Hurricane Nate Update #6

New Information is Highlighted

Current Situation

• Tropical Storm Nate remains a Category 1 Hurricane.
• Escambia is under a Hurricane Watch, Tropical Storm Warning, Flash Flood Watch and Storm Surge Warning. 
• There is an elevated threat for tornadoes through the evening and tornado watches are likely.
• Escambia County has not issued a curfew for residents.
• Evacuations are ordered for Zones A and B. Remember, run from water, hide from wind.  
• Beachgoers should heed the double red flag warnings and stay out of the water as deadly rip currents and rough surf conditions are present on Pensacola Beach. No swimming or wading is allowed in the Gulf of Mexico in red flag conditions. 
• The Citizen Information Line is open 24 hours a day until further notice. Residents with questions may call 850-471-6600.
• Escambia County Emergency Operations Center is at a level 1 activation, or full staffing, until further notice. 
• The Escambia County Commission enacted a local state of emergency at their Oct. 5 regularly scheduled board meeting. Declaring a local state of emergency allows the county to make formal requests to the state and FEMA for assistance if needed.
• Damage assessment crews are on standby to respond as needed Sunday morning. 

Evacuations

• Evacuations were ordered in Escambia County for Zones A and B beginning at 6 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 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 and B include Pensacola Beach, Perdido Key and low lying coastal areas.
  In Escambia County, we do 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.
• If you are evacuating locally, leave for your designated safe location by nightfall tonight, Saturday, Oct. 7.
• 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.
• To look up your address online, click here: 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.
• Evacuation routes can be viewed at http://bit.ly/2eJAKzm.
• For a map of evacuation routes and zones, click here.

• 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.

Shelters 
The following shelters opened at 8 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 7: 

Pet Friendly Shelter - Current Population: 3, 1 pet
- Molino Park Elementary School, 899 Highway 97
Please bring the pet's food, water, medications, crate or leash and proof of vaccinations. You must stay at the shelter with your pet. 

Special Needs Shelter Only - Current Population: 1
- West Florida High School Buildings 9, 25 & 26 2400 Longleaf Drive

General Population Shelters - Total Population: 94
- Jim Bailey Middle School, 4110 Bauer Road - Current Population: 13
- Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St.- Current Population: 78 
- Marie Young/Wedgewood Community Center, 6405 Wagner Road - Current Population: 3

Residents needing transportation to a shelter should call ECAT at 850-595-3228. 

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

Weather Update from National Weather Service/National Hurricane Center

• Hurricane Nate continues to move north-northwest at 23 mph and is approaching the mouth of the Mississippi, with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph. As of 4 p.m., Nate remains a Category 1 hurricane. Conditions appear favorable for continued strengthening up to landfall on the northern Gulf Coast.
• Maximum storm surge is likely to occur tonight and early Sunday morning (near high tide). Highest values may be realized if the center track closer to the area. Western Florida Panhandle: 3-5 feet with locally up to 6 feet possible above normally dry ground.
• Rain totals have increased to 3-6” with isolated values up to 8”. Nate's fast storm movement will likely limit higher totals.
• The threat of tornadoes will exist along and east of the center of the storm Saturday through midday Sunday.
•  Long period swells reaching beaches across the area will result in a high rip current risk and increasing surf heights through the weekend.
• Tropical storm force winds likely to impact most of the area tonight into Sunday. 
  

Traffic Conditions & Bridge Closures 

• Law enforcement will monitor and close bridges for safety at sustained (not gusts) wind speeds of 39 mph or greater for each specific bridge location. At this time, this is forecast to take place this evening. Your goal should be to be off the roads in a safe place by dark. 
• Check for Escambia County road closures 24/7 at www.myescambia.com/roadissuesmap.
• City of Pensacola road closures can be viewed here. 
• The toll at the Bob Sikes Bridge are suspended at until further notice. 
• For the latest closures and updates, travelers can access Florida's 511 service from cell phones, landlines and online at www.FL511.com. For more information, follow FDOT on Twitter @myfdot_nwfl, or on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/MyFDOTNWFL. 

Office Closures 

• At this time all county offices are expected to be open on Monday, Oct. 9.
• West Florida Public Libraries will close all locations on Sunday, Oct. 8.
• City of Pensacola offices anticipate being open for business on Monday morning. If the county decides to close offices, we will follow suit and that information will be promulgated in the EOC updates, by emails to you, in the city’s social media and on the employee call-in line (850-435-1703).
• There are no planned judicial closures at this time.
• All Escambia County Tax Collector’s offices are closed Monday Oct. 9, for a planned Professional Development Day. 

