Palm Beach Makes Hurricane Safety Improvements

Palm Beach is implementing new programs and technology in advance of the 2019 hurricane season as first reported by the Palm Beach Daily News. The 2019 hurricane season will officially begin on June 1 and run until Nov. 30.

The new programs are meant to create a smoother post-storm process. 

According to Palm Beach Police Sgt. Paul Alber, the town established a Hurricane Re-entry Pass Program to speed up re-entry onto the island in the case of a mandatory evacuation. Under the new plan, passholders, such as residents and business owners, would be able to access the island in dedicated traffic lanes at security checkpoints after retuning from an evacuation.

Business owners, residents, and building managers can apply for the pass at the police department’s Crime Scene Unit or online at townofpalmbeach.com. No more than two passes per address will be issued. 

Predictions by Colorado State University show that the Atlantic basin will see 13 named storms, eight tropical storms, five hurricanes, and two major hurricanes this season.

Palm Beach Makes Hurricane Safety Improvements

The town is also developing a new civic alert system, said Fire-Rescue spokesman Sean Baker. The new system will not require residents to sign up like they currently have to on the town website. The new format is expected to roll out before the beginning of hurricane season and will allow town stage to send alerts to landline phones in Palm Beach.

“It’s very much like a reverse 911 system,” he said.

WPTV meteorologist Glenn Glazer spoke about improvements for the 2019 hurricane season. One of these is smaller, more precise “cones,” which show the projected path of the center of a storm, Glazer said. 

Glazer said that residents should check the local news for storm predictions before checking The Weather Channel. 

Related >>> Town of Palm Beach Hurricane Season ID Cards

“We know the landscapes, we know your neighborhoods,” he said. “It’s just better on the whole.”

A second hurricane preparedness seminar will be held from 2-4 p.m. on May 16 at the South Fire Station, 2185 S. Ocean Blvd.