Escambia County Irma Local Impact Updates
September 7, 2017
Here’s the latest local Escambia County update on Hurricane Irma:
Weather
According to the National Hurricane Center, Irma continues to be a potentially catastrophic Category 5 hurricane. The threat of direct hurricane impacts in Florida over the weekend and early next week has increased. While the storm is tracking more favorably away from our area, it is important to understand that the projected storm track is still subject to change.
It is vital that our residents take a moment several times a day to monitor the latest information available. IF the storm does track more in our direction, any impacts would most likely be felt sometime the week of Sept. 10.
Host Shelters
- The Escambia County Equestrian Center is being open as a host shelter for evacuees’ horses. Stalls and RV sites are available at a nominal cost on a first come, first serve basis. For more information, visit https://myescambia.com/our-services/parks-and-recreation/equestrian-center/equestrian-center-as-a-storm-shelter.
- Escambia County and the American Red Cross are on standby to open a host shelter for evacuees from other parts of the state as requested by the Florida Department of Emergency Management.
Volunteering
Volunteer Florida is coordinating with volunteer organizations across the state and has partnered with the American Red Cross to provide shelter operations training to volunteers and AmeriCorps grantees. Floridians who would like to volunteer can register at http://redcross.org/volunteer
Other Services/Information
- Veterans from storm-impacted areas who require immediate assistance may contact the VA Health Resource Center Disaster Hotline at 1-800-507-4571
- The Florida Department of Transportation is suspending construction work and lane closures throughout the state in preparation for evacuation routes.
- The toll at the Bob Sikes Toll Plaza onto Pensacola Beach remains lifted, as do tolls around the state.
- Visit http://www.floridadisaster.org to find information on shelters, road closures and evacuation routes.
Storm Preparation
- Review/make your family plan. Need help? Read more on how to care for your family here.
- Know your zone. Look up your address online at http://bit.ly/2vGzR1R. You can search by address or parcel number and then look for the “Emergency Management Report.” The address function is self-populating, so type slowly and then choose the address from the drop down list.
- Restock your disaster kit supplies/get a kit. if we aren’t impacted by Irma, your preparations won’t be a waste, as we haven’t yet reached the height of hurricane season. You’ll be ready for the next storm. Click here to see our latest disaster guide shopping list.
- Stay Informed – A tropical system can develop very quickly. Be sure you take time every day to monitor the local media. Escambia County also has several tools available for our residents. Learn more here. Monitor local media and legitimate online and social media sources like Escambia County Emergency Management, US National Weather Service Mobile, NOAA NWS National Hurricane Center and Florida SERT.
- Prep your yard - As we are entering the height of hurricane season, it is also recommended that residents take a few minutes to inspect their home and yard. Check for, fix or remove loose items on your home and sheds. Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and down spouts. Trim trees and shrubs around your home.
Hurricane Irma: Latest Updates, Maps
September 7, 2017
Major Hurricane Irma continues to move toward the Florida peninsula.
The latest details on Hurricane Irma are in the graphics above and below, click to enlarge. Reload the page to ensure that you are seeing the latest graphics.
Thomas: All Escambia Schools Open, All Extracurricular Activities On
September 7, 2017
THIS IS AN OUTDATED, ARCHIVED STORY.
Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas has announced that school will proceed as planned for the rest of this week, including football and all extracurricular activities.
Register Now For Northview Mini-Majorette Clinic
September 7, 2017
The Northview High School majorettes will hold a mini-majorette clinic September 11-14th from 4:00-5:30pm.
The clinic is open to students of all skill levels in kindergarten through 8th grades. Twirlers will learn basics, tricks, and a group routine to perform during pre-game at the September 15 home game. Participants should provide their r own batons.
The cost of $25 per child is to be paid by September 8th. Please contact Leslie Johnson, majorette sponsor, by text or phone at (251) 363-4076 to register.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Century Council Schedules Last Minute Budget Workshop
September 7, 2017
The Town of Century will hold a third and final budget workshop at 10 a.m. Friday, just ahead of public workshop to discuss the completed product.
The meeting will be held in council chambers and is open to the public.
