Longboat Key disaster prep seminar set for March 26

The town of Longboat Key and Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce will host the annual Longboat Key Disaster Preparedness Seminar earlier this year on March 26. 

Guests of the seminar will have the chance to hear from a panel of local emergency preparedness leaders and weather experts. 

The event is free to the public and, like in past years, will be at the Harbourside Ballroom at the Longboat Key Club. The seminar's continued motto is: “Stay informed and be prepared.” 

This year’s keynote speaker will be Town Manager Howard Tipton. A panel including Matt Anderson with the National Weather Service, will join Tipton, Manatee County Emergency Management Chief Matt Myers, Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief Sandra Tapfumaneyi, interim Chief of Police for Longboat Key Frank Rubino and meteorologists Justin Mosley and Eric Kasunich. 

The seminar and its presentations are designed to keep the community informed and prepared before hurricane season begins on June 1. 

In previous years, the seminar was closer to the beginning of the hurricane season, which starts on June 1. This year, the town and chamber of commerce decided to host the seminar earlier to reach more people. 

“This year, we’re moving it up so that more people can participate,” Mayor Ken Schneier said at a commission meeting on March 3. “We’ve got a great panel of presentations and experts.” 

In the past year, the Longboat Key community faced three storms, the first of which was Hurricane Debby in August 2024. That storm caused flooding in some areas of the island and was a prelude to the two back-to-back hurricanes that had a significant impact on the island: Hurricanes Helene and Milton. 

The disaster preparedness seminar is free to the public with complimentary refreshments and raffle prizes available. There will also be a Zoom option for those who cannot attend in person. 

Doors open for the event at 3:15 p.m. and the presentations will begin at 4 p.m. on March 26 at the Harbourside Ballroom (3000 Harbourside Drive, Longboat Key). 

For more information about the event, contact the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce at 941-383-2466 or visit LongboatKeyChamber.com.