Storm Preparedness
 
 
Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 each year.
You and your family need to know what to do should the threat of a hurricane become real. 

The 2024 season is expected to be above average. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Official Sources For Storm Information 
 
 
The Florida Division of Emergency Management is an easy to navigate, comprehensive resource for storm preparation, including:
 
 
 
The SJC Emergency Management website has local information including evacuation shelter locations and other local hazardous weather information.
 
 
 
Links to other official information sources may be found below. 
 
 
Gate Access personnel and St. Johns County officers will be positioned to manage and guide traffic as needed. Both are specifically trained to assist our community in the event of a mandatory evacuation. If an evacuation is called and you choose not to evacuate be aware that no emergency services will be available to you. 
 

Make a Plan

Safety first – and the most important safety factor is PREPAREDNESS, whether or not you choose to, or are ordered to evacuate. Please be ready by having a Family Plan (including pets) that covers, at a minimum:
 
• Knowing your Evacuation Route (designated evacuation route for Marsh Landing residents is by going north on A1A and then west on JTB/SR202)
• Knowing where you will go should you need to evacuate 
• Having a Disaster Kit on hand
• Review of your Home and Auto Insurance Policies
• Purchasing a NOAA Weather Radio (if you do not have a weather radio, you may tune to the Florida Public Radio Network on NPR 89.9 WJCT-FM with any available radio)
 
 
Evacuation Map

Important Links to Official Information Sources

Beaches Utilities (power outage or downed lines)
904.247.6171 (24 hrs.)
 
 
 
 
 

Alert St. Johns Emergency Notification System

 
 
Residents of St. Johns County can be notified of Public safety issues by high-speed telephone emergency notification services. The Alert St. Johns system gives county and city officials the ability to deliver pre-recorded emergency telephone notification/information messages to the entire county or to targeted areas. Officials from the Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Management, St. Johns County Fire Rescue, St. Augustine Police, and St. Augustine Beach Police Department have been trained on the system to ensure all citizens can be informed of any public safety issues. Alert St. Johns replaced the old Code Red system. 

The system can be used on a variety of events to include, but not limited to, hazardous weather conditions, fires, bomb threats, gas leaks, missing children or adults, escaped prisoners, hazardous material emergencies, or sexual offender or predator notifications.
 

Florida Division of Emergency Management Hurricane Guide

 

St. Johns County Emergency Management Hurricane Preparedness Guide

 
 

Preparing Your Home for Storms

Tips on Sandbagging a Home
Ideas Based on Local Experiences
By Will Fellner, Marsh Landing Resident
 
click image for PDF 
 
 

Marsh Landing Is Not Flood-Proof

As you may know, the Marsh Landing system of pond pumps is designed to pump water out of the ponds. Many residents who suffered water damage caused by hurricanes Matthew and Irma questioned the purpose of our ponds and the efficacy and management of our pumps. It may be natural to assume that our pumps are designed to handle any level of threat from flooding. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact:
 
•    Pumps are limited in capacity by state law and St. Johns River Water Management District regulations to not exceed development discharge rates of the natural landscape prior to development, and to avoid downstream flooding.
•    None of our ponds or pump systems are designed to control or limit a storm surge that exceeds the height of yards and pond berms, which average +4.5 feet above sea level.
•    Ponds can typically hold a rain event of up to 8.6” in 24 hours from normal lake levels before water will extend outward into yards, streets, patios, pools and garages.
 
Hurricanes Matthew and Irma created both rain and storm surge that far exceeded Marsh Landing’s permitted water management capabilities. We share the same risks as others who live on barrier islands.
 
 
 
 

Taylor Engineering Informational Letter - Tidal Surge and the Stormwater Management System, May 2024

Marsh Landing Ponds and Surrounding Waters

Details about the function of ponds and interactions with tides and storms in Marsh Landing. 
 
Ponds are not designed to protect our community from storm or tidal surge. 
 
 
 
 
 
Map showing ponds and their numbers: