Charlotte County has installed more than 12,900 reflective vinyl bands on stop signs and at intersections across unincorporated areas to help residents and visitors quickly identify evacuation zones during tropical storms and hurricanes, according to the Office of Emergency Management.
The 3-inch-wide bands display both the color and letter of the county’s five evacuation zones: Zone A (red) for the highest-risk, lowest-lying areas near bodies of water, including much of Punta Gorda; Zone B (orange), which together with Zone A accounts for about two-thirds of the county’s population; Zone C (yellow); Zone D (green); and Zone E (purple).
Evacuation zones are based on National Hurricane Center data, elevation, and evacuation routes. They do not directly correlate to a storm’s category. County officials emphasize that storm surge poses the greatest threat to life and property during hurricanes, and the bands are intended to provide a clear reminder of each location’s zone and storm-surge risk…