North Port Emergency Management has taken delivery of reflective vinyl collars to be installed on street-sign posts to delineate storm surge evacuation zones.

The collars are reflective yellow with zones labeled A or B, indicating the evacuation priority.

The zones represent the hazard that a neighborhood is in during a possible storm surge during a hurricane or tropical storm. Studies show that storm surge can be deadly and residents are encouraged to take them seriously. The “A” zone, which includes coastal areas and manufactured housing communities, are most at risk and will usually be advised to evacuate first; while zones marked by the letters B through E are of increasingly lower priority. The collars will be installed on street or stop signs at intersections.

This program is a collaborative effort between Sarasota County and the City of North Port. The City's Public Works Department will install the collars during routine maintenance in the neighborhoods in the coming months. City staff will also work with homeowners associations that have private roads to provide them with collars to install themselves or make arrangements for access so that the City can install them.

“Recent worldwide storm events, such as Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Katrina, remind us of what happens when forces of nature drive seawaters over land” said North Port Emergency Management Administrator Richard Berman. “Unlike a fast-moving tsunami, storm surge driven by tropical storm and hurricane winds are usually a longer term event that comes after ample warning by the National Weather Service.”

Recent surveys and the just-completed Southwest Florida Regional Evacuation Study show that more than 70 percent of Florida residents do not understand their risk with storm surge and cannot identify their evacuation zone.

For more information, residents are encouraged to read the 2013 Disaster Planning Guide which is available at fire stations and community centers in North Port. There is information about hurricane evacuation zones, evacuation planning, storm supplies, important phone numbers, and websites with additional suggestions.

For a variety of preparedness information, call North Port Fire Rescue at (941) 240-8150 or visit www.CityOfNorthPort.com