There’s nothing that makes a kid more ready to get back to college than a family road trip from Massachusetts to Florida. (I love my family and all, don’t get me wrong, but a 23 hr drive in a van full of 6 people can send one borderline delirious.)
Summer of 2004 I was returning to my junior year at Southeastern University and my sister was starting her freshman year. As introverted as I was (ok, am), saying I was beyond ready to be back on campus would be an understatement. Our parents dropped us off and headed back to Boston.
No more than two days into SEU’s Welcome Week, barely seeing my friends, just getting in a few events, and already prepping my audition for the fall musical (hi, 👋 yes, big theatre geek in college), I began hearing talk of some storm headed our way. Sure, Florida is the lightning capital of the world and all, but as one who doesn’t mind some rainy weather, I didn’t give it a second thought. Before I knew it, my old school cell was ringing. It was my Dad, letting me know he’d booked a flight for me and my sister to return home that night. Obviously I wasn’t too keen on the idea. (Dare I say, naive-new englander me thought states who hadn’t faced nor’easterns didn’t know what storms were. Well… needless to say, I was wrong.)
Following my flight back home, enter Hurricane Frances.
Hurricane season is officially here, which means it’s time to make sure you’re ready for it. But it’s no time to panic; it’s time to prepare. If you were here when Hurricane Frances hit Polk County around Labor Day Weekend in 2004, or even more recently, Hurricane Irma, then you’ll understand the importance of being in the know + ready for anything.
Having hurricane essentials is key to keeping everyone safe while helping yourself, your friends + neighbors get prepared. Here’s your guide to hurricanes in Lakeland: what to pack in an emergency kit, warnings to look out for + resources for hunkering down in Lakeland.
Thanks to Lakeland Electric, our city is prepared with emergency contact info, before, during + after storm precautions, emergency kit checklists, safety tips, and much more. We encourage you to print out their Hurricane Guide for reference.
Additional Resources
- Sign up for emergency alerts + notifications from Polk County here.
- Polk County’s full list of disaster readiness is available here. Find out where you can get sandbags and other resources.
After facing Hurricane Irma, Charley, Frances + Ivan (my most memorable babysitting job to date), I no longer take the words tropical storm preparedness lightly.
Thanks, Dad. 👨
If you have any more to share on weathering hurricane season, reply to our email or reach out to us on social media with helpful tips or personal experiences in Polk County.