The meeting was announced by email late Wednesday afternoon. The first reading of the budget is scheduled for Monday, September 11 at 6:50 p.m., just prior to a 7 p.m. council meeting.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Shutout Jumbo Shrimp In Game One
September 7, 2017
Game one of the South Division Series featured two of the best pitchers in the Southern League and they did not disappoint. The Pensacola Blue Wahoos took a 1-0 lead in the final series of the season with 2-0 win over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
Before the game, the Southern League announced that BC Powder Southern League Championship Series had been canceled due to Hurricane Irma. Each of the winners of the best-of-five North and South Division Series will be declared Co-Champions for the 2017 Southern League season.
Pensacola RHP Deck McGuire pitched eight shutout innings with a career-high 13 strikeouts while closer Zack Weiss pitched himself out of a jam after coming into the ninth inning with the bases loaded.
Jacksonville’s Chris Mazza joined the pitcher’s duel as the Blue Wahoos were scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Blue Wahoos struck in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 1-0 lead. Left fielder Josh VanMeter knocked a single to left field for Shed Long to score from second. Long reached base with a single and moved to second on Gabriel Guerrero’s groundout to third.
VanMeter, who finished the night 4-for-4, drove home the second and final run of the game with a single right up the middle to allow Guerrero to score from second. Guerrero reached base on a walk and moved to second on a balk from Mazza.
McGuire, who came into the game with the third best ERA in the league, finished the game with 8 innings pitched, four hits, no walks and 13 strikeouts.
The Jumbo Shrimp threated in the ninth inning by loading the bases with no outs before Weiss was brought in to relieve RHP Tanner Rainey. Weiss struck out the first two batters in two former Wahoos Cam Maron and David Vidal before getting a force out from K.C. Serna to finish the game.
All Weekend Visitations Canceled At All Florida Prisons Due To Irma
September 7, 2017
The Florida Department of Corrections has canceled all visitations for this weekend due to Hurricane Irma, including those at Century and Santa Rosa correctional institutions.
All weekend visitations are canceled, according to FDOC, due to travel restrictions and to ensure staff resources can be maximized for hurricane response.
The cancellation includes all major institutions, work camps, community release centers and annex facilities.
Department staff are working around the clock to make necessary precautions for inmates in facilities statewide, according to a press release. Water and food supplies are being brought in and evacuation determinations will be made in the best interest of the inmates and public safety.
In the event of an evacuation, announcements will be made upon completion. Inmate locations will be posted on the website approximately 24-hours after relocation, per the Florida Department of Corrections standard protocol.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Florida Braces For Massive Hurricane Irma
September 6, 2017
Gov. Rick Scott warned Floridians on Tuesday that powerful Hurricane Irma will start impacting the state by the end of the week — it’s just not clear where.
“I think right now everybody’s got to assume that you’re going to get impacted,” Scott said after receiving a 5 p.m. update at the State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee.
“This is a big storm — 185 mph. And if you look at all the projections, it’s not getting smaller, it’s getting bigger,” he added.
While commending officials in South Florida for starting to issue evacuation orders and making additional storm preparations, Scott said people will get more direction as the storm nears about where they should travel after evacuating.
The center of the potentially catastrophic Category 5 storm, with 185 mph maximum sustained winds, was still west of the northern Leeward Islands — about 1,400 miles from Florida — Tuesday afternoon, but on a projected path that would take it just south of the Florida Keys before turning north.
Scott, who had already issued a state of emergency because of the threat of the storm, asked Tuesday for pre-landfall assistance from the federal government, ordered state offices closed on Friday, started to activate members of the Florida National Guard and called for tolls to be lifted statewide to help evacuees.
“They (tolls) will be suspended for the duration of the storm’s impacts to Florida,” Scott said in a prepared statement. “Ensuring the safety of Florida families and visitors is our top priority and suspending tolls statewide will help people quickly evacuate and make it easier for all Floridians to access important hurricane supplies to ensure they are fully prepared.”
Scott’s comments and directives came as Irma grew into the strongest storm ever recorded by the National Hurricane Center in the Atlantic basin outside of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.
The National Hurricane Center said the odds are growing that Irma will directly affect the Florida Keys and portions of the Florida peninsula later in the week and this weekend.
While too soon to estimate the timing and magnitude of the impacts, “Everyone in hurricane-prone areas should ensure that they have their hurricane plan in place,” the center said in Tuesday forecast discussions.
Monroe County has already taken action, mandating tourists leave the Florida Keys on Wednesday. Residents of the Keys must leave on Thursday.
“Now is a good time for tourists and residents to fill their tanks with fuel and complete their evacuation plans,” the county said in a release.
Schools, parks and government offices in Monroe County will also shut down starting Wednesday.
