Here’s What To Expect From Hurricane Michael In North Escambia
October 10, 2018
Here’s what to expect in North Escambia today from Hurricane Michael, according to the National Weather Service:
- Tropical Storm Warning
- Peak Wind Forecast: 30-40 mph with gusts to 55 mph
- Window for Tropical Storm force winds: until Wednesday afternoon
- Potential for wind 39 to 57 mph
- Peak Rainfall Amounts: Additional around 1 inch
- Potential for localized flooding rain
- Rivers and tributaries may quickly rise with swifter currents. Small streams, creeks, canals, and ditches may become swollen and overflow in spots
- Situation is unfavorable for tornadoes
- Tornadoes are not expected. Showers and thunderstorms with gusty winds may still occur.
- For additional information, and for information for southern Escambia County, see the stories on the front page of NorthEscambia.com.
- Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms. High near 81. Windy, with a northeast wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
- Wednesday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Breezy, with a northwest wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
- Thursday: Tropical storm conditions possible, with hurricane conditions also possible. Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
- Thursday Night: Tropical storm conditions possible. Mostly clear, with a low around 56.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 78. North wind around 5 mph.
- Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 55. North wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 81. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 60. East wind around 5 mph.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 85.
- Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.
Person Burned While Lighting Trash Pile Fire In Molino
October 10, 2018
A person was burned while reportedly lighting a trash pile on fire in Molino Tuesday afternoon. The accident happened on Stacey Road just after 1 p.m. The female victim was transported by Escambia County EMS to an area hospital. The Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded and extinguished the pile.
Further details were not released.
Farmers Work To Complete Harvest Before Michael’s Rains
October 10, 2018
As Hurricane Michael moved northward across the Gulf of Mexico, farmers in North Escambia were in their fields working to bring in their peanut crop before rains moved in Pictured: Peanuts are harvested Tuesday afternoon in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Power Companies Prep For The Storm; Hundreds Of Trucks And Crews Stage
October 10, 2018
Gulf Power stands ready for the impacts of Hurricane Michael.
In addition to the 1,517 Gulf Power employees and contractors, more than 2,600 outside resources will be in Northwest Florida to assist with power restoration.
“Michael is a powerful storm and it looks like our customers in Panama City area will be the most heavily impacted. With a storm of this magnitude, power restoration in the hardest hit areas may take up to a week or more due to anticipated storm impacts.” said Gordon Paulus, Gulf Power spokesperson. “But all customers need to be prepared for tropical storm-force winds, which could lead to prolonged, widespread outages.
Gulf Power crews will work throughout the day and night to restore any outages until winds reach 35 mph, when it becomes unsafe. Once the storm passes, crews will quickly work to determine the damage and begin to work as quickly and safely as possible to restore power.
“Customers can be assured that we will work every minute to restore power as long as it is safe to do so,” Paulus said. “We our working our storm plans. We have already been tested this year with Subtropical Storm Alberto and Tropical Storm Gordon, so we are ready.”
Company employees spent Tuesday on logistics, preparing materials in areas where most of the damage could occur. They set up staging areas throughout Northwest Florida to handle the influx of outside crews.
Pictured: Over 600 hundred power company vehicles from across the country were staging at the fairgrounds on Mobile Highway Tuesday night. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
First Hurricane Shelters Now Open In Escambia County; Pet Friendly Shelter At Molino Park
October 10, 2018
The following shelters are open in preparation for Hurricane Michael evacuees:
- Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E Gregory St.: General population and special needs
- Escambia County Equestrian Center, 7750 Mobile Highway: Horses only. All horses must have a current Coggins test certificate. For more information, contact the Equestrian Center at 850-941-6042.
- Molino Park Elementary School located at 899 Highway 97 is now open as a pet-friendly shelter. Please bring the pet’s food, water, bedding, medications, collar with ID tag, familiar items like toys, crate, leash and proof of vaccinations. You must stay at the shelter with your pet. All pets without proof of vaccinations will be vaccinated on site.
If you go to a shelter, you will need to take the following items to support you and your family:
- A change of clothing, rain gear and sturdy shoes
- Toiletries and personal items
- Blankets or sleeping bags and pillows
- ID and any important papers
- Games, toys or books for children
- Books for adults
- Special items for infants or elderly family members
- Any special dietary needs and nonperishable foods for snacks
- Battery-operated radio, flashlights and plenty of spare batteries
- Prescription medications or any over-the-counter medications you normally take
Michael: Final Escambia County Update
October 10, 2018
[Updated 6 p.m. Wednesday] This will be the last Hurricane Michael update from Escambia County unless there are any major changes.
