As hurricane season kicks off this weekend, Pinellas County, in collaboration with the City of St. Petersburg, hosted a free Hurricane Preparedness Expo to help residents get ready for the months ahead.

The event offered a hands-on learning experience, connecting attendees with emergency experts and resources to better prepare themselves, their families, and their homes for severe weather.

Before heading indoors, visitors explored more than a dozen emergency response vehicles critical to storm recovery efforts. Outside the venue, a mobile veterinary clinic provided free rabies vaccinations, county pet licensing, and microchipping services.

The heart of the expo, held at the Willis S. Johns Recreation Center, was inside. Upon entry, guests received a tote bag and a checklist featuring over 20 icons—each representing an agency or organization offering hurricane-related support. As participants visited each booth, they collected essential items to build a complete hurricane preparedness kit.

Representatives from agencies such as the National Weather Service, the Red Cross, the Area Agency on Aging, and others were present. Spectrum Bay News 9 meteorologist Diane Kacmarik also addressed attendees with her forecast for the upcoming season.

Among the key voices at the event was Mary Burrell from the Pinellas County Department of Emergency Management, who emphasized the importance of knowing both flood and evacuation zones.

“Your flood zone is where you can get water from heavy rain, even if you’re not in an evacuation zone,” Burrell explained. “Last season showed how critical that knowledge is.”

For longtime resident Paula Carver, the expo delivered not just peace of mind, but a sense of duty.

“Each year brings new updates I need to know, especially living alone,” she said. “And I can share what I learn with my elderly neighbors who might not be able to attend.”

In the end, the event underscored a simple but powerful message: the more you know, the better prepared you’ll be—and the more you can help others.

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(Image credit: Mike Clay/Spectrum News)

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