- A 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew has been issued for Escambia County due to Hurricane Sally, effective at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 16. This curfew includes the City of Pensacola. The violation of an emergency order is a second degree misdemeanor, which is a max 60 days jail/$500 fine.
- On Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020, Hurricane Sally made landfall near Gulf Shores, Ala. at 4:45 a.m. as a Category 2 with sustained winds of 105 mph and gusts 120+ mph.
- Escambia River- A flood warning continues for the Escambia River near Century until further notice. Wednesday night, the river stage was 17.1 feet. The Escambia River is expect to rise to a crest of 25.2 feet early Friday afternoon. At 24.2- the level of a record flood on March 18, 1990, water will enter several houses on Worley Road, Daffin Road and Fairground Rain in Molino
- Perdido River- A flood warning continues for the Perdido River near Barrineau Park until Friday evening. Wednesday night, the stage was 22.3 feet, well above flood stage of 13 feet. The river is expected to rise to a crest of 22.4 feet on Thursday and fall below flood stage early Friday afternoon.
- Escambia County sustained substantial damage due to wind and flooding.
- Officials are working to assess flooding and wind damage from Hurricane Sally. Everyone is encouraged to continue to shelter in place for as long as it remains safe to do so. Roadways are likely not safe for travel. There has been road damage in the county.
- Escambia County is working closely with State and Federal partners to assist in response and have requested multiple assets and personnel.
- Pensacola Energy asks the public to call 850-474-5307 if you smell gas.
- The Citizen Information Line is available 24 hours a day for residents to call with questions or concerns at: (850) 471-6600
- Everyone is encouraged to follow BeReadyEscambia Facebook and Twitter sites for the latest Hurricane Sally information.
- While reaching out to friends and family, we encourage you to text rather than call to keep cell towers open for 911 callers.
- Escambia County Fire Rescue, National Guard and the Sherriff’s Office are actively working on water rescues and life saving measures.
- Currently, ECFR, EMS and Sheriff’s Office are undergoing swift water and stillwater response and rescue operations. As of 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, there have been 377 water rescue operations. Emergency services personnel are embedded in emergency vehicles from the Florida National Guard to assist with rescues. Emergency Management has also requested and received response from the United States Coast Guard who are sending boat teams over from Mobile as well as our FEMA USAR partners who were pre-staged and will be arriving momentarily from Jacksonville and Tennessee in the next few hours. Two hundred National Guardsmen are arriving tomorrow.
- Emergency Management has also engaged voluntary organizations active in disaster and the Florida Baptist Disaster Relief has a full response team coming to our area for relief.
- Hospitals are opened and staffed; however, some are operating on generator power. 9-1-1 calls are being prioritized so please be patient. Those who are in imminent danger will be helped first.
- EMS has responded to over 200 calls for service. There have been no storm-related deaths reported in Escambia County thus far.
- The Pensacola Bay Center continues to be open as a shelter that also takes special needs and is pet-friendly. Success Academy located at 7045 Wymart Road in Pensacola opened yesterday and is not a special needs shelter at this time.
-
If you go to a public shelter, you will need to take the following items to support you and your family for four days:
-A change of clothing, rain gear and sturdy shoes
-Toiletries and personal items
-Blankets or sleeping bags and pillows
-Identification 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 non-perishable foods for snacks
-Battery-operated radio, flashlights and plenty of spare batteries
-Prescription medications or any over-the-counter medications you normally take
-Masks or face coverings (COVID-19 precautions)
- We are working on county infrastructure assessments and hope to complete this no later than Friday, Sept. 18. As of today, over $21 million damage to county assets (roads, bridges and county-owned buildings).
- There is still no electricity or water at most county facilities so offices will be closed Friday, Sept. 18 to the public. County emergency CRITICAL personnel will be required to report to work. The EOC at the Public Safety Building will continue to operate 24/7.
- There are USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) teams going house to house in the flood zones.
-
Lake Stone campground has been reopened as power has been restored and fallen trees handled. Interested campers for Lake Stone should call the campground directly at 850-256-5555.
-
The Equestrian Center is now available for horse owners from effected areas. For stall information, interested horse owners should contact the Equestrian Center directly at 850-941-6042 in which owners will be briefed on the required paperwork for the horses to be stalled at the facility.
