Important Tropical Storm Helene Update

Published on September 25, 2024

Miami-Dade County is now under a Tropical Storm Watch Warning and Flood Watch - The City of Doral is keeping a close eye on the storm and urging all residents to stay safe. If you're in a flood zone, take precautions now. If you have to be on the road, please drive carefully and avoid flooded areas.

Our Public Works team is on standby to handle any flooding, and our dedicated Doral Police Officers are out patrolling to ensure your safety. Your well-being is our top priority—stay safe, Doral!

The City of Doral uses these social media outlets to keep residents and business owners informed of any emergencies. Follow our X accounts (@cityofdoral and @DoralPolice), Instagram (@cityofdoral and @DoralPD), and our City Facebook page (@cityofdoral). Sign up for Doral Alerts and stay one step ahead when it matters most. Be informed, be prepared, and be proactive in protecting what matters to you – Sign up today!

PREPARATION

Activities for Residents and Businesses

Have a personal plan and review your emergency kit. Make sure to have plenty of food, non-perishable goods, water (1 gallon per person per day) for a minimum of seven days. Have a 30-day supply of prescription medicines. Don’t forget to purchase enough food and medications for your pets if needed. Visit the Public Safety page from the City website to see a complete list.
Have a plan for all the senior members of your family including those with disabilities.
Ensure that hurricane shutters are in good working order and are being maintained regularly. If your home has hurricane panels, make sure all required hardware and materials are easily available and accessible.
Flooding can be a major concern during a storm and can pose a drowning risk for everyone, regardless of their ability to swim. Swiftly moving shallow water can be deadly, and even shallow standing water can be dangerous for small children. Don’t drive in flooded areas, cars or other vehicles won’t protect you from floodwater. They can be swept away or may stall in moving water. Turn around, don’t drown.
The City maintains all storm water drains within the public right-of-way, but make sure that if you live in a private community, your association management maintains the storm water drainage system within your community. Private storm drains within commercial properties should also be cleaned and maintained with enough anticipation of hurricane season to assist in alleviating standing water in roads and parking lots. Remember, “Only Rain Down the Drain.”
Trim your trees weeks, or months, prior to the start of hurricane season to avoid having dead branches and pruned landscaping from becoming dangerous objects during a windstorm. Proper disposal of these items is critical to prevent property damage during a storm. (Note: if you have branches near or touching live electrical cables do not attempt to cut or remove them. You should notify FPL and report any hazardous conditions such as trees making contact with electrical power lines.
Contact your insurance agent to confirm your property is properly insured and store all valuable documents in a water-tight container. Note that there is a 30-day waiting period before coverage goes into effect. Remember, flood insurance covers rising water losses and windstorm insurance covers wind-driven rain and wind losses. Check your policy! Additional information can be found online at www.floodsmart.gov or by calling 1-800-379-9531. You can buy Flood Insurance in Low Risk Zones.
Contact your Homeowner’s Association (HOA) to receive information specific to your community.
Doral is encouraging homeowners and developers to take action to reduce stormwater flooding by implementing low-impact (LID) techniques such as rain barrels and permeable pavers to allow stormwater runoff into the stormwater drainage system.
The City’s Building Department will be available to assist customers with any hurricane permitting and inspection inquiries. Take before & after photos. Secure your site after the storm to prevent further damage. For flood information, visit our website: www.cityofdoral.com , under the Building tab.

PRE-STORM

Preparation Activities for Residents and Businesses

For business owners in the City, all outdoor seating and tables, along with loose signs, banners, flags and umbrellas, should be brought indoors before a storm is scheduled to affect the area. All heavier outside storage materials should be properly secured as well. City Inspectors will visit construction sites and hand out flyers informing those sites to secure loose construction materials prior to a storm. Have an emergency plan for your employees.
Be sure to bring all front yard and backyard decorations, items, and accessories indoors to avoid the possibility of flying projectiles. This includes outdoor umbrellas or non-permanent trellises or gazebos. Never use a barbecue grill indoors or on a balcony, it will create life-threatening conditions inside your home as well as a fire hazard.
Survey your property for any property maintenance-related issues prior to a storm, such as damaged fences, loose roof shingles or tiles, or other similar items so that they may be repaired before a potential storm arrives.

POST STORM

Activities for Residents and Businesses

In case of power outages caused by a hurricane event, make sure to treat all intersections as a four (4) way stop when the traffic light is not working or if a stop sign is down.
In the event that your property is damaged during a storm, be aware of unlicensed contractors. Make sure to verify that all potential contractors working on your home are properly licensed, insured, and qualified by the State of Florida, and that all appropriate building permits are obtained. In a continued effort to protect residents and business owners, the Code Compliance Department will be aggressively investigating and enforcing all reports of illegal contracting work being performed in the City. You can verify a State-licensed contractor through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s website. Go to www.myfloridalicense.com for more information.
The City of Doral has debris removal contractors on standby ready to assist with clean-up on City public roads. This will allow first responders to have unimpeded access in case of emergencies. Please know that if your community is managed by a Homeowners’ Association (HOA), that HOA is responsible for your community. Debris pick-up and disposal are at a designated Miami-Dade County Solid Waste facility.
Florida Power and Light (FPL) outage and restoration information is available by calling 1-800-4-OUTAGE (1-800-468-8243) or through their mobile website at www.FPL.com.
In the event of a power outage, portable generators can provide temporary power for some convenience appliances in your home. Never operate a generator indoors or in partially enclosed spaces such as homes, garages, or crawl spaces, even if these areas are partially ventilated. Carbon monoxide produced by generators is both colorless and odorless, making it undetectable without proper equipment. This gas can be lethal to both your family and pets. Generators must be kept a minimum of 10 feet away from any wall openings such as windows and doors to prevent exhaust and harmful carbon monoxide from entering the building.
Cooperate with authorities if curfews are issued within the City and avoid leaving the house to drive around unless needed.