TAMPA, Fla. — A Bay area nonprofit is helping the Spanish-speaking community stay prepared for the upcoming hurricane season.

What You Need To Know

  • RAMWI held a Hurricane Emergency Action Response Training for the Spanish speaking community.

  • The nonprofit provided participants with hurricane kits for this upcoming hurricane season.

  • Ada Raffeo attended the training to learn new ways to prepare her home for the storm season.

The Refugee and Migrant Women’s Initiative (RAMWI) held the first of several Hurricane Emergency Action Response Trainings on Friday.

Ada Raffeo knows the importance of being prepared — especially when hurricane season is near.

“We went and purchased the hurricane shutters that come down, and I could hear limbs just hitting that, and if it weren’t for that, I would have busted windows,” she said of Hurricane Milton.

After Milton, she dealt with flooding for about a week in her home.

That is why she was at Friday's session put on by the Refugee and Migrant Women’s Initiative.

“I want to be aware of what’s new and what can I do. Because even though I put sandbags (and) tarp, the water was 10 inches coming through the door,” she said.

Raffeo was one of several residents in the room that had damage to their home during last year’s hurricanes.

The session was held to provide an understanding of ways to prepare in Spanish and English.

Florence Ackey, the founder of RAMWI, says following the back-to-back hurricanes, they created a needs assessment. And language seemed to be the biggest issue.

“We had a family that was in a shelter who only spoke a certain language," Ackey said. "We helped them get in the shelter, but then they could not understand the instructions in the shelter because of the language barrier. There was no translation.”

The training involves several steps, including creating an evacuation plan, getting your property storm ready and much more.

The nonprofit also provided each participant a hurricane kit that includes things like wipes, soap, and a flashlight.

Elizabeth Dunn, an instructor for the College of Public Health at USF, says many families don’t understand the importance of having a plan and why trainings like these are important.

“Building relationships, knowing who to contact, or where to go if you need help and not being above or afraid to ask for help if needed,” Dunn said.

That is why the nonprofit is helping those like Raffeo get prepared heading into this storm season.

"Get all the information you need to protect yourself, your property or your apartment and try to be as prepared as you can," Raffeo said.

The next session will be tailored for the English and Arabic speaking community. That will be held May 2.