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City staff outline hurricane readiness, sandbagging and post-storm damage assessment
Summary
City managers and emergency staff reviewed the city's hurricane-response sequence including NOAA monitoring, sandbag distribution, essential staffing, evacuation practices, damage assessment for FEMA, and coordination with the county EOC.
City management and public safety officials presented a high-level hurricane preparedness briefing Tuesday that detailed monitoring, operational roles, sandbag distribution and post‑storm damage assessment procedures.
“During the season we watch this regularly,” City Manager Kurt Swartzlander told the City Commission, pointing to NOAA tracking as the starting point for weather monitoring and coordination with the Volusia County Emergency Operations Center. Community Services Director Stewart Cruz and Public Safety Director Mike Fowler described operational steps the city takes as storms approach and after they pass.
Why it matters: the briefing laid out the city’s operational triggers, who staff reports to during an event, and how the city collects damage data needed for state and federal assistance. Swartzlander and department directors emphasized coordination with the county and FEMA as essential to secure reimbursement for eligible damage and to request federal disaster declarations.
What staff described: city monitoring begins early in the season (June 1) with regular checks of NOAA advisories and county briefings. If a threat forms, staff transition to daily briefings and prepare sandbag distribution; the city reported it now owns a sandbagging machine. Under current policy the city manager may declare a local state of emergency — typically for seven days with extensions as needed — and staff stages essential employees across city facilities. Fowler said public safety converts to 12‑hour AB shifts (6 a.m.–6 p.m.) as needed and described pre‑storm actions including making sure personnel plan for family needs and bringing in fuel, food and water for multi‑day operations.
Post‑storm steps: staff prioritize clearing streets so emergency crews can respond, secure lifelines such as lift stations and generators for sewer operations, and begin damage assessment quickly to provide the county the data required to request state and federal declarations. Cruz said the city documents assets with recent photos and videos for FEMA. The building official explained that, when a building is declared unsafe, statute allows the city to remove someone who refuses to leave, though officials said they exercise discretion and criminal charges have not been pursued locally.
Coordination and public information: the city operates a Community Information Center (CIC) number during incidents for consolidated information and forwards department lines to that number when facilities close. Officials said they coordinate messaging with the county to avoid conflicting information, and that beach and bridge closures are handled in coordination with FDOT and the county EOC. Personnel described using drones to speed damage surveys and setting up checkpoints and enhanced patrols after storms to prevent looting.
What was not decided: the briefing was informational; no formal policy changes or emergency declarations were made during the meeting. Officials invited questions from the commission and said they will continue to refine operational checklists and grant documentation ahead of storm season.
