Deltona town hall urges 'Be prepared, not scared' ahead of hurricane season

At a City of Deltona Hurricane Awareness Town Hall, speakers from Spectrum News 13, Volusia County Emergency Management, the Florida Department of Health, Deltona Fire Rescue and local insurance agents urged residents to prepare now for the June 1 start of the Atlantic hurricane season.

The session brought meteorologist Brian Carrick and county and city emergency officials together to explain seasonal outlooks, how watches and warnings work, what the county can — and cannot — do, and practical steps residents should take now, including checking insurance and signing up for the county’s special-needs registry.

“Don’t be scared. Be prepared,” said Brian Carrick, chief meteorologist for Spectrum News 13, who reviewed what hurricanes need to form, the official season dates (June 1–Nov. 30) and the seasonal peak (roughly Aug. 20–Oct. 10, with a climatological peak on Sept. 10). Carrick noted Colorado State University’s early forecast calling for 17 named storms, nine hurricanes and four major hurricanes but said that, in any season, “it only takes 1.” He repeated practical preparedness steps: build a kit, check insurance (including flood coverage), know evacuation routes and keep important documents in a watertight container.

Volusia County Emergency Management Director Clint Meekum described the county’s role: coordinating logistics for first responders, activating the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and issuing evacuation orders when necessary. “An evacuation order is an evacuation order,” Meekum said, stressing that the county evacuates by flood zone and that residents should learn their zone via the state’s Know Your Zone tools. Meekum said the county will publish routes, sandbag locations and shelter openings through its app and social media, and reiterated that the county acts on official National Weather Service and NOAA guidance when making operational decisions.

Meekum and other speakers emphasized that wind-category scales measure only wind, not water: past local impacts from storms such as Milton and Ian were driven primarily by rainfall and flooding. Meekum said Deltona recorded very high rainfall in recent storms — citing reports of about 18.5 inches in parts of the city during Milton — and noted that Spruce Creek received nearly 22 inches during Ian. He warned that storm categories are not a direct measure of flood risk and urged residents to plan for water impacts even if a storm is downgraded before reaching the area.

Carissa (Florida Department of Health) and Volusia County staff described special-needs registration and shelter procedures. Officials said special-needs shelters are intended for people who rely on electrically powered medical equipment (oxygen, for example) and for people with conditions such as advanced dementia; these shelters provide a higher level of on-site assistance but are considered shelters of last resort. Carissa said special-needs shelters are pet-friendly for household pets (service animals remain with their owner) but that owners must bring carriers, food and supplies for their animals.

Deltona Assistant Fire Chief Stephen Cousins reviewed the city’s local emergency operations and how departments coordinate in the EOC. He said the city-side EOC operates from City Hall when activated and that city crews work to clear roads and support utilities so recovery and repopulation can proceed once conditions are safe. Cousins reminded residents that emergency response capacity can be limited during peak winds: high winds can prevent ambulances and other vehicles from traveling, and response times may be delayed until conditions allow safe travel.

Insurance agents from local offices also attended. Jen Canada of AAA and Mike (last name not specified) emphasized two insurance points often missed by homeowners: flood insurance is separate from homeowners coverage and typically carries a 30-day waiting period before it takes effect, and hurricane deductibles differ from standard homeowner deductibles (some hurricane deductibles are percentage-based). Agents recommended inventorying valuables with photos (and emailing photos to yourself or backing them up to the cloud) and reviewing policies now to add endorsements for items such as solar panels, sheds or high-value personal property.

Speakers closed by repeating practical preparedness actions: assemble a kit (water — one gallon per person per day — medications, cash, copies of important documents), have an evacuation plan with at least two routes, create a family communications plan including an out-of-state contact, and register household members with special needs through the county registry before storms arrive. County staff recommended residents download the Volusia County Emergency Management app and follow official county and city social media channels for timely operational updates.

The event included a short Q&A and a distribution of hurricane-preparedness materials. No formal votes or policy decisions were taken at the town hall; the gathering was informational and focused on public education and local operational readiness.