season.
These materials include resources to teach residents how to prepare for hurricanes and other disasters, how to know where to go, how to stay informed and what to have ready. You may find these resources at ready.gov/languages.
For more Hurricane Irma recovery information, visit www.FEMA.gov/IrmaFL and www.FloridaDisaster.org/info/irma
Follow FEMA and the Florida Division of Emergency Management on Twitter at @FEMARegion4 and @FLSERT. You may also visit FEMA and the Division’s Facebook pages at Facebook.com/FEMA and Facebook.com/FloridaSERT.
Helping people before, during, and after disasters.
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.
FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.