Essential Information
- Escambia County Emergency Operations Center is activated at a Level 3 (monitoring), or typical daily operations.
- The Citizen Information Line is closed.
- Escambia County is assisting 12 evacuees from the east.
- We are inventorying our staff and assets to determine if any resources can be deployed to the east if necessary to assist those impacted by Hurricane Michael.
- The National Humane Society is coming to take adoptable animals from the Escambia County Animal Shelter in order to make room to house animals coming with evacuees from the east.
- Escambia County is providing mutual aid to Bay County to provide by sending two ambulance crews, two engine companies (one volunteer, one career) with one Zodiac, in addition to helping to staff a incident management team.
Pensacola Beach
- A high risk of rip currents and high surf advisory are in effect for the northern Gulf Coast through at least Friday. Red flags are flying on Pensacola Beach and are expected through today. Red flags represent high surf and/or dangerous currents, and there is no swimming or wading in the Gulf of Mexico in red flag conditions. Surf heights are expected to increase to 10-15 feet through Wednesday.
- The tolls on the Bob Sikes Bridge have been lifted by the governor until further notice.
Evacuations
- The evacuation ordered for Zone A on Tuesday, Oct. 9 has been lifted as of 4 p.m. today, Wednesday, Oct. 10.
Schools
- Escambia County School District: Escambia County schools will resume regular schedules on Thursday, Oct. 11, with all district offices resuming normal work hours. The Special School Board Workshop slated for 3 p.m., on Thursday, Oct. 11 will also occur as previously advertised.
- University of West Florida: Classes and normal business operations on the University of West Florida Pensacola campus will resume at 7:59 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 11. The UWF Emerald Coast location will remain closed on Thursday, Oct. 11. This includes all classes, events, and activities at this location. Florida Virtual Campus Tallahassee location will remain closed on Thursday, Oct. 11 and is scheduled to reopen on Friday, Oct. 12 at 8 a.m. Florida Virtual Campus Gainesville remains open.
- Pensacola State College will resume normal operations hours on Thursday, Oct. 11.
- Pensacola Christian Academy and Pensacola Christian College classes will resume on Thursday, Oct. 11.
Trash Service
- ECUA Residential and Commercial sanitation services in Escambia County will resume Thursday, Oct. 11. Wednesday’s collections will be made on Thursday, Thursday’s collections will be made on Friday, and Friday’s collections will be made on Saturday. Updates will be posted to the ECUA website and released to local media as necessary, should conditions change.
Closures/Openings
- State offices will be closed through Thursday in the 35 counties included in Gov. Scott’s emergency order, which includes Escambia County.
- All Escambia County offices will be resume regular business hours Thursday, Oct. 11.
- Pensacola Energy’s Customer Service Center is closed until Thursday, Oct. 11. For natural gas emergencies, please call 474-5300.
- All offices of the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller will resume regular business hours Thursday, Oct. 11.
- All offices of the Escambia County Tax Collector will resume regular business hours Thursday, Oct. 11.
- First Judicial Circuit: The courts in Escambia County will resume regular business hours Thursday, Oct. 11.
- The Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office will resume regular business hours Thursday, Oct. 11. Pursuant to a directive by the Florida Secretary of State, the voter registration deadline for the Nov. 6 General Election in Escambia County will be extended until the day the office reopens.
- Port of Pensacola has been placed at Port Condition ZULU by the United States Coast Guard, Captain of the Port, Mobile Area. Under Condition ZULU, the port and all surrounding navigable waterways are closed to all vessel traffic and all port and vessel operations are suspended until further notice.
- All offices of the Florida Department of Health in Escambia Count are scheduled to reopen on Thursday, Oct. 11 at their regular time.
- ECAT will resume regular service operations and routes Thursday, Oct. 11.
Military
- Naval Air Station Pensacola, Corry Station and Saufley Field will resume normal operations on Thursday, Oct. 11.
Power Outages
- Please do not call 9-1-1 to report power outages. Gulf Power knows when your power is out. You can track outages on their outage map from your smartphone on the Gulf Power Outage Map or report power outages online here.
- Power outages for Escambia River Cooperative Inc. can be reported to 1-877-OUT-EREC or 1-877-688-3732. View the EREC Outage Map for updated power outage information. Never touch a fallen power line and assume all wires on the ground are electrically charged.
Road Closures
- Highway 399 (J. Earle Bowden Way) is closed between Navarre Beach and Pensacola Beach is closed.
