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Hurricane Preparedness for Your Production

Watch vs Warning: What's the difference?

• A HURRICANE WATCH issued for your part of the coast indicates the strong possibility that you will experience hurricane conditions within 36 hours. This watch should trigger your production’s disaster plan (if not sooner), and protective measures should be initiated, especially those that require extra time such as securing a boat, leaving a barrier island, etc.
• A HURRICANE WARNING issued for your part of the coast indicates that sustained winds of at least 74 mph are expected within 24 hours or less. Once this warning has been issued, your production should be in the process of completing protective actions and deciding the safest location to be.  

What to Do?

If a Hurricane Watch is declared:  

• Monitor weather advisories continuously. Major advisories are issued by the National Hurricane Center at 5 AM and 11 AM, and 5PM and 11 PM, with supplemental advisories as needed.  
• NOTE: Latest tropical weather updates are available at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/.   (National Weather Service’s National Hurricane Center website.)  
• Fuel all vehicles.  
• Re-check evacuation plans.  
• Re-check disaster kits.  
• Prepare to secure locations, soundstages, production offices, equipment and vehicles.
• Prepare to evacuate your cast and crew.  
  • Prepare in advance travel and safe‐area hotels. Hotels sell out in advance of a major storm. So book early.
  • Travel - Pre-book flights, charter a bus, or book other means to safely move your cast and crew out of harm’s way.  
    NOTE: Roadways often become jammed and evacuation can take many, many more hours than expected. Expect those delays when planning your evacuation.  
  • Hotels - Book rooms in advance out of the projected path of the storm. A storm’s hurricane impact can be felt for a hundred miles or more after landfall.  
• Contact the local film commission for official emergency announcements, and to let them know your status. Location filming permits will be withdrawn before a storm’s impact.  
• Make sure all department heads are ready to implement your plan.

If a Hurricane Warning is declared:

• Continue to monitor weather advisories and official emergency announcements.
• Implement Your Plan.
• Secure locations, production offices, soundstages, equipment and vehicles against wind and flood damage (your plan should list what’s needed to do this.)
• Return equipment and vehicles where possible to the vendor.
• Evacuate cast and crew to pre‐designated safe shelter or away from the hurricane affected area.
• Distribute disaster kits to those who need them.
  • Make sure the hurricane plan coordinator and department heads have the latest emergency contact lists, and are ready to implement the post‐storm communications plan.
  • Contact the local film commission for official emergency notices.

DETAILS OF YOUR HURRICANE PLAN Ι After-Storm Contingency Plan  Ι  Watch vs Warning Ι  Recovery from the storm Ι Hurricane Facts Ι  Hurricane Links You Need to Know  Ι Ways to Stay Informed Ι What to Listen For