1. No category

IN THIS ISSUE
l Update emergency
contact information.
l Boil notices explained.
l Create a storm kit.
Melbourne
Messenger
July 2013
Homeowners, businesses can be ready for tropical storms
Fire Chief Paul Forsberg is encourag- medical needs who want to weather tropical
ing all area residents to make plans now for storms in ‘special needs’ shelters operated
weathering tropical storms that may impact by Brevard County.
Melbourne in coming months.
While the Brevard County Office of
Most homeowners are being advised to Emergency Management recommends shelprepare for sheltering in place. Those living tering with friends or family members, pubin areas where evacuations are required -- lic shelters are available for those who do
including beachside areas and
not have other alternatives.
mobile home communities
Brevard County offers pet-- will need to plan for traveling
friendly shelters in Palm Bay,
to a safe area or utilizing pubViera, and Port St. John, open to
lic shelters operated by Brevard Be
people and pets from mandatory
HURRICANE PREPARED evacuation areas only.
County.
The ‘hurricane season,’ the period in
The City’s Code Compliance Division
which tropical storms most often threaten assists persons seeking to join the National
Florida residents, began on June 1 and con- Flood Insurance Program by providing flood
tinues through the end of November.
Under Florida law, Brevard County has UPDATE your emergency
a leadership role in responses to hurricane contact info. - See Page 3
threats. Any evacuation notices are issued
by the county. Information about shelters zone information and copies of el­evation cerand other types of emergency preparations tificates. Insurance is obtained through comis available at online at www.brevardcounty. mercial agents.
us/emergencymanagement.
Elevation certificates are used in ensuring
Links to a variety of resources are also com­pliance with the community floodplain
available from the City’s website at www. management ordinances. They are also used
melbourneflorida.org/links/hurricane.htm.
in determination of proper insurance premiChief Forsberg recommends early um rates. Information on services is availregistration for Melbourne residents with able from Code Compliance at 608-7920.
Ensure access to information during emergencies
During community emergencies, numerous avenues are used by the City to
provide information to the community.
Area radio stations can be invaluable
channels of communication. Many residents also choose to have battery-powered
radios on hand that are capable of receiving
NOAA weather reports as well as information from government agencies.
When emergency conditions warrant,
the City activates its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at the police facility on
Babcock Street.
When City Hall and other offices must
close due to a hurricane threat, telephone
inquiries and reports should be directed to
the Police Department Communications
Center at 409-2200, 409-2201, 409-2202,
or 409-2203.
Emergencies should be reported with a
911 call.
The City utilizes a telephone call-out sys-
tem to provide information to the community.
Details are available on Page 3 of this newsletter.
Emergency advisories are distributed via
e-mail to everyone who subscribes to the free
service at www.melbourneflorida.org/list.
Advisories and resources to help residents
and businesses prepare for emergencies can
be accessed at the City website (www.melbourneflorida.org/advisory) and at the Brevard
County emergency management website (brevardcounty.us/emergencymanagement).
To the extent that circumstances allow,
notices of advisories and other information
for the community will also be provided via
the City’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.
During emergencies, recorded advisory messages are available at 608-MELB (6352).
The Police Department operates a lowpower radio station at AM1650 to provide
traffic reports and emergency information to
motorists.
Community
Information
from the
City of
Melbourne
Steps toward preparedness
This issue of the ‘Melbourne Messenger’ community newsletter is devoted to the topic of emergency preparedness. The information provided here is
intended to encourage and asssist community preparations for emergencies
The City of Melbourne, along with
Brevard County and other government
agencies, prepares to respond to emergencies in a variety of ways. However,
citizen awareness and participation is
also critical in protecting lives and minimizing property damage.
The focus of this publication includes two areas of concern for those
who live and work in Melbourne.
CodeRED Updates Needed
The first is the availability of the
City’s CodeRED emergency notification system. It allows rapid notifications
to go out to citizens and businesses by
telephone, e-mail, and text.
