Forecasters and first responders in Florida are getting ready for another hurricane season. And they say residents should be doing the same.

Dianne Fernandez reports.

It's that dreaded time of year again. With less than three weeks to go...The countdown to hurricane season is officially on. That means its time to dust off those hurricane supplies...And preparedness plans. And you're not alone. More than 25-hundred forecasters...Rescue workers and emergency management officials from around the state...Are also gearing up at the weeklong governor's hurricane conference in Ft. Lauderdale.

"Really get everyone same page...hurricane season."

Among the attendees is the new Director of the National Hurricane Center Bill Read..who brings to the job 35 years of hurricane know-how. Read and South Florida emergency managers worry two years of relative calm in the tropics for our area will inspire complacency instead of preparedness.

"If you have a plan....right decision."

Long range predictions are calling for a busy season....read and the experts are quick to remind you...It only takes one.

"Some of the worst years....years hardly any activity occurred."

Read has been on clean up duty since accepting the job in January. The last Hurricane Center director ended up leaving his post in the midst of a mutiny...Forcing read to spend his first months on the job trying to improve morale and undue the damage done.

"Those things don't heal over night."

But he says he and his are team ready to lead us through whatever mother nature throws our way.

"I really like getting people to work together best they can as a team to get job done."

Governor Charlie Crist plans to speak at the conference Wednesday.
Florida Hurricane Conference