TAYLOR COUNTY, FL — Taylor County residents are still recovering from Hurricanes Debby and Helene, nearly 2 years after the storms swept through, even as the community prepares for the 2026 hurricane season.
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From Hurricane Debby and Helene in 2024 to Hurricane Idalia in 2023, every hurricane season is a stark reminder of the destruction storms can bring to this community.
Officials say preparation is critical, starting with effective planning and coordination. Taylor County Emergency Management Director Danny Glover urged residents to take basic steps now.
"So, have you some cash available, go ahead and stock up on those canned goods, stock up on the water. Your important documents, go ahead and have those in one spot, so that way you know where they're at, and you can grab them and go," Glover said.
Glover said the County is also rolling out a new website, working to improve communication around disaster resources.
"One thing we've been really trying to work on is also a communication with receiving supplies, so working with our churches and local entities, trying to get a hub to put that information all in one spot, so everybody can see during a disaster who's getting what and where those resources are available," Glover said.
Even as the new season approaches, community groups are still working to repair damage from past storms. Angela McGuire, Executive Director of the Taylor County Strong Long Term Recovery Group, said the recovery is far from over.
"There's still a lot of people recovering. We're still getting phone calls that there's people that haven't had electric due to the storm damage in electric lines," said McGuire.
McGuire said the scale of long-term recovery is something many people outside the community don't fully grasp.
"I used to be a first responder, so you don't realize when you first come in, and all that hit and it's devastation. You don't realize once you leave, people are recovering for years still," said McGuire.
Taylor County Emergency Management is urging all residents to sign up for Alert Taylor to receive the latest guidance from emergency management in the event of a disaster.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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