On Page 3 of this publication, details
about CodeRED are provided along
with guidance on how you can update
contact information.
Most telephone numbers in the system were added before cell phones, email, and texting were preferred methods of communicating. However, your
additional contact information can easily be added today.
Boil Water Notices Explained
The second area of concern focuses
on ‘precautionary boil water notices.’
The notices let you know if there is
a concern about the quality of water
reaching a portion of the service area.
Details are available on Page 4.
The water distribution system includes thousands of miles of underground pipeline. If a break in a distribution line causes a reduction in water
pressure, it may be necessary to issue a
notice for locations that may be affected.
Door-to-door notifications may be
used in the affected area, along with
notification to news organizations, automated CodeRED notifications, and posting of the notice on the City website and
on Facebook and Twitter accounts.
During storm season, ‘Make a Plan, Build a Kit, and Stay Informed’
Under state law, Brevard County is assigned a leading role in planning for emergencies including responses to hurricanes.
Below is a message from the Brevard County Emergency Management Office.
As the official start of 2013 hurricane
season kicked off on June 1, Brevard County
Emergency Management stressed the importance of awareness and early preparations to
help reduce the impact of hurricane disasters.
“Families, individuals, and businesses
who know their vulnerability and what actions to take can reduce the effects of a hurricane disaster by taking action to prepare,”
said Emergency Management Director Kimberly Prosser.
“As hurricane season starts, it’s time to
prepare yourselves, your family and your
CONTRIBUTIONS BOOST JULY 4 FUND
A number of businesses have become
co-sponsors for the Melbourne Community
Fireworks Fund as of press time, with the campaign to raise $15,000 continuing.
Contributions pay for the Independence
Day fireworks display and a shuttle bus service.
The assistance also supports the July 4 parade
organized by Honor America.
Supporters at the $1,000 co-sponsor level
include Gray Robinson Law Firm, Health First
Health Plans, Melbourne Greyhound Park/Club
52, Reiss Engineering, and Waste Management.
Contributing $750 is Southeast Aerospace.
Co-sponsors at the $500 level include AAR
Airlift Group; Bright House Networks; Coastal
Mitsubishi/Coastal Hyundai; Dean, Ringers,
Morgan & Lawton, P.A.; Embraer; Florida Business Bank; Harry & Wendy Brandon; ICC Capital Management Inc.; Northrop Grumman; and
Sutton Properties.
Other supporters include Bussen-Mayer
Engineering Group, Morse Communications,
and the Town of Melbourne Beach, $250; Certified General Contractors, $200; Ascension
Catholic Church, Data Flow Systems, Glover
Oil Company, Henderson Southeast Corporation, Modus Operandi Inc., Public Financial
Management Inc., Sorensen Moving & Storage, and The UPS Store, $100; AXIS Data Solutions and Prudential Sterling Properties, $50;
and Joyal Construction, $25.
Other contributors include Ira & Dorothy
Adams, Jackie Burns, Paul Gougelman, Eric &
Alice Griggs, Kathy & Dennis Meehan, William &
Debora Palmer, Lorraine Proulx, Patricia Scannelli, and Pat Swatek in memory of Enid Swatek.
The MELBOURNE MESSENGER
Published by the City of Melbourne, Florida.
Mike McNees, City Manager
Mike Moore, Editor (321) 608-7260
Write to City Hall at 900 E. Strawbridge Ave.,
Melbourne, FL 32901.
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.melbourneflorida.org
pets, and to stay informed.”
Emergency Management recommends:
Make a Plan: Have a place to go, and include your pets in your plan. Decide whether
you’ll stay with relatives or at a hotel, or
whether you’ll utilize one of the county’s
13 general population shelters or three petfriendly shelters.
If you have certain medical needs, you
may need to register online for a special
needs shelter at http://web.brevardcounty.us/
SpecialNeeds/Registration.aspx.
