Library Online Resources
Connect with consumer resources and Florida regulatory agencies to protect yourself from after-hurricane fraud.
The Orlando Sentinel's own consumer advocate Greg Dawson shares stories about his work and tips on how to avoid getting scammed after a hurricane in this 17 minute video.
Search for hurricane news and articles from 1985-present in the Orlando Sentinel and other Southeastern Newspapers. Remember, you must connect your search terms with the word "and". The database gives you the most recent articles first, but you can also sort by relevance to get older "how to" or historical articles.
Use the search term "hurricane" to find encyclopedia articles, maps, pictures, videos, and relevant websites, among other results.
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Before the Storm
Know your local information with Orange County's Emergency & Safety webpage. Review local information on Disaster Preparedness, and register for Emergency Medical Services if you are disabled or have special needs.
Use the Federal Emergency Management Agency's map service center to see if your house or the new house you want to buy is in a flood prone area.
Learn how this program helps people recover from floods by offering them affordable flood insurance.
Get tips and ideas on how to strengthen your home through a few upgrades. Get up-to-date information about the threat of flooding in your area.
This resource also includes information on evacuation routes and shelters.
Know where the shelters are in the Central Florida area. Pet-friendly and special needs facilities are included.
There are many hurricane checklists on the Internet. Search with the terms, "hurricane kit" or "hurricane checklist." Take the best ideas from each one to make your own hurricane checklist.
Find information and tools to help you become prepared for the hurricane season. This portal, which contains information for Florida Public Libraries, also has links to help everyone such as a hurricane specific search box, hurricane blog, organizations to help you before and after a hurricane strikes, and many other topics to help weather the storm.
Reduce the effects of a hurricane disaster. Find information on creating a family disaster plan, a disaster supply kit, and securing your home among other topics. Learn what actions you should take to be prepared.
Power Companies
Look at your energy provider's disaster plan before the power goes out. The three main companies in Orange County are Florida Power and Light, Orlando Utilities Commission, and Progress Energy.
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After the Storm
Be aware that the Red Cross provides hurricane information and helps prepare communities for emergencies. You can apply for assistance or volunteer to help.
Look into topics such as Hurricane Cleanup. This website lists hazards that you might need to prepare for like carbon monoxide safety, electrical hazards, and food and water safety. This website can be read in several languages.
Take a look at the Disaster Preparedness page, provided by the Department of Financial Services, that covers the aftermath of a hurricane. There is important information that every property owner should know.
FEMA is tasked with disaster mitigation, preparedness, response,and recovery planning.
Stay up to code when you rebuild. A commonly requested part of the code at the Library after a storm is chapter 15, roofing. You can get this information online. There are older versions of the code at this website also.
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Library Materials
Download a OneClickdigital or OverDrive audiobook that features hurricanes as a topic or plot-device.
Hurricanes are better when they are fictional. See if these authors know as much about them as you do.
Learn about the events that transpired during the impact of Hurricane Katrina from these first-hand accounts and discussions.
These books and videos cover hurricane history, science, and preparedness.
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During the Storm - News Coverage
Different television stations have different coverage. Find the ones that fit your needs.
Find the latest storm information county by county as it becomes available. Also find utility information as well as State and Federal Resources.
Get local information From the Orlando Sentinel. Get updates during the storm and look over preparedness tips you might not have thought about.
More news coverage
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Social
Dr. Masters is the Director of Meteorology of the website Weather Underground, one of the most popular weather websites.
Go deeper into weather analysis with authoritative but easy to understand discussion of important weather events
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Mobile
To fully access this content, you may need the latest version of iTunes. Download iTunes for free now!
Hurricane
Track storms, get updates, and satellite imagery with this 2008 iPhone Apps Excellence Award winner. Application cost: $3.99.
iTunes | Website
OCFL Alert
Receive disaster information straight from Orange County Florida Government, including severe weather updates, road closures, and amber alerts. During hurricane season the application includes information on shelters, water distribution points, and emergency numbers. iTunes | Website
Get all kinds of weather applications for all sorts of mobile devices including regular cell phones.
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Kids & Teens