Monroe County’s three hospitals — the Lower Keys Medical Center in Key West, Fishermen’s Hospital in Marathon and Mariners Hospital in Tavernier — began plans to evacuate patients on Tuesday.
School districts in other counties made plans to close later in the week or were reviewing their options. A number of high-school football games were rescheduled from Friday to Thursday. The Florida State League canceled its minor league championship series.
Scott on Tuesday activated 100 members of the Florida National Guard while directing 7,000 more members of the guard to report to duty on Friday. More will be activated over the weekend.
Other preparations Tuesday included:
— The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission had search and rescue teams on standby, including members who deployed to Texas for Hurricane Harvey.
— All weight and driver restrictions for highways were lifted to speed water, food, fuel and emergency supplies.
— The American Red Cross established a disaster relief operation in Orlando.
— Scott asked electric utilities to identify staging areas and for updates on all nuclear facilities in the event of a necessary shutdown.
— Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam suspended requirements involving the intrastate transportation of animals from areas expected to be impacted by Hurricane Irma. Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi have waived rules related to bringing in Florida pets and livestock.
“By suspending the intrastate movement requirements for the transportation of animals, we can ensure that Floridians and visitors can quickly and safely move their pets and livestock out of harm’s way,” Putnam said in a prepared statement.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, and Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, advised lawmakers on Tuesday that they are watching the storm. Lawmakers are scheduled to start holding committee meetings Sept. 12.
“As the path of the storm becomes more clearly defined, we will, in consultation with the Senate, make a final decision regarding the status of House committee and subcommittee meetings scheduled for next week,” Corcoran wrote.
“Hurricane Irma currently poses a serious threat to our state, and I encourage all senators and staff to use the next few days to ensure your home and family are prepared,” Negron said in a memo.
On Monday, Scott placed all of Florida under a state of emergency. The declaration was intended to give local governments in the 67 counties time to prepare, the governor’s office said.
Also Monday, Attorney General Pam Bondi activated the state’s “price gouging hotline.”
“Floridians need to prepare now, and they should not be inhibited by unlawful price increases on supplies necessary to brace for a major hurricane strike,” Bondi said in a release.
People who suspect businesses are taking advantage of residents in need of hurricane supplies — food, water, hotel rooms, ice, gasoline, lumber and equipment — can make reports by calling 1-866-966-7226 (866-9-NO-SCAM).
by The News Service of Florida
Hurricane Irma: Latest Updates, Maps
September 6, 2017
Major Hurricane Irma continues to move across the Atlantic.
The latest details on Hurricane Irma are in the graphics above and below, click to enlarge. Reload the page to ensure that you are seeing the latest graphics.
Irma: Escambia County’s ‘What You Can Do Now’ Tips
September 6, 2017
Escambia County Emergency Management is closely monitoring Hurricane Irma. Residents are urged to do the same by monitoring local media for the most up-to-date forecasts daily.
According to the National Hurricane Center, there is an increasing chance that the Florida Peninsula and Florida Keys will see some impacts later this week and weekend. However, it is still too early to determine what direct impacts Irma might have on Escambia County and Northwest Florida as there is no reliable way to forecast potential impacts to an area that is more than about five days away from a specific location.
While Hurricane Irma may not come our way, our residents should take the time now to double check their storm supplies and preparations so that when a confirmed threat develops, they are ready. The key to reducing the stress and impact on your family is to prepare by having a plan, getting a kit and staying informed:
- Review or make a family plan. This includes:
- Knowing your evacuation zone. Check your zone online by clicking here.
- Know where you will go. If you live in an evacuation zone, know where you will go and how you will get there. Will you go to a friend or relative’s home, a hotel, or as a last resort, a public shelter? It is always easier to go tens of miles, not hundreds.
- Have a communication plan. Plan now how you will contact one another and where you will meet.
- Plan for those with special needs. Make arrangements in advance to accommodate those in your family with special needs like the elderly, children and pets. Always have at least an extra three day supply of medical supplies, medication and any other special items you may need.
- Understand Watch vs. Warning, the hurricane cone and what steps you need to take when. Learn more by clicking here.
- Take photos of important documents and your valuables. Save these to a secure cloud site or keep on your mobile device.
- Get a Kit - Your disaster kit should have at least three days of nonperishable food and three gallons of water for each person and pet in your home, along with other supplies. Click here to see our latest disaster guide shopping list.