When an Atlantic-approaching hurricane
threatens, a mandatory evacuation will be
called for the barrier islands, Merritt Island,
and some mainland low-lying areas.
In addition, those who live in mobile
or manufactured homes, or in flood-prone
areas, should also evacuate, whether on the
mainland or the barrier islands.
All barrier island areas are evacuated due
to storm surge which can affect causeway
and bridge approaches. In addition, it is not
safe for high-profile vehicles, like fire trucks
or ambulances, to traverse bridges when
wind speed exceeds 40 mph.
Build a Kit: You may need to survive on
your own for some time after an emergency.
This means having your own food, water,
and other supplies in sufficient quantity to
last for at least 72 hours.
Assemble this kit well in advance, and
plan ahead for needed medications and
supplies for pets and infants. Include a cell
phone charger for your car, and you’ll want
to have some cash and a full tank of gas.
Stay Informed: Recent severe storms
highlight the importance of keeping informed about weather hazards. There are
numberous ways that you can do so.
Have a NOAA weather radio and sign
up for email or text alerts via the National
Weather Service or a third-party provider:
http://www.weather.gov/subscribe.
Register for email or text weather alerts
through local TV stations, and download
weather apps to your smartphone.
You can ‘like’ Brevard County Emergency Management on Facebook, and ‘follow’
@BrevardEOC on Twitter.
You can also subscribe to text messages
by texting FOLLOW BREVARDEOC to
telephone number 40404.
Additional information is available at the
emergency management website at www.
embrevard.com.
Development Projects of Record in the City
CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED
n Aloha Melbourne Airport hangar, 2008
General Aviation Dr.
n BMW of Melbourne expansion, 1432 S.
Harbour City Blvd.
n Brevard County Household Hazardous
Waste Facility, 3379 Sarno Rd.
n Chung’s Commercial Center, 3900 Dairy
Rd., retail.
n Revolution Technologies, 745 W. NASA
Blvd., corporate office.
n Stack Crossings, 1505 Palm Bay Rd.,
retail/mini-storage building.
n Stack Crossings Academy, 4945 Stack
Blvd., daycare facility.
n Super Flea lift station and force main sewer
line, 4835 Eau Gallie Blvd.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
n Baer Air, hanger modification, office building, 160 S. Apollo Blvd.
n Boulevard Professional Center parking lot
modification, 1600 W. Eau Gallie Blvd.
n Crossings at Bay Meadows, Grand Meadows Blvd./Wickham Rd., multi-family.
n Dollar General, 525 University Blvd.
n Eau Gallie Office Complex, 2010, 2020,
2030 W. Eau Gallie Blvd, office buildings.
n Gator Fiat dealership, 900 S. Apollo Blvd.,
parking lot and interior modifications.
n Hibiscus Professional Center expansion, 25
E. Hibiscus Blvd.
n Lansing Square, 2255 N. Wickham Rd.,
retail, mini-storage.
n Murphy Express, 1040 E. Eau Gallie Blvd.,
convenience store with gas pumps.
n Newman Student Housing Dormitory at
Florida Tech, 3311 S. Babcock St. (43 units).
n Palmwood Subdivision Phase 2, end of
Elena Way, 29 single-family lots.
n Prestige AB Ready Mix, 2585 Avocado
Ave., commercial facilities.
n Pritchett’s Metal Packaging Center, 863
Washburn Rd.
n Racetrac Petroleum, site modifications,
4641 Eau Gallie Blvd.
n Ryanwood Condominiums, west side of
U.S .1, south of Post Rd.
n 702 Downtown, renovation for retail space,
parking lot, 702 E. New Haven Ave.
n Signature Self Storage, 3137 Sarno Rd.,
mini-storage.
n Trio Industrial Plaza gravity sewer expansin, 305 North Dr.
n Turtlemound Pointe commercial subdivision, 3897 Eau Gallie Blvd.
n Victoria’s Landing, 129 unit dependent living
facility renovation, 1279 Houston St.
