FEMA Approved LMS Plan - Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council

Probability: Freezes have occurred in Pinellas County 15 times during the last 42
years. Therefore, the County can expect a freeze once every three years. The
probability of a freeze is considered as high.
Vulnerability: Pinellas County is primarily an urban County with almost no acreage devoted to
agriculture. However, the population most vulnerable to freeze is the elderly population. Past
freezes have caused power outages in several areas. This has required the electrical power
companies to institute rolling “brown-outs”, and have required the opening of shelters.
Maximum Threat: The maximum threat for Pinellas County would be a sustained period of low
temperatures below 30 degrees in December or January. This main threat would be due to
power outages. Only selected areas of the population would be at risk.
Hurricane/Tropical Storm
History: Historically, hurricanes are the natural disasters that pose the greatest threat to Florida
and Pinellas County. They have caused the greatest amount of property damage and as more
people move to Pinellas County, and more development takes place, the potential for hurricanerelated
deaths and damages, increases each year.
Pinellas County has experienced the effects (wind damage, beach erosion, etc) from a number
of hurricanes since 1886. A total of five hurricanes have affected Pinellas County within the last
13 years. They were Hurricane Elena, Hurricane Erin, Hurricane Opal, Hurricane Earl, and
Hurricane Georges.
Hurricane Georges threatened Central and Southwest Florida in the end of September 1998.
From September 21st through the 30th, Hurricane Georges left a trail of destruction in the
Caribbean region and across the southern U.S. Gulf coast. As the Hurricane threatened the
Keys and Southwest Florida the potential threat to Pinellas County continued to develop. On
Wednesday September 23 rd the County activated the Citizens Information Center to answer the
flood of calls from concerned citizens. On September 24 th preparedness and response actions
and planning accelerated. A final meeting of the Disaster Advisory Committee was held at 9:30
AM. The County EOC was partially activated at 11:00 AM. The Board of County Commissioners
met in Emergency Session at 11:30 AM and declared a State of Local Emergency and issued a
Mandatory A Level Evacuation, to be effective at 6 AM on September 25 th . At 6 PM the
National Weather Service issued a Flood Watch and at 11PM the National Hurricane Center
issued A Tropical Storm Warning. On September 25 th the State of Local Emergency became
effective at 6 AM. County Offices and schools were closed and 55 Public Shelters were opened
with a total capacity of 83,560 spaces. As the threat of Georges began to appear to lessen
shelter operations were consolidated to relieve the load on first responders and management
staff. By noon on the 25 th of September the President of the United States declared a State of
Emergency for Florida. On September 26 th the threat to West Central Florida continued to
lessen. Tropical Storm Warnings and Tornado Watches for Pinellas County were canceled. The
Mandatory A Level Evacuation Order was lifted and by noon the Shelters were closed and the
EOC deactivated.
On September 17, 2000 Hurricane Gordon moved northeast across the eastern Gulf of Mexico
and brought 30 to 40 mph sustained winds and 50 to nearly 70 mph tropical storm force wind
gusts to mainly coastal areas of Southwest and West Central Florida throughout the daylight
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