“Are You Ready Tampa Bay?” is an initiative designed to provide Tampa’s citizens with common sense tools that will assist them before, during and following emergencies of almost any type. It allows them to be better prepared to safeguard the health and well being of themselves, their family, their neighbors, and their community.

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is committed to educating Tampa’s citizens about the hazards they face, as well as ways they can better prepare themselves. Understanding your responsibilities before, during and after an emergency is the best way to ensure that you and your family are ready for any situation.

With this in mind, the OEM has created “Get Ready Tampa” – the centerpiece of a broad preparedness campaign – to provide valuable information to those who live, work and play in our city. 

“Get Ready Tampa” has three main guiding principles – compile a “Go Bag”, assemble a “Disaster Supply Kit”, and create a ”Household Disaster Plan”.

Put Together a “Go Bag”

Assemble a Go Bag – a collection of items you may need in the event of an evacuation. Consider additional items such as:

• Instructions for any device you may use 
• Emergency health information card 
• Medication and other essential personal items. Be sure to refill medications before they expire. Include a list of the medications you take, why you take them, and their dosages. 
• Aerosol tire repair kits to repair flat wheelchair or scooter tires and/or tire inflator 
• Supplies for pets and service animals (food, extra water, bowl, leash, plastic bags)
• Back-up medical equipment

Assemble a Disaster Supply Kit

Keep enough supplies in your home to survive on your own for at least three days. You may also consider additional supplies and equipment when compiling your kit, based on your special needs. These items may include:

• Back-up medical equipment (oxygen, medication, scooter battery, hearing aids, mobility aids, glasses, etc.) 
• Style and serial numbers of medical devices (such as pacemakers) and usage instructions 
• Supplies for pets and service animals (food, extra water, bowl, leash, plastic bags) 
• Contact information for your doctors and pharmacist

Develop a Household Disaster Plan

Develop a disaster plan for each place you spend time — home, work, school, and in the community. Consider the following recommendations to ensure your plan best meets your needs:

• Establish a personal support network with family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers, and determine how you will help each other in any emergency. Do not depend on one person only. 
• Ask those who form your support network to: 
  • Know how to contact you anytime critical information becomes available. 
  • Check on you immediately after an emergency. 
  • Keep a spare set of important keys. 
  • Know where your Emergency Supply Kit is kept. 
  • Have copies of important documents, such as information about medication and dosage, equipment, and other needs. 
  • Learn about your personal needs and how to help you in an emergency. 
• If you receive home-based care (e.g. homecare attendant, home health aide, visiting nurse service), include caregivers in developing your plan and familiarize yourself with your homecare agency's emergency plan. 
• If you have a pet or service animal, also plan for his or her needs (i.e. temporary relocation,
  transportation, etc.).
• If you rely on home-delivered meals, always stock nonperishable food at home in case meal deliveries are suspended during an emergency.
• Have a plan with your doctor that addresses emergency prescription refills, if possible.
• If you receive dialysis or other medical treatments, find out your provider's emergency plan, including where your back-up site is located. 
• If you rely on medical equipment that requires electric power, contact your medical supply company for information regarding a back-up power source such as a battery. Follow the manufacturer's directions when installing the equipment and the battery back-up. If you use a portable generator for emergency power, follow manufacturer's directions for safe operation, and check with local fire and building officials for regulations governing generator and fuel use. Ask your utility company if the medical equipment qualifies you to be listed as a life-sustaining equipment customer.
• If you rely on oxygen, talk to your vendor about emergency replacements.

For more information:
FEMA - Are you Ready?
Centers for Disease Control
Hillsborough County Hurricane Planning Guide