Pasco County, FL -  The Atlantic Hurricane Season is less than one month away, and the lessons of last year's Hurricanes Ian and Nicole are still fresh in the minds of Floridians. That's why your West Central Florida County Health Departments serving Citrus, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota counties strongly encourage residents to prepare now to protect their health heading into the season.

Some key steps you can take include:

• Register for Evacuation Assistance: If you know or care for someone with a disability or special need, such as medical condition that requires assistance but not hospitalization, you should pre-register with the special needs shelter registry at snr.flhealthresponse.com. Again, it is crucial that you register in advance so emergency planners will know to contact you during an emergency. For more information, call your county's emergency management office, or visit snr.flhealthresponse.com.

• Keep Track of Your Medications: After a storm, you may have limited supplies of prescription medications, and your local pharmacy may be closed. You need a list of each prescription medication you take, its dosing instructions and the name and contact information of the prescribing doctor. Keep this information updated and with you should a storm threaten and be sure to bring your medications with you if you must evacuate. By Florida Law, if you live in a county under a hurricane warning or in a declared state of emergency, you can get a 30-day refill of your prescription even if is too early to get one. For more information, visit: Medication Requirements | Florida Disaster.

• Update Your Contact List: Ensure you have an updated list of all important contacts, including doctors, friends, and relatives. If possible, identify an out of state friend or relative who can relay to others about your evacuation and health status and can serve as a point of contact for others trying to reach you.

• Know Your Equipment: After a storm, many people are hurt or killed by carbon monoxide poisoning from unsafe generator usage, dangerous large tools such as chain saws or other unfamiliar equipment. Learning how to use these tools in the chaos after a storm can lead to accidents. Now is the time to read your owner's manuals and learn how to use each one.

To learn more about how to prepare yourself and your family, visit: Preparing for the Hurricane Season | Florida Disaster or call your county's emergency management office.

For more tips about how to prepare your health for hurricane season, call your county health office:

        DOH Citrus - (352) 527-0068

        DOH Hernando - (352) 540-6800

        DOH Highlands - (863) 386-6040

        DOH Hillsborough - (813) 307-8000

        DOH Manatee - (941) 748-0747

        DOH Pasco - (727) 619-0300

        DOH Pinellas - (727) 824-6900

        DOH Polk - (863) 519-7900

        DOH Sarasota - (941) 861-2900

About the Florida Department of Health

The Department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit Florida Department of Health (floridahealth.gov).