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Leon County details after-action progress and steps for 2025 hurricane season
Summary
County staff reported implementation of 39 of 41 recommendations from 2024 after-action reports, outlined outreach to residents of manufactured homes, and reviewed forecasts calling for a slightly above-average Atlantic hurricane season; the board accepted the status report unanimously.
Leon County officials told the Board of County Commissioners on Wednesday that nearly all recommendations from the county's 2024 after-action reviews of storm events have been implemented and described preparations for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.
The county administrator introduced a status report summarizing 41 recommendations from 2024 after-action reports following the Bicentennial Storm, a May tornado outbreak and Hurricane Helene in September. Staff reported 39 of the 41 recommendations have been completed within existing departmental operations; two remaining recommendations involving disaster pay and personnel policy will return to the board at a June 17 workshop for formal consideration.
The report highlighted several implemented items intended to reduce public risk during flooding and storm response, including high-visibility barricades placed along roadways with deep ditches to reduce vehicle water rescues, expanded communications and GIS tools, targeted trainings for residents in manufactured-home communities, and a countywide mailing of 140,000 printed disaster survival guides to begin in June.
"Out of all of the water rescues during that activation, all of them were cars in ditches. Once we implemented those barricades . . . that number dropped to 0," a county presenter said during the meeting.
Emergency Management Director Kevin Peters briefed the board on the 2025 seasonal outlook. Using the 1991'020 climatological baseline, he noted average seasons contain 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.
Peters summarized forecasts from Colorado State (17 named storms, nine hurricanes, four majors), The Weather Channel (19 named storms, nine hurricanes) and Mexico's meteorological service (13'17 named storms, six— hurricanes, three— majors). NOAA's official outlook was scheduled for release May 22. He concluded the county should expect a "busy" season but emphasized that forecasts do not specify timing or landfall locations; preparedness, he said, remains the primary mitigation tool.
Commissioners praised the county's response systems, particularly outreach to manufactured-home residents and planning for senior living facilities. The board moved to accept staff's recommendation (option 1) on the item; the motion carried unanimously.
The report also addressed federal funding and program uncertainties. Staff said recent federal suspensions and reviews of certain FEMA mitigation monies did not affect current local projects but that the county would monitor developments at the federal level.
What the board approved: acceptance of the status report on after-action implementation and preparations for the 2025 hurricane season, with staff to return on June 17 with proposals on disaster pay and personnel matters not yet implemented.
The county encouraged residents to review the mailed disaster survival guides and to sign up for county alert systems and transportation assistance when evacuation orders are issued.
The county administrator and Emergency Management staff said they would continue coordination with state and federal partners while monitoring changes to federal mitigation funding and data collection operations that feed national forecasts.
The board closed the item with unanimous support and no public speakers signed for that agenda item.
