(Miami-Dade County, FL) -- With hurricane season in full swing, the Miami-Dade Consumer Services Department is reminding consumers to be wary of price gouging in the event of a disaster.  The department has updated and released a county-wide price survey of essential commodities to serve as a guide when a state of emergency is declared.

During a state of emergency, anti-price gouging provisions in both state and local laws are activated.  Violators who indiscriminately charge exorbitant prices simply because demand is high during a disaster may face fines and / or imprisonment.  To increase consumer awareness of prices and prevent problems before they occur, a team of enforcement officers from the Miami-Dade Consumer Protection Division has documented the average prices of essential commodities, including ice, coolers, generators, flashlights, batteries, chainsaws, power drills and plywood.  This list is also accessible via the department's website www.miamidade.gov/csd.  Consumer protection enforcement officers compare the asking price of the good during an emergency to the price listed during the preceding 30-day period to determine whether a provider of goods has taken advantage of consumers by price gouging.