APPROVED FOR CONSTRUCTION
n Diprima stealth tower, 4881 Dairy Rd, 150foot unmanned communication tower.
n Family Dollar, 1648 Aurora Rd.
n Oceanside subdivision, Phase 3B, 62 single
family lots, Oceanside Blvd./N. Riverside Dr.
n O’Reilly Auto Parts, 1505 Palm Bay Rd.
n Sunshine Gasoline Distributors, convenience store, 1800 S. Harbor City Blvd.
For information contact the City of Melbourne Engineering Dept. at 608-7300.
The inside story on the CodeRED emergency notification system
The City of Melbourne utilizes the CodeRED
notification system to directly provide emergency
messages by telephone, by email, and by text
messages.
The CodeRED service, which is provided by
Emergency Communications Network, a Florida
company, is utilized by many governments to
allow rapid communication with the community.
The emergency messages are targeted to
specific areas by mapping, or to specific streets
or addresses. Once the locations are identified,
What is CodeRED and why is it important?
CodeRED is an emergency notification
service that allows emergency officials to
notify residents and businesses by telephone, cell phone, email, and text message
regarding time-sensitive general and emergency notifications. Only authorized officials have access to the CodeRED system.
When will CodeRED be used?
messages go out to all telephone numbers and
email addresses on record.
Citizens and businesses can easily add telephone numbers, cell phone numbers, and e-mail
addresses to the system.
Access to online registration is available at
www.melbourneflorida.org/news/callout.htm.
Individuals and businesses can request to receive
email and text messages in addition to telephone
contacts. Registrations can be accepted by telephone at 321-953-6302.
RED
What if I want to register additional numbers?
After you submit the initial registration
form, you may start the registration process
again and submit more numbers for the
same address.
Any message regarding the safety, property, or welfare of the community will be
disseminated using the CodeRED system.
These may include AMBER alerts, notifications of hazardous traffic or road conditions,
boil water advisories, or evacuation notices.
Is my personal information protected?
How does it work?
How will I recognize a CodeRED message?
CodeRED associates each telephone
number and e-mail address on record with
an address. When an emergency affects that
location, the City of Melbourne prepares
a message and targets it to all telephone
numbers and email accounts registered to
that address.
If the line is busy, CodeRED will try two
more times to connect.
Do I need to sign up to receive CodeRED
notifications?
The CodeRed database contains information received from public databases, including regional phonebooks. However, no
resident should assume that their information is in the system.
The City’s home page at www.melbourneflorida.org has a link to the CodeRED
Community Notification Enrollment page.
If you cannot register online, you can call
321-953-6302 and speak with someone on
City staff to complete your registration over
the telephone.
Can CodeRED contact my business?
Yes. Fill out the CodeRed registration
form and be sure to select the ‘This address
is business’ option. Please note that emergency calls can only be delivered to a direct dial number. Automated attendants will
disrupt the process and the calls will not be
delivered.
CodeRED is a service of Emergency
Communications Network which takes security and privacy concerns very seriously.
They will not sell, trade, lease, or loan any
citizen-supplied data to third parties.
A CodeRED emergency message will
have a caller ID of 866-419-5000. A CodeRED general message will have a caller
ID of 855-969-4636.
We suggest you program both numbers in your cell phone as a “new contact”
and use “CodeRED Emergency” and “CodeRED General” as the contact name. If you
need to replay the emergency notification
message again, simply dial the number and
you will be able to hear the message again.
What should I do if I receive a message?
Can prepaid cell phones receive the calls?
Yes, telephone numbers from prepaid
phones can registered. The registration process will ask that the service provider be
indicated. Your particular carrier should be
indicated in the phone’s settings.
If you select the wrong carrier, the
phone will still receive telephone messages, but text messages will not be available.
Will the CodeRED system leave a message
on an answering machine?
Yes, the CodeRED system will leave a
message on a machine or on voicemail, providing the entire message in one pass.
