- May 7, 2026
As hurricane season approaches, Flagler County Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord is encouraging Hammock residents to prepare early.
The Hammock Community Association hosted Lord and Sheriff Rick Staly at its May 5 meeting to go over disaster preparedness and response.
Lord said the Colorado State University has already releases a for a prediction for a quieter hurricane season this year, which begins on June 1. But Lord said residents should not pay attention to the season predictions.
“It should not matter to you in any way, shape or form, what the hurricane season forecast outlook is,” he said. “We can have the quietest hurricane season ever. And if one storm comes to Flagler County, that's one storm too many.”
When it comes to the barrier island, Lord said, evacuations are going to be dependent on the type of home someone lives in, the wind and the storm surge. Those in mobile homes and trailers, he said, will be evacuated if the wind gets above mph.
If dangerous flooding is predicted, the entire barrier island will be evacuated, Lord said. The Hammock is at risk of flooding from both the ocean storm surge and from the Intracoastal Waterway.
“All of you who live here on the island know that you have a higher chance of being evacuated for a hurricane, in particular,” he said.
But, Lord said, it’s a good idea for barrier island residents to prepare in advance where they would go for an evacuation, whether that is at a hotel, or with family or friends or at the county’s default emergency shelter, Bunnell Elementary School. People should plan to be gone a few days, in case there are delays lifting the evacuation order after a storm.
Regardless, families should have a year-round disaster kit that should allow families to live off the grid, without running water or electricity, for about a week.
Something to keep in mind as well, Lord said, is the bridges will not be closed unless there is damage to the bridge and it is not safe to drive on. But while the bridge may be open, the county may implement curfews to keep people from driving on the roads when it is dangerous.
Staly said that while first responders can’t force evacuations, Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies do enforce the curfews. That includes checking identification for residents crossing the bridge for the barrier island.
“Our goal is not to keep you out of your home, when it's safe to do so and so if,” he said. “We emphasize: use common sense. If it's safe for you to get there, we're going to let you get there.”
As the storm season draws closer, Staly said residents need to prepare in advance.
“Hurricane preparedness is a shared responsibility. It's not 100% government. It's not 100% yours,” Staly said. “It's shared, and we all have to work together to make sure that everybody gets through the storm together.”
