We’ve reached the peak of hurricane season, and Bill Litton, Director of the Osceola Emergency Operations Center (EOC) shared updates and preparedness tips with The Osceola Chamber’s Tourism Coalition last week.

The coalition is one of seven that fall under the Chamber’s umbrella: Tourism, Black Business, Hispanic Business, Non-Profit, Pride, Warrior, and Young Professionals of Osceola County. According to John Newstreet, president and CEO of the Chamber, these coalitions were formed to assist businesses from various demographics across the county. “The Osceola Chamber is a membership organization that is the voice of businesses,” Newstreet said. The Chamber’s coalitions, though, are open to both members and non-members. “The coalitions were started to reach into these communities so they can learn more about the Chamber. And as they learn and make connections, hopefully they do join, because that gives us the strength of the business force,” he said.

Learn more about what The Chamber offers at https://www.theosceolachamber.com.

The Tourism Coalition was started by Jim Nickles, who said safety and communication are its main goals. “We started the tourism safety coalition years ago for the fact that we never talked to each other,” Nickles said. “My hotel and another hotel were right across the pool from each other. They had an armed robbery, and we didn’t know about it. We’d like to know if a bad guy was going to come to our house next,” he said. The coalition meets once a month to discuss various safety issues, ranging from credit card fraud and car break-ins to homeless issues. “Unlike the other coalitions, this coalition is able to react more immediately,” he said. “We have a WhatsApp for each other and can warn each other: ‘Hey, guys, watch out. We just kicked this person out. They just did whatever.’ ‘Okay, well, our hotel sure doesn’t want him either.’ It’s communication and safety, not just for ourselves, but also for our businesses and, our employees.”

This month’s meeting was held at the County EOC, where attendees received an overview of the county’s emergency management program, an update on this year’s hurricane season, and tips on ways to be prepared.

Litton said his six-person team serves about 150,000 residents and roughly one million guests visiting the county at any given time. Built to withstand a Category 4 hurricane, the EOC features auxiliary power with a fuel supply lasting 7-10 days, redundant communications backed by three satellite systems, a dining facility with a commercial kitchen, and a dormitory space with bunks.

The EOC recently added two new Anafi USA drones, which Litton said provide a cost-effective way to conduct damage assessments and deliver situational awareness for law enforcement and fire personnel. “They’ll give us exactly what’s going on, especially if it’s in a flood zone, which is a little bit harder to get to,” Litton said. “These are a lot cheaper to fly than putting STAR (helicopter) up for the sheriff’s office. Imagine the fuel and those costs there.”

While the EOC is prepared to assist residents in the event of an emergency, Litton shared ways that residents and business owners can prepare, as well. “We’ve summed it up in four steps: Plan ahead, build a kit, stay informed, and take action,” he said.

  • Plan ahead – Know what types of disasters could affect our county; establish a family communication plan; know what your evacuation and shelter plans are.
  • Build a kit – Be prepared for at least seven days without food, water, and medications for your family.
  • Stay informed – Sign up for the Alert Osceola reverse 911 and emergency text/email system at AlertOsceola.org. This notification is used for major emergencies, boil water notices, and other public safety alerts. Litton also recommends having a weather radio and downloading the Beacon app.
  • Take action – Learn first aid and connect with a volunteer organization to assist after a disaster.

To learn more about how to prepare for emergency events, go to www.readyosceola.org.