Hurricane preparedness: who to call in case the case of an emergency, seeking shelter

Gershon Harrell, The Gainesville Sun
·3 min read

As the hurricane season arrives, the Gainesville Sun gathered need-to-know information for Alachua County residents, whether that be needing help finding a shelter or contact information if someone is experiencing a utility outage.

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Jen Grice, Alachua County's emergency management director, said Alachua County has about 20 shelters available in case of a hurricane. At least 15 of those shelters are school locations, according to the city of Gainesville's website.

The city's website (www.cityofgainesville.org) also shows there are five emergency shelters catered to people who have special needs. A person would use the special needs shelters in the event of a hurricane if they are oxygen dependent, electricity-dependent or if they're wheelchair-bound.

If a hurricane warning is issued and someone is in need of a shelter they can always check online at AlachuaCountyReady.com and send a text 'Alachua' to the number 888777. The city's website states that in the case of an impending hurricane community members can also dial the number 3-1-1.

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Utility outages

Gainesville Regional Utilities training and safety facilitator, Scott Holowasko, said, everyone should be prepared for tropical activity as hurricane season approaches.

He said the best way to make sure a homeowner or renter doesn't experience any outages is to make sure that their trees are healthy and if the tree is in range of a utility line.

"Falling limbs is one of the leading causes of short-term power outages," Holowasko said. "So homeowners can do a lot just by making sure their trees are trimmed back or if trees that are not healthy are removed."

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If the power goes out during a storm, GRU recommends switching the breaker panels off to avoid any damage when power returns.

GRU's website also states that it will also be updated when local powerlines are damaged, adding that a resident may not need to report a power outage unless their home is the only home in the neighborhood without power.

David Warm, the utility's spokesperson, said the best way to stay updated on utility outage information is to check their Twitter GRUStormCentral for important and updated information.

Numbers to know for utility outages:

Power Outages/Downed Power Lines

  • 352-334-2871

Natural Gas Emergencies

  • 352-334-2550

Water/Wastewater Emergencies

  • 352-334-2711

GRU Customer Service

  • 352-334-3434

Internet Help Desk

  • GATOR NETSM 352-334-3000

Other numbers to contact in case of an emergency:

myGNV.org

Report issues online or via the myGNV app (available on Apple and Google Play stores)

Alachua County Rumor Control Line

352-264-6557

Local Emergency Information

311 (only when activated)

Alachua County Emergency Management

352-264-6500

email: acem@alachuacounty.us

Gainesville Emergency Management

Non-emergency: 352-334-5078

Gainesville Police Department

Non-emergency: 352-955-1818

Emergency: 911

Gainesville Fire Rescue

Non-emergency: 352-334-5078

Emergency: 9

Public Works (knocked down trees, blocked roads, flooding, sandbags)

352-393-8161

email: pubwrk@cityofgainesville.org

Debris Removal (Waste)

352-334-2330

Red Cross (North Central Florida Chapter)

352-376-4669

RTS

352-334-2600

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Hurricane season 2022 looms, here's what you need to know to stay safe