Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said the city is ready for this hurricane season, which began Sunday.
She said, with the lessons learned from last year’s storms, the city was able to better prepare for this year.
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She said the biggest thing Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton taught the city last year was how it needs to handle stormwater.
Ahead of June 1, the city removed 500 tons of debris from its stormwater system and “tune up” its response plans.
But Castor said she knows many people are still not back to normal after the fall’s storms battered the Tampa Bay area.
She said the city is prioritizing permitting and working with FEMA.
Castor was added to a bipartisan FEMA Review Council in April to streamline the agency’s response.
Another highlight from the fall was the need for flexibility and adaptability in response teams, something Castor said the city has always had.
She also said residents need to have flood insurance regardless of if they are in a flood zone or not — a lesson she said many homeowners learned the hard way last year.
“We would assume that hurricanes pose the biggest danger to our community, but it's extreme rain events,” she said. “Extreme rain events are what are the most dangerous aspects for our community.”
Tampa Electric spokesperson Cherie Jacobs added that her company has added stronger poles, trimmed trees and moved over 200 miles of overhead power lines underground.
She said the city is already seeing the benefits of those changes.
“Outages are shorter and less frequent, and tree-related outages are significantly reduced,” Jacobs said.
TECO is also planning to install flood walls and raise key equipment.
Castor added the city might be looking into buying and installing AquaFences at key locations, similar to the ones used to protect Tampa General Hospital last year.
The National Hurricane Center is predicting an above average season with up to 19 named storms and as many as ten hurricanes.
ALSO READ: The National Hurricane Center calls for above-average activity in 2025
While the city is ready, Castor said residents need to do their own preparation.
The first steps should be making a plan and assembling a disaster supply kit now, before a storm is even on the radar.
“There are very few things that you can control,” Castor said. “So control what you can ahead of time.”
She said it is also important people stay informed before, during and after the storm, including signing up for Alert Tampa.
In her own preparation, Castor said she purchased battery-operated lanterns, filled up her gas tanks and bought a generator she plans to share with her neighbors.
“You don’t have to wait until the last minute,” she said.
