Want to be as prepared as possible for Hurricane Dorian? Start by reading this

Aug. 31--MANATEE -- With Hurricane Dorian bearing down on Florida, the Bradenton Herald is on top of local updates throughout Manatee County.

Residents should also be aware of these information outlets that can help you make an informed decision about evacuation protocols, power outages and other questions you may have in the event of an emergency.

Stay tuned to Bradenton.com for the latest Dorian coverage.

Manatee County

The county's Emergency Operations Center is the central hub for Hurricane Dorian updates. As officials continue to monitor storm conditions, they will announce evacuation protocols, shelter availability and more.

Website: MyManatee.org/ManateeReady

Know your evacuation zone: Evacuation maps can be found here.

Phone: The Citizens Information Center is available to call at (941) 749-3547 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday if you have any questions for county related to Hurricane Dorian. Only call 911 for emergencies.

Special needs registry: Those who may need additional assistance in the event of an emergency are asked to register with the county only. The program provides transportation and sheltering assistance in an evacuation situation. For more information, visit this link.

Emergency notifications: To receive Manatee County emergency notifications by phone or email with a free CodeRED account. Government officials will use the information you provide to send weather warnings, evacuation notices and more related to Hurricane Dorian. Visit this link to create a free account.

Twitter:

Manatee County Government: @ManateeGov

Manatee County Public Safety: @MCGPublicSafety

Manatee County Public Works: @PW_ManateeGov

Manatee County Sheriff's Office: @ManateeSheriff

Bradenton Police Department: @BradentonPD

Palmetto Police Department: PalmettoPD on Facebook

Holmes Beach Police Department: @HolmesBeachPD

City of Anna Maria: Facebook page

Florida Highway Patrol: @FHPTampa

School Updates

School District of Manatee County officials are also continuing to monitor the storm. While other local districts have already announced school closures next week, a district spokesman says Manatee Schools will make that decision later in the weekend.

Be sure to follow social media channels and continue to monitor school websites, social media and robocalls for the latest school information.

Website: www.ManateeSchools.net

Twitter: @Manateeschools

National Hurricane Center

The National Hurricane Center will provide information on wind speed, the storm's development and it's potential track.

Website: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Twitter: @NHC_Atlantic

National Weather Service

The Weather Service's forecast will provide various info including rain chances and potential hazards. The Weather Service also has an option where you can input your zip code for the most accurate forecast.

Website: https://www.weather.gov/

Twitter: @NWSTampaBay shares weather coverage that includes Manatee County.

Other useful emergency contacts

State of Florida Division of Emergency Manatement

Website: www.floridadisaster.org.

Phone: 850-815-4000, 850-815-4001

Twitter: @FLSERT

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Website: www.fema.gov

Phone: (202) 646-2500

Twitter: @fema

App: Download the free FEMA app on your Apple or Android smartphone for real-time alerts, emergency shelter locations, disaster recovery centers and more.

Federal Alliance for Safe Homes

Website: www.flash.org

Twitter: @FederalAlliance

Citizens Property Insurance

Website: www.citizensfla.com

Phone: To report a claim call 866-411-2742, for general questions call 866-411-2742 (note this number is only available on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.)

Twitter: @citizens_fla

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Hurricane Resources: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hurricanes/main/index.html

Twitter: @NASAHurricane

Florida Power and Light

Website: https://www.fpl.com/storm.html?cid=aliasstorm

To report or check the status of an outage, visit: https://www.fpl.com/my-account/web-outage.html#wors/mainTab/phoneTab

To report a dangerous condition such as a downed power line, call 1-800-468-8243.

Twitter: @insideFPL

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