Escambia County Encourages Preparedness as Hurricane Season Kicks Off June 1
The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season kicks off today, June 1, and Escambia County encourages residents to remain prepared before, during, and after a storm by being “One Week Ready” with at least seven days' worth of supplies following a major hurricane. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 each year.
"Hurricane preparedness begins long before a storm enters the Gulf," Escambia County Emergency Manager and Deputy Public Safety Deputy Director Travis Tompkins said. "With many new residents calling Escambia County home, we encourage everyone to take the time now to become one week ready. Build your emergency supplies, make a family plan, know your evacuation zone, and stay informed through trusted sources. The more prepared we are as individuals and families, the more resilient our entire community will be. Visit MyEscambia.com/beready to get started today."
Follow these steps to make sure you and your family are prepared this hurricane season:
- Know Your Zone. Familiarize yourself with evacuation zones and routes. Escambia County residents can look up your address at MyEscambia.com/knowyourzone to see if your home is in evacuation zone A, B, C, D, E or none as well as view the impacts of storm surge in your neighborhood. Knowing your evacuation zone is one of the most important hurricane preparation steps you can take. It is very important that you look up your evacuation zone each year to find out if and when you should evacuate, even if you have looked it up in the past, as zones can change. Most importantly, don’t rely on previous storm experience.
- Know Your Home. Is your home prepared for a hurricane? If you need to evacuate, pack an emergency supply kit. It should contain seven days of clothes, nonperishable food, pet food, water and a battery-operated radio and flashlight with extra batteries. Also include a first-aid kit with items such as gloves, adhesive bandages and prescription medications. Find a printable disaster shopping list here. Please remember to be "One Week Ready." Everyone should be equipped to provide for themselves, their families and their pets for at least seven days following a major hurricane.
- Know Your Plan. Plan how you will assemble your family and loved ones, and anticipate where you will go for different situations. Get together with your family and agree on the best ways to contact one another in an emergency. Inform out-of-town family and friends of your emergency plans and stay in contact. Plan your evacuation route and destination before an evacuation order is issued. Be sure to make preparations for pets and family members who may need special accommodations, such as a wheelchair ramp, oxygen tank or specific medications. More information on planning an evacuation for a person with disabilities or special needs is available at MyEscambia.com.
- Stay Informed. Know where to go for trusted sources of information during a hurricane event. Sign up for alerts from Escambia County Emergency Management to receive notifications, including evacuation orders, directly to your phone and email. Watch this video to learn how to enable emergency alerts on your cell phone. Monitor local news for hurricane watches and warnings in your area and follow directions of local officials. Make sure you have a battery-operated or hand-crank radio available should the power go out. Review and sign up for the different types of information/notifications available directly from Escambia County on the Emergency Management website.
Additional online safety resources:
- For the latest road closures and traffic updates, travelers can access Florida's 511 service at fl511.com.
- Download the Escambia County Disaster Guide.
More information on what to do before, during and after a storm is available online at MyEscambia.com/BeReady. Residents can follow Escambia County Emergency Management on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and updates on emergencies impacting our community.
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Hurricane season begins June 1 - are you "One Week Ready"?
Hurricane season officially kicks off on Monday, June 1, and runs through November 30. Now is the time to get serious about preparedness. Emergency management officials are urging everyone to be One Week Ready — that means having enough supplies on hand to sustain your entire household, including pets, for at least seven days without outside assistance.
"Preparedness starts long before a storm enters the Gulf," said Tom Lloyd, Santa Rosa County Public Safety Director. "Taking steps now to be One Week Ready can make a major difference for your family's safety and recovery after a disaster. Know your evacuation zone, review your plans, and make sure you have the supplies you need before hurricane season becomes active."
In the event of a tropical storm or hurricane, evacuations could be called for residents in evacuation zones or mobile homes. It's important to check now to see if you live in an evacuation zone and make a plan for where you will go if told to evacuate. Santa Rosa County's interactive Know Your Zone Map is searchable by address and will also show if any evacuations have been ordered or recommended. It's also important to check the evacuation zones of the streets in your area. If the streets flood, you may be unable to leave until the water recedes, and responders may not be able to reach you in an emergency.
Residents who feel comfortable that their homes are built to sustain the level of wind predicted are encouraged to shelter in place during a storm. While Santa Rosa County has a shelter plan to accommodate residents, shelters are not comfortable places and should be considered a last resort.
Other actions to take now before a storm:
Check your home and flood insurance coverage, then compare options to make sure you have the protection you need at the best value.
Conduct a home inventory with photos and video of the inside and outside of your home.
Safeguard important documents in a dry box.
Have cash on hand.
Halfway full is halfway there - keep your vehicle filled to at least half a tank at all times during hurricane season.
Check your disaster supply kit and replace any outdated items - make sure the kit includes non-perishable foods that you and your family will eat. Also have items stocked for pets.
Additional resources:
Shelter information for Santa Rosa County: www.santarosa.fl.gov/257/Shelters
Disaster preparedness for pets and forms needed to stay in a pet-friendly shelter: www.santarosa.fl.gov/404/Pet-Disaster-Preparation
Santa Rosa County Disaster Preparedness Guide: www.santarosa.fl.gov/DisasterGuide
Location-specific alerts: www.AlertSantaRosa.com
National Hurricane Center: www.nhc.noaa.gov
National Weather Service Mobile: www.weather.gov/mob
Weather radio information and programming: www.weather.gov/mob/nwrhelp#Midland74210
Weather radios may come pre-programmed. For help re-programming your weather radio, call 850-983-5360.
Photo: Stephen Morton / Getty Images News / Getty Images