Hurricane Preparedness
The Town of Miami Lakes Emergency Management Division is responsible for coordinating and implementing strategies to effectively respond to and mitigate emergencies in the town.
Prepare for a Hurricane Ahead of Time
- Sign up to receive emergency alerts
- Read the Miami Lakes Hurricane Plan
- Make sure to have enough food and water for each person for at least 3 days. We recommend having one gallon of water per person, per day.
- Fill your prescriptions and have medicines on hand
- Store enough batteries and chargers for flashlights, cellphones, and radios
- Fill your vehicle with gas
- Have extra cash on hand
- Protect your home
- Tress
- Proper trimming of trees on your private property under the supervision of an accredited arborist licensed in the State of Florida, installing approved window coverings, securing all loose outdoor items, etc.) For more information on tree maintenance, contact John Yanes at yanesj@miamilakes-fl.gov.
- Sandbags
- For certain storms, the Town of Miami Lakes will initiate resident sandbag retrieval events. Sandbags/self-serve stockpiles are provided on on a first-come first0serve basis, as means of a short-term flood mitigation solution. Stay updated with the announcement of these sandbag/sand distributions at miamilakes-fl.gov/calendar.
- Tress
- Create a checklist for your pets (food, medicine, medical information, toys, etc.)
Shelter Information
Once an evacuation is announced, the list of open centers will become available on www.miamidade.gov or by calling 311. Emergency bus pickup sites will be activated to provide transportation to and from the evacuation centers.
Pet-friendly evacuation centers are available for residents living in evacuation areas, unsafe structures or mobile homes. Locations will be announced prior to the storm’s arrival. Service animals are permitted at all evacuation centers.
Emergency & Evacuation Assistance Program
The Miami-Dade County Emergency & Evacuation Assistance Program provides free evacuation assistance to eligible residents.
Learn more here.
Jerry’s Squad
Are you a Miami Lakes senior or disabled resident in need of assistance with hurricane preparations for hurricane season? If you are, we would like you to know about the Jerry’s Squad program offered by the Town of Miami Lakes.
Jerry’s Squad is a volunteer-driven program for disabled or elderly residents that require assistance when Miami Lakes is under a hurricane warning.
Waste Disposal
- Be patient and careful. Cleaning up after a storm can take time.
- When clearing storm debris, use a broom instead of a hose to conserve water. Sweep and bag debris so it doesn’t clog storm drains and cause sewage overflows.
- Place debris piles on the right-of-way, away from fences, mailboxes, storm drains, manholes, and low-hanging wires. Do not place debris on vacant lots or in front of commercial properties.
- If your property isn’t near a public right-of-way, or if you live in a gated community, do not move the debris to the nearest right-of-way until instructed by government officials.
- Report lost or damaged garbage or recycling carts for replacement by calling 311.
Water Safety
In the unlikely event that a precautionary boil water order is initiated after a storm, the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County advises that the water used to drink, cook with, brush teeth, make ice or wash dishes is boiled prior to use. The water should be brought to a full rolling boil for at least one minute.
Consumer Fraud and Price Gouging
- If a state of emergency is declared by the Governor of Florida, Miami-Dade County Mayor or Town of Miami Lakes Town Manager, price gouging regulations come into effect.
- To report price gouging, call the Florida Office of the Attorney General at 1-866-966-7226.
FEMA and Other Federal Assistance
- Residents impacted by hurricanes may register for FEMA assistance at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA mobile application or by calling 1-800-621-3362 between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.
- Applicants will need the following to apply:
- Social Security number
- Daytime telephone number
- Current mailing address, address and ZIP code of the damaged property, and private insurance information, if available
More Resources
Receive Text Alerts
The Town of Miami Lakes encourages all residents to sign up for Alert Miami Lakes, our mass notification system. When you sign up with Alert Miami Lakes you can select to receive emergency alerts that affect your area as well as other public alerts issued across the State and Country by other emergency officials. Sign up today.
2024 Disaster Sales Tax Holiday
The 2024 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holidays will take place Saturday, June 1 through Friday, June 14, and Saturday, August 24 through Friday, September 6.
This provides residents with the opportunity to purchase qualifying disaster preparedness supplies tax-free during two 14-day sales tax holidays
Learn more here.