- Hurricane season begins June 1 and runs through November 30.
- Community members, leaders and communication companies are preparing for the season ahead.
- Watch the video above to see how they're getting ready.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
There are less than 50 days until hurricane season starts.
I'm Kenya Cardonne, your Southeast Tallahassee neighborhood reporter.
I'm checking in on how neighbors are preparing.
I'm also finding out how technology can help people in my community recover if a storm hits.
Aanyah Kendrick// Neighbor: "It was scary. There were a lot of trees that were down, not being able to talk to people communicate no cell service your phone not being able to be charged and stuff like that"
That's Aanyah Kendrick.
She's describing the horrors of living through a hurricane.
Kendrick lives in Southeast Tallahassee.
While she tells me she hasn't started preparing for the upcoming hurricane season...
Kendrick: "I should probably start!"
With only six weeks to go, neighbors in Southeast Tallahassee tell me power outages are always a concern with severe weather.
Kendrick: "Especially like near like Tram Road like going near Monticello that power goes out very easily over there as well."
That's why communication companies are getting their gear ready to serve our community.
Matthew Chentnik, Verizon Associate Director for Network Operations in Northwest Florida: "Getting people critical communication as soon as possible is a top priority."
After a storm hits, county and city officials work with communication companies like verizon to help them gain access to areas where there are power outages.
That way, as crews work to get the power up, neighbors at least have cell service to get by in the meantime.
Tuesday, I got an inside look at the tools they use.
Alex Brosky, Senior Manager for Verizon Frontline Crisis Response in Florida: "What this particular unit does is it fill that gap or a site may have been impacted and provides that connectivity not only for the public sector to communicate, but for the community large to be able to communicate."
Because surviving a hurricane without the ability to communicate...
Kendrick:"That can be scary too just cause you can't get in contact with people, can't contact your family, especially if they're further out or they're not close to you."
Hurricane season starts June 1st.
Remember, it only takes one storm to change a community forever.
