Severe Weather Update #14

General Information

• National Weather Service’s *Preliminary*assessment shows EF-3 damage at the Grand Baroque Townhomes on Scenic Hwy. The highest wind speed so far is estimated at 155 mph.  See the county’s estimated storm track attached as a PDF.
• All residents and only residents, with proof of residency in the impacted areas, are now allowed back into their neighborhoods. The Escambia County Sherriff’s Office will maintain checkpoints.
• Scenic Highway is open.
• Damage assessments:
  • County: As of 1 p.m. damage assessments crews documented 37 destroyed, 76 major and 100 minor damaged structures in the county. Crews are expected to complete assessments tomorrow.
  • See video here https://youtu.be/6DhYwWPHqwg and here https://youtu.be/P5mKNMluSAk.
  • City: Initial damage assessments at this time are concentrated in the northern sections of the City of Pensacola. Significantly affected areas are the Dunmire Woods area, Dunmire Street moving northeast to Le Grande. Field checks found there were 100 residential structures with damage.  Thirty of these were major damage, and 70 were minor damage.  Commercial damages were limited to two structures, both being minor damage.
• The Emergency Operations Center is closing at 7 p.m.  Operations will resume at 7 a.m. tomorrow in a field command center.
• Governor Rick Scott visited impacted areas in Pensacola and Century today and has issued an Executive Order declaring a state of emergency for Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties as a result of the tornado.  View the press conference online at https://youtu.be/-BoVKigSTHY.
• The county has made the request for SBA and Individual Assistance, which is one step of the assistance process.
• Escambia County’s Regency Park is closed until further notice due to fallen trees and debris.
• Fort Pickens Road and the Fort Pickens area will reopen Feb. 25 at 8 a.m. Motorists and bicyclists are urged to use caution as sand and water remain along several stretches of the road.  Visitors may call the Fort Pickens Road hotline to get updates at (850) 934-2656, Facebook page www.facebook.com/GulfIslandsNPS, or website alerts at www.nps.gov/guis.

Debris

• All storm generated debris must be separated and be placed in the right-of-way. Residents should avoid placing debris near power poles, fire hydrants, water meters, mail boxes or other utilities. Crews are not allowed on private property so all debris must be in the right-of-way area, typically the area from a power pole to the curb. No demolition debris will be picked up, please consult with your contractor. Do not place household garbage with storm debris.
• Storm generated debris must be sorted and placed curbside in the following categories:
  • Construction– furniture, carpet, tile, steel, glass, brick, concrete, asphalt roofing material, pipe, gypsum wallboard, lumber or anything used in the construction, renovation, and demolition of a structure.
  • Vegetative debris – Tree limbs, leaves, logs, plats, and tree branches
  • White goods – washers, dryers, refrigerators, ranges, microwaves, water heaters, freezers, small AC units
  • Electronics – T.V.s, computers, monitors, fax machines, stereos, speakers, etc.

Shelters

• The American Red Cross has opened a shelter at Cokesbury United Methodist Church (3300 Summit Boulevard) and it will remain open through the night for residents who need assistance.  Current occupancy - 27
• The Salvation Army Headquarters (1310 North S Street) is available as a special needs shelter and it will remain open through the night for residents who need assistance. Current occupancy - 59

Insurance Questions

• Residents are encouraged to download a copy of the Department of Financial Services homeowners’ insurance toolkit, which outlines the claims filing process in plain language.
• The Department’s Insurance also offers a toll-free hotline that connects consumers across Florida with insurance experts who can answer questions about what may or may not be covered under a specific home or auto policy. They can also connect consumers with the appropriate contact information for their specific carrier and help to mediate any issues that may arise when communicating about a claim. Helpline experts are available Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST by calling 1-877-693-5236.

Electrical Issues

• If electrical circuits and electrical equipment have gotten wet or are in or near water, turn off the power at the main breaker or fuse on the service panel. If you must enter standing water to access the main power switch, then call an electrician to turn it off.
• Never turn power on or off or use an electric tool or appliance while standing in water.
• Do not connect generators to your home's electrical circuits without the approved, automatic-interrupt devices. If a generator is on line when electrical service is restored, it can become a major fire hazard and it may endanger line workers helping to restore power in your area.

Reentering Buildings

• Stay away from damaged buildings or structures until they have been examined and certified as safe by a building inspector or other government authority. You may want to wait to return to buildings during daylight hours, when it is easier to avoid hazards, particularly if the electricity is off and you have no lights.
• Leave immediately if you hear shifting or unusual noises that signal that the structure may fall or if you smell gas or suspect a leak. If you smell gas, notify emergency authorities and do not turn on the lights, light matches, smoke, or do anything that could cause a spark. Do not return to the house until you are told it is safe to do so.
• Keep children and pets out of the affected area until cleanup has been completed.

Chain Saw Safety

• Become familiar with the recommended safe operational procedures before attempting to work with a chain saw.
• Be sure that you are in top physical and mental condition when operating dangerous machinery.
• Medications and alcohol can cause you to be a hazard to yourself and others when working with chain saws.
• Equip yourself with protective clothing and equipment including safety goggles, hearing protection, steel-toed shoes, hard hat, gloves, and close-fitting clothing.
• Always avoid making cuts with the saw between your legs; always cut with the saw to the outside of your legs.
• Don’t stand on a log and saw between your feet.
• Always stand to one side of the limb you are to cut, never straddle it.
• Always keep in mind where the chain will go if it breaks; never position yourself or other people in line with the chain.
• Keep the chain out of the dirt; debris will fly, the teeth will be dulled and the chain life shortened considerably.

Cleaning Up Safely

• Always wear gloves and work boots when cleaning or removing debris.
• Discard unsafe food.
• Open windows to provide ventilation.
• Remove wet contents including carpet, furniture and building materials.
• Do not allow children to play in or around debris piles. Check play areas for hazards.
• Do not try to move any displaced propane tanks. Get in touch with fire officials to provide them the location of these tanks.

• Mold growth can be removed from hard surfaces with commercial products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than one cup of bleach in one gallon of water. Never mix bleach with ammonia or other household cleaners; mixing can produce dangerous, toxic fumes.

Power Outages

• Gulf Power is working to restore power with additional crews arriving from Southern Company to assist.
• Please do not call 9-1-1 to report power outages. Power outages should be reported to Gulf Power at 1-800-GU-Power (1-800-487-6937) or Escambia River Cooperative, Inc. at 1-877-688-3732.
• An outage map is available at www.MyGulfPower.com
• Never touch a fallen power line and assume all wires on the ground are electrically charged.