Utopia Security Services

Hurricane Irma, the most powerful Atlantic hurricane in history is currently forecasted to make landfall near Miami Sunday morning with tropical force winds expected to begin Friday evening to Saturday morning. The size and intensity of this storm and its current forecasted track is a warning for south Florida residents to prepare for catastrophic damages and lengthy periods of power outages, blocked roadways, water shortages, fuel shortages, and lack of other infrastructure. Your Homeowners Security Association has met with our police department representative and have developed plans to keep our neighborhood safe during this event and its aftermath. Please read on to learn what we are doing and how you can participate in keeping Utopia safe.

• The City of Miami begins its full time emergency rotational shifts beginning 36 hours prior to the forecasted landfall of a hurricane and continues indefinitely. All officers serve 12 hour on – 12 hour off rotating shifts. This means our patrol officers will not be available for off duty security patrols. The Board is investigating alternative private security patrols though we have not made any decisions at this time.
• You can help by banding together with your neighbors, members and non-members to keep a vigilant eye out for possible crime. Do not immediately assume a stranger is here to commit a crime. Approach a stranger and ask if they need help. They may be here to offer assistance or be in need of assistance themselves. You will soon be able to discover if the person has bad intentions, in which case you should notify the police (911) and your immediate neighbors. Criminals will frequently flee from a group of people who can identify them as the perpetrators of crime.
• Several Utopia members have volunteered to be points of contact all across the neighborhood. Should you need assistance contact one of the people listed below and they will relay the request to all other contacts to help get the resources needed.
• We are assuming there are no technologies available to assist in communications and have organized a people to people network for helping neighbors. Every evening after the storm has passed, weather permitting, we will meet at 6 pm in the park in the triangle at Ensenada and Ventura. Everyone is invited to attent whether seeking assistance, offering assistance, or just wanting to meet some neighbors.
• You can help by letting your contact person know how you can help the neighborhood with things as simple as sharing your gas grill to cutting some trees with your chainsaw. Anyone trained in first aid is requested to notify your contact person in the event that emergency services are not available or unable to reach us due to road closures.
• Hurricanes are good times to meet your neighbors. Consider reaching out to see how you can help. Perhaps you can grill some of their food before it spoils, share a flashlight, or share your cell phone to notify family members. Remember, we are a village. We want to be of assistance to everyone in our village whether they are member or otherwise. By putting our best foot forward, lending a helping hand, and being a good neighbor we make our village stronger and your good neighborly actions may be the thing that makes someone want to join our association.

The Time To Prepare Is Now!

What to expect in the face of a major hurricane.

1. Loss of Power: The power company is likely to cut power early in the landfall to prevent transformers from exploding which delays restoration of power after the storm. Set your freezer and refrigerator at their coldest settings before the storm and do not unnecessarily open the door while the power is out. It may be days or weeks before power is restored. If you have a generator, leave it off until after the storm passes unless it is on an automatic switch. Even then it might be best to leave it off so the unit is not running on and off line with surging power.

2. Risk of Electrocution: When power is restored, downed wires are likely to be reenergized and can pose a threat to life, especially when in standing water. Never assume a downed power line is safe, even if it was at an earlier time.

3. Loss of Drinking Water: Power outages may prevent the utility from purifying and pumping water into municipal supplies. Travel with plenty of drinking water. Save the empty water bottles to refill when you find potable water supplies and carry Clorox bleach to sanitize small amounts of non-potable water for drinking. Store water in bath tubs but be sure they do not leak – you may need to use a silicon caulk to temporarily seal the drain. Toilets can be manually flushed with a bucket of water.

4. Flooding: Flooding is caused from several factors. Heavy rainfall saturates the ground and has no place to go. Additionally, storm surge may back up the drainage canals and cause flooding from rising sea water itself. Storm drains are likely to get clogged with debris further slowing the drainage. Do not cross flooded areas and especially running waters. Be careful not to get sucked into storm drains in parking lots and streets.

5. Impassible Roads: Trees will fall across roads making them impossible to travel on. It is easy to get stranded as trees will continue to fall from saturated soils after the storm winds subside. If possible travel with a chainsaw and gasoline can. Test your chainsaw days before the storm and make sure your gas mix is fresh.

6. Emergency Services: Emergency services such as police, fire, and ambulance may not be available or able to access your location. Organize your neighbors to provide assistance in advance of the storm. Emergency personnel will be mobilized to protect lives and deliver emergency supplies; they will not be responding to property crimes such as looting. Again a good neighborhood watch is the best security for your property.

7. Loss of Telecom Services: With loss of power comes loss of telecom service. Even cell phones may not work. Do not expect to be able to use your Internet or telecom services. Have a plan to communicate through person to person means and then have a plan to notify friends and family of your safety when you have telecom services available. Cell phone service may be available in small pockets for short durations. A battery operated AM radio will be a good source of news in periods of extended telecom loss.

8. Unavailable Food Supply: Grocery stores are unlikely to receive their regular deliveries until roads are cleared and power is restored. Be prepared with canned and dry foods such as rice and beans which can be prepared with minimal energy.

9. Unavailable Energy Supplies: The supply chain for gasoline and propane fuel will be stressed. It is quite possible that you may not be able to find gas stations operating. They may be out of gas or unable to pump the gas without electricity. Carefully consider the range you can travel with the fuel in your tank and whether you actually need to travel. Save fuel for emergencies. Also, call your propane supplier before the storm and advise them to service you frequently after the storm.

10. Cash: ATM Machines may not be available and credit cards services may not be functioning. Have sufficient cash on hand for emergency purchases.

11. Medications: Be sure you have ample supply of your medications and protect them from water damage by storing them in zip lock bags before the storm.

12. Data Protection: Backup your computer data and if possible store the backup off site. Consider using cloud services such as Dropbox and Google to get your most sensitive data out of the storm area. Photograph important documents and email them to yourself. Also consider placing your computers in water tight plascti containers or covering them with large plastic yard bags.

13. Pets: Have an emergency plan for your pets, including food and water supplies.

14. Eye of the Storm: Be prepared for powerful winds. Secure all loose objects before the storm and stay sheltered during the wind storm. Large projectiles and even small rocks are extremely dangerous in a windstorm. When the eye of a hurricane passes over, the wind will stop and the sun may actually shine. This is no time to go outside. The back side of the eye wall will be coming soon and you may not even see it coming until it is too late.

15. Repairs: Be prepared for some damage to your roof, doors, and windows. Even storm windows may experience damage. Have plenty of heavy duty duct tape and 6 mil rolls of plastic available to cover open windows and doorways. Tarps are also desirable to cover damaged roofs. If you know a contractor or handyman, give them a call before the storm and ask them to check with you first thing after the storm. Skilled labor will be in short supply with everyone seeking repairs.

16. Mosquito Repellent: Mosquitoes will be swarming in all the stagnant water after the storm. You will most likely be exposed to the elements without power. Have plenty of mosquito repellent available. It will become your cologne of choice for a while.

17. Batteries, Flashlights, and Candles: Be prepared for lighting at night and especially if you need to go outside after dark.

18. Stay Informed: Hurricane forecasts are changing rapidly so it is important to stay tuned in to the national weather service advisories and local emergency notices.