When a hurricane is heading toward us, the questions residents ask me are almost always the same, and they are practical questions with real answers that our County already provides. Do I have to leave, and where do I go, and how do I get there if I cannot drive myself, and what happens to a loved one who needs extra help, and once the storm passes what do I do with the debris in my yard?
My office built d7storms.com so that the answers to all of those questions live in one place, organized for the people who actually live in District 7, and I want to walk you through what is inside so you know why it is worth a visit.
Always start with your evacuation information. Type in your own address and see whether you live in an evacuation zone. The interactive map shows you the storm surge zones and flood zones around your home so you understand your risk before a warning is ever issued. From there you can find the shelters and evacuation centers nearest to you, along with the hospitals and public safety facilities in our area, all laid out on the same map instead of scattered across separate County pages.
For residents who cannot drive themselves out, the d7storms.com also brings together the County’s evacuation transportation, showing the pickup points where you can catch a ride to safety when an evacuation is called. That single piece of information changes everything for our seniors, for households without a car, and for anyone who has ever wondered how they were supposed to get out at all. Similarly, for residents with disabilities and/or medical conditions the website provides a direct path to register for the Emergency and Evacuation Assistance Program so the County knows they will need assistance before the storm arrives.
I am especially proud of the accessibility section, because it includes a hurricane social story by UMNSU CARD written in plain, calm language for neurodivergent residents and their families, walking through what a storm is, what leaving home might feel like, and what happens after. Alongside it you will find a comfort kit checklist, communication and routine supports, and a direct path to register for the County’s Emergency and Evacuation Assistance Program for anyone who depends on electricity for medical equipment or may need help evacuating.
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D7storms.com also comes in handy when the storm passes. It guides you through reporting damage to the County so recovery teams understand what our community is facing, and it explains exactly how to schedule a bulky waste pickup for storm debris, including what you can put at the curb and how to place it, so your cleanup starts correctly the first time.
I want to be clear that this tool is for planning, and during an active emergency you should always follow the official instructions Miami-Dade issues for that specific storm, since centers and pickup points change from one hurricane to the next. What d7storms.com gives you is a head start.
So please visit d7storms.com and look through it before we are in the thick of the season. Please share it with your neighbors and the groups you belong to, and please send us your feedback, because this website belongs to our community and it will keep getting better with your use and input.
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