TAMPA, Fla. — With the potential for severe weather in Florida, officials in Tampa are taking no chances preparing for the near future, and city of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said you should as well.
"As you know, we want everyone to be prepared. Hurricane season is here as a city," Castor said.
Castor said this year, city officials added new safety measures to respond to severe storms and keep you safe.
Tampa fire added weather stations throughout the city, which allows them to respond faster. You can view those online.
Emergency response teams have drones, which allows them to better assess property damage and respond immediately after a storm.
The city of Tampa joined AT&T's FirstNet program, which provides a bandwidth for public safety personnel. That allows them to communicate after a storm.
With the potential for a severe storm, Castor said the city sends out teams to prevent flooding as best they can. That includes stormwater teams.
"Draining ponds, releasing water across the dam, doing everything that we can. it’s really amazing what our team does, not just for a storm, but for a heavy rain event," Castor said.
Castor also said that she wants you to make sure you know your evacuation route in case of an emergency.
To stay informed, Text TAMPAREADY to 888-777, or TAMPALISTA to 888-777 for alerts in Spanish.