- Online road closure resources:
- Check for Escambia County road closures 24/7 at www.myescambia.com/roadissuesmap.
- City of Pensacola road closures can be viewed here.
- For the latest closures and updates, travelers can access Florida’s 511 service from cell phones, landlines and online at www.FL511.com.
- FDOT has suspended interstate and highway maintenance and construction indefinitely to allow for an increase in traffic as motorists evacuate from the northwest Florida coastline area. Presently, no bridges are closed due to the storm and bridge inspection crews are on standby for any potential inspections. Once conditions improve, crews will go back to working around the clock to clear all roadways.
Recreational Areas
- The Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier, Bob Sikes Bridge Fishing Pier and Pensacola Bay Fishing Bridge are closed.
- Gulf Islands National Seashore officials have closed all areas of the national seashore in Florida due to Hurricane Michael.
Disaster Fund
- Gov. Rick Scott activated the Florida Disaster Fund to support individuals who are impacted by Hurricane Michael. The Florida Disaster Fund helps provide financial support to Florida’s communities in times of disaster. To make a contribution, please visit www.FloridaDisasterFund.org or text DISASTER to 20222 to make a one-time donation of $10.
- In partnership with the public sector, private sector and other non-governmental organizations, the Florida Disaster Fund supports response and recovery activities. Donations to the Florida Disaster Fund are made to the Volunteer Florida Foundation, 501(c)(3) charitable organization and are tax deductible.
- Donations may be made by credit card on the secure website at www.floridadisasterfund.org or by check to the below address. Checks should be made payable to the Volunteer Florida Foundation and should include “Florida Disaster Fund” in the memo line.
Volunteer Florida Foundation
Attention: Florida Disaster Fund
3800 Esplanade Way, Suite 180
Tallahassee, FL 32311 - For additional questions about the Florida Disaster Fund, please contact info@volunteerflorida.org or call 850-414-7400.
Volunteer Efforts
- As the state’s lead agency for coordinating volunteers and donations before, during and after disasters, Volunteer Florida has established resources for individuals and groups who would like to support Floridians affected by Hurricane Michael.
- Those interested in volunteering can visit VolunteerFlorida.org and register on the volunteer database.
- As disaster response organizations like the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army evaluate their needs and asses their resources, qualified volunteers will be contacted.
- The Salvation Army is working with state and local emergency management throughout the Florida Panhandle.
- The Salvation Army has established a command center in Tampa and is prepared to mobilize incident management teams to the Florida Panhandle to serve impacted areas after the storm makes landfall.
- Personnel and mobile feeding units are on standby ready to move in after the storm. The Salvation Army’s mobile feeding units can serve 500-1,500 meals per day.
- Red Cross is bringing in 500 disaster relief workers to shelter and feed at sites in affected counties.
State Emergency Operations
- The State Emergency Operations Center remains activated at a level one, which is a full-scale, 24-hours-a-day activation.
- The State Assistance Information Line contact number is 1-800-342-3557.
- The State Emergency Operations Center Media Line: 850-921-0217.
- Follow @FLSert or @FLGovScott on Twitter for live updates on Hurricane Michael.
- Visit floridadisaster.org/info to find information on shelters, road closures, and evacuation routes.
Photos: Pensacola Beach Tuesday Afternoon
October 9, 2018
Hurricane Michael was in the Gulf of Mexico south of Pensacola Beach Tuesday afternoon.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: Waves crash into the Pensacola Beach fishing pier Tuesday afternoon. Pictured below: The road to Fort Pickens was closed by the Park Service. Pictured below: The surf reaches a walkover stairway. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power, EREC Preparing For Hurricane Michael
October 9, 2018
Gulf Power and Escambia River Electric Cooperative are preparing for Hurricane Michael.
Gulf Power
Gulf Power is preparing for Hurricane Michael and encourages its customers to be prepared as well. The latest forecast projects landfall somewhere between Pensacola and Apalachicola as a category 2 or 3 hurricane Wednesday afternoon. On the current track, tropical storms force winds could extend as far west as Pensacola, with the greatest impact to the Panama City area.
With the threat of major hurricane and widespread power outages due to wind, rain and tidal surge, Gulf Power crews stand at the ready to restore power.
“Customers should prepare for the possibility of losing power for an extended period when tropical storm to hurricane force winds and storm surge or flooding occurs,” said Gordon Paulus, Gulf Power spokesperson. “We have our storm plans in place and are ready for any scenario.”