What circumstances might prevent
message from being delivered to me?
a
If your contact information has changed
and you have not registered your new information.
If you have only cordless phones in your
residence, the power is out and you did not
register an alternate phone number.
If your line is busy for an extended time
and your calls do not forward to voicemail
or an answering machine.
If you have a privacy manager on your
main phone and you did not register an alternate phone number.
It is best to have an alternate phone number registered, or multiple phone numbers if
available, for these situations.
Improvement Projects
Projects Completed
q New Haven Ave. waterline relocation, U.S. 1
to Front St., $153,943.
q Shenandoah outfall drainage basin improvements, Phase 1, $704,180.
q Spain outfall drainage basin improvements,
Phase 2, $595,490.
Projects Under Construction
Listen carefully to the entire message.
You will have the option to repeat the message by pressing any key.
Do not call 911 for further information
unless directed to do so or if you need immediate aid from the police or fire department.
q Babcock Street widening by FDOT, Melbourne Ave. to Fee Ave., $505,738
q S. Wickham Rd. widening by Brevard
County, NASA Blvd. to U.S. 192, and 30inch waterline relocation, $268,206.
q Strawbridge Avenue (SR 500)/Livingston St.
mast arm signalization project, $203,898.
q Turtle Mound Road extension project, from
Eau Gallie Blvd. to Aurora Rd., $690,076.
My phone does not work when the power is
out. How will the system contact me?
Under Design or Ready to Bid
Make sure you have at least one working corded telephone – and be sure to turn
the ringer on. The CodeRED sign-up form
allows you to indicate both a primary and
alternate phone number.
Cell phone and/or work phone numbers
can be entered as alternate phone numbers.
Both primary and alternate phone numbers
will be contacted when a notification is sent.
q Apollo Blvd. extension project, Sarno Rd. to
Eau Gallie Blvd.
q Babcock Street Phase 3 improvements,
Brevard Drive to Alma Drive.
q South beaches 16-inch water line, SR A1A.
q University Park Elementary School sidewalk
project.
q Western Eau Gallie drainage basin project
(Kingsmill area).
For more information contact Tami Gillen,
P.E., Assistant City Engineer, 608-7311.
City’s ‘precautionary boil water notices’ put drinking water customers on alert
As a regional supplier of drinking water, the City of Melbourne issues precautionary boil water notices from time to
time. State regulations require the notices
under certain conditions. Information presented here will allow customers to better
understand the notification process.
What is a Precautionary Boil Water Notice?
A Precautionary Boil Water Notice
(PBWN) is a public notification issued by
the City of Melbourne advising citizens to
boil tap water before consuming it
A PBWN means tap water should not
be used for drinking, cooking, or activities
such as washing fruits and vegetables, or
making ice with tap water, until tests verify
the water is safe.
Any loss in water pressure creates the
possibility of harmful bacteria entering the
lines. Until laboratory tests are completed
to confirm the water has not been contaminated, the PBWN remains in effect. Typically, tests take 48 hours to complete. In the
meantime, tap water should be boiled to kill
any microorganisms that may be present.
What causes the City to issue a PBWN
These are issued as a result of water being shut off or pressure dropping below 20
pounds per square inch (psi) as a result of
water main breaks, construction mistakes,
planned repairs, new water line construction, disruptions of the water treatment
plant, and natural disasters such as floods
and hurricanes.
How will I know when a PBWN is issued and
then lifted?
If the area affected includes a small
number of homes and/or businesses, notices will be left on front doors. All notices are
posted on the City’s website at www.melbourneflorida.org/news/water_notices.htm.
How long should water be boiled?
Vigorous boiling for at least one full
minute is the safest and most effective
method of water disinfection. Fill a pot or
pan with cold water and start timing when
steady streams of bubbles pop from the
bottom of the pot.
Be careful when lifting heavy pots and
pans, and cool the water before using it for
washing or brushing teeth. Store the disinfected water in clean, covered containers.
