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Sustainability & Resiliency Task Force

Village of El Portal

500 NE 87th Street
El Portal, FL 33138
305-795-7880

Hours of Operation:

Monday through Friday 8:30 am–4:30 pm
Wednesday 8:30 am–6 pm
Closed on government holidays and weekends

Preparing your building for a hurricane

It is never too early to prepare for hurricane season. The Florida Building Code requires that the owner, occupant or user of a property take precautions for the securing of buildings and equipment. We encourage you to look at the information provided below, or if you have additional questions or concerns, call our department.

Disaster Supply Kit

  • Water – at least 1 gallon daily per person for 3 to 7 days
  • Food – at least enough for 3 to 7 days
    — non-perishable packaged or canned food/juices
    — foods for infants or the elderly
    — snack foods
    — non-electric can opener
    — cooking tools/fuel
    — paper plates/plastic utensils
  • Blankets / Pillows, etc.
  • Clothing – seasonal / rain gear/ sturdy shoes
  • First Aid Kit / Medicines / Prescription Drugs
  • Special Items – for babies and the elderly
  • Toiletries / Hygiene items / Moisture wipes
  • Flashlight / Batteries
  • Radio – Battery operated and NOAA weather radio
  • Telephones – Fully charged cell phone with extra battery and a traditional (not cordless) telephone set
  • Cash (with some small bills) and Credit Cards – Banks and ATMs may not be available for extended periods
  • Keys
  • Toys, Books and Games
  • Important documents – in a waterproof container or watertight resealable plastic bag
    — insurance, medical records, bank account numbers, Social Security card, etc.
  • Tools – keep a set with you during the storm
  • Vehicle fuel tanks filled
  • Pet care items
    — proper identification / immunization records / medications
    — ample supply of food and water
    — a carrier or cage
    — muzzle and leash

Please visit the NOAA website for additional information and tips on pre-disaster preparedness:
NOAA Hurricane Preparedness

Sec. 8-16. – Special Hurricane Inspections.

(a) During such periods of time as the National Weather Service has issued a severe weather advisory that is in effect for Miami-Dade County, best efforts must be used so that all furniture, display racks, material and similar loose objects in exposed outdoor locations, including loose material of projects under construction are secured or otherwise appropriately braced to rigid construction or stored in buildings to the extent practicable given the conditions. Orders shall be oral or written and shall be given to any person on the premises most logically responsible for maintenance and such orders shall be carried out before winds of tropical storm velocity are anticipated.

(b) After winds of the velocity associated with a severe weather event are experienced and have subsided, the Building Official shall investigate to determine if damage has occurred to buildings or other structures.

(c) No building or other structure or assembly or part thereof, which was damaged or collapsed or out of plumb or line shall be repaired or altered or otherwise returned to its original position without inspection and approval by the Building Official.

(d) For the purposes of this section, “severe weather advisory” shall be defined as any one of the following: a tropical storm warning, a hurricane watch, or a hurricane warning and the term “severe weather event” shall be defined as a tropical storm or hurricane.

(Ord. No. 01-112, § 1, 7-10-01; Ord. No. 06-7, § 1, 1-24-06)

Sustainability and Resiliency Task Force Members

Chairperson Elizabeth Fata Carpenter

Chairperson Elizabeth Fata Carpenter

Elizabeth Fata Carpenter is an attorney with the Everglades Law Center. Her practice focuses on greater Everglades restoration issues, including implementation of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, water management issues related to Lake Okeechobee, and...

Vice-Chair Kristen McLean

Vice-Chair Kristen McLean

Kristen McLean has resided in the Village of El Portal since 2014. Along with village residents Hugh Gladwin and Adam Old, she is one of the co-founders of The Little River Conservancy, a 501(c)3 organization that works with a wide range of community partners on...

Member Maribel Trujillo-Fruitstone

Member Maribel Trujillo-Fruitstone

Maribel moved to El Portal in 2001 because she wanted a house in a good neighborhood with older, charming homes and a backyard with trees. Maribel is a Miami Dade-County public school teacher for 21 years serving as the Museums Magnet Lead Teacher at WJ Bryan...

Member Sandra Valencia

Member Sandra Valencia

Sandra Valencia has been a happy resident of El Portal for over 11 years; proud mom of a wonderful girl and the gentle giant dog that guards them from harm. She holds a BA in Business Administration and after finishing her MA in Marketing in London, she moved to sunny...

Member Mathew Webb

Member Mathew Webb

Mathew Webb is an Architect/Designer/Project Manager with over 30 years of experience in Europe, the USA, the Middle East and Asia.  He has worked on a range of projects from high-end boutique hotels and residential apartments to educational, health care and...