West Palm Beach fire official urges residents to prepare now for hurricane season

Assistant Fire Chief Brent Bloomfield of the West Palm Beach Fire Department urged residents on the City Center podcast to prepare now for hurricane season, which he said runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, and to plan for "the worst case scenario."

Bloomfield said the number-one preparedness steps are to secure a home (trim trees, remove loose objects), build a supply kit, and ensure medications and insurance paperwork are accessible. "You wanna make sure that you prepare for the worst case scenario," he said.

The nut graf: Bloomfield framed the guidance around recent storm behavior — faster intensification and unpredictable tracks — and local risks including storm surge, inland flooding and tornadoes. He said those hazards make early preparation and adherence to evacuation orders critical for life safety.

Bloomfield recommended stocking at least a week of food and water rather than the three-day guideline many residents remember. He said nonperishables such as canned goods and peanut butter are useful, and advised residents not to wait until the day before a storm to refill prescriptions: "Make sure if we have a storm that's gonna be…