Nearly 1,200 Gulf Power employees and 330 Gulf Power contractors shift to storm duty roles to restore power when a storm hits to ensure power is restored as quickly and safely as possible for their customers. The company has also lined up assistance from other energy providers. Already, more than 1,350 outside resources have been secured to assist with restoration and more are available if needed.
This will be the third storm to hit Northwest Florida this year. In May, Pensacola experienced subtropical storm Alberto, the first named storm of what has proven to be a very busy storm season. And in September, Gulf Power crews restored power to 26,000 customers after Tropical Storm Gordon lashed the area.
“Our crews were able to restore 26,000 customers from Tropical Storm Gordon within a day in a half,” Paulus said. “We train year-round for these types of scenarios. That training and developing of skills has really paid off in helping us quickly and safely get our customers’ power back on.”
Escambia River Electric Cooperative
With Hurricane Michael bearing down, EREC is making final preparations to deal with potential impacts in our area. According to the National Weather Service, Hurricane Michael is forecast to make landfall along the Florida panhandle on Wednesday afternoon. Michael will produce very heavy rain, strong wind, and storm surge.
EREC activated its emergency response plan earlier this week, alerting employees and contract crews to be on standby in case of widespread outages.
“Safety is our top priority, and EREC is taking all measures to ensure the safety of our employees and the public in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael,” said Clay Campbell, General Manager/CEO. “As soon as conditions permit, crews will begin assessing damage and making repairs to restore power to our members.”
EREC will make every effort to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. Employees and contract crews are on standby to assist in restoration efforts, and internal crew assignments have been made.
“As always, we ask that the public take extra care when making repairs following a storm,” Campbell said. “Downed power lines should always be treated as though they are energized, and portable generators should be operated according to manufacturer’s instructions.”
Pictured: Gulf Power mans their operations center Wednesday morning. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Evacuations Ordered In Escambia County
October 9, 2018
Evacuations have been ordered in Escambia County for Zone A beginning at noon today (Tuesday, Oct. 9) due to Hurricane Michael. If you live in a mobile home or have special needs, you should consider evacuation no matter the zone in which you live.
- Zone A includes Pensacola Beach, Perdido Key and low-lying areas — including some along the Escambia River south of Quintette Road. Escambia County does not use the terms “voluntary” or “mandatory” with regard to evacuations. When evacuation orders are given, residents and visitors are expected to comply as it is a government order.
- To look up your evacuation zone online, visit myescambia.com/knowyourzone.
- Keep in mind it is always easier to go tens of miles, not hundreds. Consider going to a friend or relative’s home, a hotel, or as a last resort, a public shelter within the county. Public shelters can be crowded, noisy and uncomfortable, but they are safe.
- Evacuation routes can be viewed here.
- For a map of evacuation routes and zones, click here or click the map above.
- You must understand that when sustained wind speeds reach 39 mph or storm surge covers roadways, law enforcement, emergency medical services and fire departments may not be able to come to your aid.
- If you live in an evacuation zone, be sure to check on neighbors, especially the elderly and those with special needs.
- Shelters will be open this afternoon. Locations will be announced as they are able to receive residents.
- The Citizen Information Line is open 24 hours a day until further notice. Residents with questions may call 850-471-6600.
Scott: ‘Monstrous’ Michael Possibly Worst In Decades
October 9, 2018
Gov. Rick Scott on Monday called Hurricane Michael a “monstrous” and potentially “deadly” storm that is barreling toward Florida.
“It’s a massive storm. We haven’t seen anything like this in the Panhandle in decades,” Scott said at the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center.
Michael has the potential to be the strongest storm in the region since Hurricane Eloise swept across Bay County in September 1975 with 110 mph winds. Hurricane Opal carried 100 mph winds when it hit Pensacola Beach in October 1995. Hurricane Ivan made landfall near Gulf Shores, Ala., at 120 mph in September 2004. And Hurricane Dennis was at 105 mph when it hit Santa Rosa Island in July 2005.
A state of emergency was declared in 35 counties — including Escambia and Santa Rosa. State offices will be closed in Escambia, Santa Rosa and the other 33 counties through Thursday.
Scott has activated 1,250 members of the Florida National Guard, with another 4,250 on standby.
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said the Florida Forest Service and the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement are preparing teams to support urban search and rescue operations.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has also designated 40 law-enforcement officers for rapid deployment. The Florida Highway Patrol is pre-deploying 100 State Troopers to the Panhandle and Big Bend area of Florida in preparation for Hurricane Michael.
by The News Service of Florida with contribution from NorthEscambia.com
Pictured: Gov. Rick Scott at the Escambia County Operations Center late Monday afternoon. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.