DORAL, FLA. (WSVN) - South Florida is preparing for hurricane season in the midst of a global pandemic.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez said, “The 2020 hurricane season is upon us, and we have made changes to our plan to avoid spread of the virus.”
Gimenez said shelters will allow 40 square feet per person to allow for social distancing to be respected at 81 evacuation centers.
Gimenez said, “Everyone will receive a kit when they arrive at these centers with masks, gloves and hand sanitizer. They will also be screened for any symptoms.”
Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf said, “What FEMA is doing is using some of their lessons learned from COVID-19. They put out operational guidance to emergency managers about how you do that, so as you look at shelters, as you look at other types of places that you’re going to bring evacuees, making sure you do have that social distancing. But you’re also looking at hotels, dormitories, looking at all that.”
Local governments are already spending emergency funds in the wake of COVID-19, but Wolf said one priority is federal reimbursements for things like debris removal after a storm moves through.
Wolf said, “Trying to speed up, on the ground, the assessments, and again, as we look at a COVID-like environment, they’re having to do that a little differently. Things that they perhaps would have done door-to-door, they’re using other types of resources to do that.”
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