With the final Hurricane Irma evacuees having left the shelter, the American Red Cross will close its host shelter operations located at the Pensacola Bay Center at 1 p.m. today, Thursday, Sept. 14. The last three shelterees left at 9:45 am. The Equestrian Center continues to house evacuated horses, with 13 being housed at the center as of this morning.
Escambia County has consulted with the state’s Emergency Operations Center, Red Cross officials in Tallahassee, as well as the local Red Cross chapter to ensure that there are currently no additional unmet sheltering needs for Hurricane Irma evacuees from around the state for which our county can assist. Escambia County continues to coordinate with and be available to assist the state and neighboring communities with any humanitarian needs as they may arise during the many months of recovery ahead.
Evacuees in Escambia County staying in a hotel or with friends or family should check the safety of returning home at www.floridadisater.org or with their local emergency management office. If it is safe to return, please be prepared for heavy traffic, long waits and time your travel so you are able to arrive home in daylight if possible. There may be many hazards on the roads and in your neighborhood and home, it would be very dangerous to arrive at night.
Road Updates
- I-75 will remain open, as flood waters have been receding on the Santa Fe River. As of this morning, Florida Department of Transportation engineers and state meteorologists do not believe that the Santa Fe River will reach a level to make the interstate unsafe.
- Because of high water levels of the Santa Fe River, US 41 and US 27 remain closed. Once these highways are safe, they will be reopened to motorists.
- FDOT and the DHSMV will continue to keep Floridians and visitors updated on traffic conditions by constantly updating FL511.com. You can also follow @MyFDOT, @FLHSMV, @FL511, and @FLGovScott. US 41 BRIDGE CLOSURE: Northbound - US 41 traffic to Lake City detour at Winn Dixie in High Springs. Southbound - US 41 traffic to Gainesville detour at CR 778.
Additional Resources for Returning Evacuees to their Homes
- To find information about available shelter information in your home town or on your travel home, visit floridadisaster.org/shelters.
- The Florida Emergency Information Line has been activated and is available 24/7 for families and visitors at 1-800-342-3557.
- Visit www.floridadisaster.org to find recovery information.
- Visit fl511.com for a real-time traffic map with travel times, traffic accident details and traffic cameras.
- Up-to-date information on boil water notices is available online HERE
- The Federal Emergency Management Agency is encouraging individuals and families to be alert for false rumors, scams, identity theft and fraud. For resources on how to protect yourself and your loves ones from disaster fraud, visit https://www.fema.gov/hurricane-irma-rumor-control.
- Residents who sustained losses in the nine declared counties can apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. Residents who suffered damages from the storm may register now, and if their county is later included in the declaration, the application will be processed automatically.
- Please visit www.fldoe.org/irma/ to view all school closures.
- The Florida Virtual Business Emergency Operations Center business damage assessment surveying tool has been activated for businesses to report damages resulting from Hurricane Irma. Businesses are encouraged to visit http://flvbeoc.org/index.php. Click on Hurricane Irma.
- The state is working to identify the “open/close” status of businesses. This information is being posted to the SERT Tropical Storm Irma web page: http://www.floridadisaster.org/info/.
- Floridians affected by the storm must now begin the process of surveying damages to their property and belongings. If you need help finding your Florida’s property insurance company’s website and contact information, click HERE. For a list of licensed insurance agents in Florida, click HERE. Consumers with questions about their policies and those who need help filing a claim should call the CFO’s free Insurance Consumer Helpline at 1-877-693-5236.