Military

• Due to inclement weather conditions from Hurricane Nate, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Corry Station and Saufley Field have curtailed normal operations and closed the installations to all visitors. No personnel evacuations have been ordered.
• All tourist attractions, e.g., National Naval Aviation Museum, Lighthouse, Ft Barrancas, etc. are closed.
  
• A curfew will be in effect for all base personnel and residents at 6 p.m. today, Oct. 7.
• Pending significant changes in weather forecast, the base and all facilities will reopen and resume normal operations on Monday, Oct. 9.
• For up-to-the minute status of NAS Pensacola, call the NASP Information Line at 1-866 951-2322.

Schools, Colleges & Universities 

• The Saturday night performance of Liberty Voices Fine Arts Series at Pensacola Christian College has been cancelled. Refunds will be issued for tickets purchased.
• Pensacola State College will close at 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 7, and remain closed through Sunday, Oct. 8. All activities and classes, whether on campus or online, are canceled during this time. However, Pensacola State College will conduct the previously scheduled SAT testing on Saturday, Oct. 7. The college will resume normal operations, activities and class schedules on Monday, Oct. 9. PSC will continue to monitor the weather and send additional notifications through PSC Alert, PSC social media, PSC website and local media, if needed.
• Monday, Oct. 9 is a scheduled professional development day for Escambia County School District teachers and staff, students do not attend school on this date. Staff and teachers should plan to attend scheduled professional development training sessions on Monday, as scheduled, unless they are informed otherwise.
• All UWF locations will be closed Saturday, Oct. 7 at noon through Monday, Oct. 9. This includes all classes, events, campus activities and online courses. Normal university operations, classes, events and campus activities will resume Tuesday, Oct. 10.

Pensacola International Airport

• Pensacola International Airport will close and cease ALL operations at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 and will remain closed throughout Sunday, Oct. 8. Weather permitting, normal operations are expected to resume beginning Monday, Oct. 9.
• Passengers with impacted scheduled travel to/from Pensacola International Airport should contact their airline for specific flight information and rebooking/cancellation details.
• Individuals attempting to access the parking garage Saturday, Oct. 7 must present a valid airline ticket with the same-day scheduled departure. Access to the parking garage will close at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 and will not reopen until Monday, Oct. 9. 

• Route 64 Beach Jumper and 59 Express will not run service today.  NAS Pensacola and Corry Station Gates closed at noon today.
• ECAT services, including Routes 59X and 64 Beach Jumper, are canceled on Sunday, Oct. 8. Regular ECAT services will resume on Monday, Oct. 9.
• UWF Trolley service is canceled for Monday, Oct. 9.
• All other ECAT Routes will run regular Saturday service with the last trips leaving ECAT and the Downtown Transfer Center, no later than 5:30 PM today. For additional information on ECAT services, please call 850-595-3288. 
• For evacuation transportation to shelters, please contact ECAT at 850-595-3228 or the Citizen Information Line at 417-6600. For additional ECAT route and schedule information, please contact ECAT at 850-595-3228 or visit our website at www.goecat.com.
  
• Escambia County Community Transportation (ECCT) will suspend paratransit services at 6:00 PM today. For additional information on ECCT Paratransit Services, please call 850-595-0501.
  
   

• Gulf Islands National Seashore officials have closed all of areas of the national seashore including all Mississippi Islands, the Fort Pickens, Fort Barrancas, Naval Live Oaks, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and the Perdido Key Areas.

Utilities

• ECUA does not have plans to turn off water services for any of the barrier islands.
• Gulf Power Outage Map
• EREC Outage Map 
• Escambia River Electric Cooperative Inc. reminds the public that, in the event of outages, crews will begin making system repairs as soon as safely possible. Members are also encouraged to be mindful of their surroundings and to take safety precautions in the storm’s aftermath.  

Perdido Landfill 

• The Perdido Landfill will remain open for normal business hours Saturday, Oct. 7 and Monday, Oct. 9.

Small Businesses

• Businesses are encouraged to register ahead of the storm with the Florida Virtual Business Emergency Operations Center at flvbeoc.org. Registration is free and the site provides great resources for businesses before, during and after a storm. You’ll have access to a Business Disaster Toolkit, road closure info, resource listings, Business Damage Assessment applications, and information on aid such as Small Business Emergency Bridge Loans and SBA Disaster Loans. 

Parks/Youth Sports

• Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier will close at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7.
• City of Pensacola community resource centers have cancelled all events for tonight. They will remain closed through Sunday into Monday morning. A decision will be made Monday am as to open or remain closed.
• Roger Scott Tennis Center closed at 2 p.m. today. Osceola Golf Course closed at 4 p.m. today. Both will be closed Sunday. 
• All county sports and neighborhood parks are expected to remain open at this time.
• The Pensacola Bay Fishing Bridge has closed as of 8:30 a.m. until further notice.