Policy Text
HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/02/92 STANDARD NO. 014 REVISED: 03/14/18
REPLACES: SOP Hurricane Preparedness 08-05.1-4 – Rev. 01/01/03; Rev. 06/15/10; Rev. 02/12/14;
OBJECTIVE: To establish criteria for preparing for, responding to and recovering from
hurricanes.
POLICY: It is the policy of the Homestead Police Department (HPD) to maintain a standard
operating procedure (SOP) regarding hurricane preparedness. This SOP is
intended as a guide for police operations to prepare and handle the threat of a
hurricane.
SCOPE: All employees of this Department shall be governed by the rules, regulations, and
procedures listed below.
I. GENERAL:
A. Hurricane Watch:
1. Hurricane Watch: An announcement that hurricane conditions are possible
within the specified area. Hurricane watches are issued 48 hours in advance of
the anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds.
a. Issuance: When the U.S. Weather Bureau issues a Hurricane Watch, the
Chief of Police, or designee, shall notify affected personnel that the watch
has been issued and that the Department is on standby status.
b. Standby status: If HPD is placed on standby status, all HPD personnel
should make adequate arrangements to secure personal property and to
ensure the safety of their families in preparation for reporting to duty,
possibly for an extended period of time. Special attention should also be
given to radio and television broadcasts with reference to the impending
storm.
c. Vehicles: When Hurricane Watches are ordered, all staff shall ensure that
their assigned vehicle has been properly serviced and fully operational.
B. Hurricane Warning:
1. Hurricane Warning: An announcement that hurricane conditions are expected within
the specified area. Hurricane warnings are issued 36 hours in advance of the
anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds.
a. Issuance: When the U.S. Weather Bureau issues a Hurricane Warning,
the Chief of Police, or designee, shall determine when affected personnel
are to be called in on an emergency basis.
Hurricane Preparedness – SOP# 014
b. Mobilization: When the decision is made to mobilize, all respective
personnel who are needed to report for duty will be notified.
c. Standby status: HPD employees who are not notified to report for duty
shall remain on standby status. When the Weather Bureau has advised
that the emergency has passed, employees on standby status shall report
to their regular shift as soon as conditions permit unless other orders are
issued regarding their status for reporting for duty.
C. Storm Category:
1. To relate hurricane intensity to damage potential, the National Weather Service
uses the Saffir/Simpson scale, which assigns storms to five (5) categories.
Category One (1) is a minimum hurricane; Category Five (5) is the most powerful
and dangerous type of hurricane.
a. CATEGORY 1 – Winds are 74-95 miles per hour. Damage will be
primarily to shrubbery, trees, foliage, and unanchored mobile homes.
Storm surge will be four (4) to five (5) feet above normal, causing some
damage to low-lying coastal areas.
b. CATEGORY 2 – Winds are 96-110 miles per hour. Considerable damage
will be inflicted to trees, shrubbery, and mobile homes, including some
damage to roofing materials and windows of buildings. Storm surge will
be six (6) to eight (8) feet above normal, cutting off low-lying escape
routes two (2) to four (4) hours before the arrival of the storm.
c. CATEGORY 3 – Winds are 111-130 miles per hour. Trees and foliage
will be totally damaged. Large trees will be blown down, including some
structural damage to small buildings. Mobile homes will be destroyed.
Storm surge will be nine (9) to 12 feet above normal, causing serious
flooding to all coastal areas. Flat terrain five (5) feet or less above sea
level will be flooded eight (8) miles inland.
d. CATEGORY 4 – Winds are 131-155 miles per hour. The roofs of most
small homes and buildings will be extensively damaged. Storm surge will
be 13 to 18 feet above normal, causing major damage to most structures
near shore.