Using bottled water is also an option.
How does boiling make water safe to drink?
Boiling water purifies it because any
disease-causing bacteria, viruses, or parasites are destroyed by heat.
Can I wash my hands in tap water during the
notice period? What about food?
Use tap water and antibacterial soap for
hand washing for basic hygiene, but if you
are washing your hands to prepare food,
used bottled or boiled water. Fruits, vegetables, and other foods should be washed
with boiled water or bottled water only.
Can I use tap water for making coffee, tea,
baby formula or frozen juice?
No. Water intended for drinking must
be vigorously boiled before being used to
make beverages.
Can I use my icemaker during the notice?
Ice already in your freezer when the
PBWN is issued is safe, but icemakers
should be turned off until the notice is lifted.
Then empty the ice several times and
flush the water lines throughout the house
by turning on faucets and running them full
stream for about five minutes.
What about washing dishes and laundry?
Hand-washing dishes: Wash with hot,
soapy water then rinse with boiled water
or water diluted with one tablespoon of unscented bleach per gallon of water. Allow
dishes to completely air dry before using.
Home dishwashers: If the hot water is
at least 170 degrees Fahrenheit or the dish-
How You Receive Notices
Most precautionary boil water notices
affect just a few customers. Notices can
be provided directly to those locations.
However, circumstances may dictate
that a notice be distributed more widely.
When that happens, the City has the option of using an array of communication
avenues to reach customers.
The City can use the CodeRED emergency notification system in an effort to
contact customers by phone and email.
Citizens and businesses are encouraged to register all active telephone numbers and email addresses in order to receive notifications by voice and in written
form as email and text messages.
Registration can be accessed online at www.melbourneflorida.org/news/
callout.htm. A link is also available at the
City’s home page. Registration can be
provided by phone at 321-953-6302.
The City will also provide this information to local media by way of a news release. All interested parties can register at
www.melbourneflorida.org/list.htm to receive the news releases by email. Notices
are also posted to the City’s Facebook
and Twitter accounts.
washer has a sanitizing cycle and includes
a full dry cycle this will be sufficient.
Commercial dishwashers: This is acceptable if it is an ‘NSF’ listed washer and
manufactured and operated with a heat sanitizing rinse set at 170 degrees Fahrenheit
that lasts for 30 seconds.
What are the recommendations for bathing
and brushing teeth?
Use boiled or bottled water to brush
your teeth, but tap water is fine for bathing,
showering, and shaving. Avoid getting water in your mouth, eyes and nose, and keep
an eye on children in the bathtub.
People with recent cuts, surgical
wounds, immunity problems or chronic
illnesses may consider using boiled water
for bathing. Parents may want to use boiled
and cooled water for bathing infants.
Does a water filter protect me?
Water filters in refrigerators and pitchers do not remove bacteria. For under-sink
filters, read the manual or check with your
installer to determine the filter’s ability to
remove bacteria. If in doubt, boil the water.
What if I drank tap water accidentally or
before I learned about the PBWN?
If this happens, don’t panic. The chances of becoming ill are slim. See your doctor
if you experience diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or abdominal cramps. However, illnesses caused by waterborne germs are not
usually serious.
Is it safe to give tap water to pets?
Many pets, such as dogs, are susceptible to the same diseases as humans and can
transmit the same diseases to their families.
Provide them with bottled or boiled water.
Contacting the City Council
l Mayor Kathy Meehan, 984-7588;
[email protected]
l Mike Nowlin, District 1, 254-1886;
[email protected]
l Betty Moore, District 2, 205-3389;
[email protected]
l Harry Goode, District 3, 608-7220;
[email protected]
l John Thomas, District 4, 608-7220;
[email protected]
l Vice Mayor Molly Tasker, District 5,
259-1719; [email protected]
l Greg Jones, District 6, 242-3444;
[email protected]
E-mail received by the City of Melbourne
is considered to be public record.