- Perdido Landfill opened today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept, 17
- Canceled: Regional Round Up at Washington High School on Saturday, Sept. 19
- The media is invited to attend two press conferences, Friday, Sept. 18 at the Public Safety building, 6575 N. "W" St., inside the media room regarding the latest updates on Hurricane Sally. The first press conference will take place at 10 a.m. and the second press conference will take place at 3 p.m. The meetings will also be streamed live on the Escambia County Emergency Management Facebook page.
- County emergency CRITICAL personnel will be required to report to work. The EOC at the Public Safety Building will continue to operate 24/7. ECAT and the Libraries will not be operating on Saturday.
- Contractors can get building permits at the CIC, 3363 West Park Place, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.
Known Damage and Closures
- A section of the Three Mile Bridge has been damaged and is being accessed by the Florida Department of Transportation, Emergency Management and county officials.
- The Pensacola Bay Bridge is currently being inspected by the Florida Department of Transportation. Governor DeSantis will be providing an update on the assessment later this afternoon.
- At this time, the Parks and Recreation Department is in the process of initial damage assessments at our Escambia County parks. While in this process, we are strongly encouraging the public to refrain from park use until initial clean up and safety efforts are made.
Baptist Health Care
-
Most Baptist facilities, services and practices are reopened as of Friday, Sept. 18. To reach specific offices and departments, please visit our phone directory at ebaptisthealthcare.org/locations-and-contacts.
Open/Services Resumed
- Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine including physician practices, imaging, physical rehab and ambulatory surgery
- Baptist, Gulf Breeze and Jay hospital inpatient services, outpatient services and emergency departments
- Scheduled surgeries/procedures at all hospitals
- Baptist Behavioral Medicine
- Baptist Medical Parks – Airport/ Navarre/Nine Mile/Pace – Most services and practices at the parks are open
- Baptist Hospital outpatient radiation and infusion therapy services
- Baptist Medical Group physician/provider offices – most practices are open. Teams at those that remain closed will contact patients directly to reschedule appointments.
- Baptist Medical Park – Nine Mile Surgery Center is open for limited cases on Friday, Sept. 18, and resumes a full schedule Monday, Sept. 21
- Tower’s Gift Shop
For all locations, patients are being contacted directly to reschedule cancelled appointments. Thank you for your patience as we work to reopen all locations and services safely. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please visit facebook.com/BaptistHealthCare for updates.
Heart Center outpatient services remain closed today.
Our phone lines at some of our physician practices are out so you may not be able to reach them. We are working to identify an alternate phone number until telephones are restored and will post on Facebook as soon as possible.
To reach Jay Hospital, please call 908-8000. The “675” prefix is not working at this time.
Debris removal is ongoing at many of our campuses, so please be cautious if you visit.
City of Pensacola
-
Pensacola International Airport will reopen at noon (Central Standard Time) today, Friday, Sept. 18 to commercial air traffic. The PNS operations team has worked with all airport partners to ensure the airport is safe and secure in order to resume normal operations.
-
This determination comes after extensive coordination with TSA, airlines, parking, Air Traffic Control and security teams.
-
While the airport facilities are open, passengers will need to work with their airline to determine flight schedules and availability. Many flights may still be canceled, and it may take a couple of days for the airlines to resume their normal operations.
-
American Airlines, United Airlines, and Frontier will resume flights on Saturday, Sept. 19. Delta and Southwest will begin commercial air travel today, Friday, Sept. 18. Please check with your airline to determine flight availability.
-
Passengers are reminded to continue to adhere to the safety precautions put in place due to COVID-19. Masks are still required to be worn, and passengers are asked to maintain appropriate distancing while at the airport.
-
For more information about Pensacola International Airport, visit flypensacola.com.
-
Initial reports include significant flooding, downed trees and power lines, power outages and multiple traffic signal outages. The city has started initial damage assessments from Hurricane Sally, and crews will continue until the assessments are completed.
-
The following City of Pensacola offices and facilities will be closed to the public Friday, Sept. 18 due to Hurricane Sally:
· City of Pensacola administrative offices
· City Hall
· City of Pensacola community resource centers (Closure includes feeding programs and mask distribution)
· City offices are scheduled to reopen Monday, Sept. 21. City community resource centers will reopen for mask and feeding programs only on Monday, Sept. 21, provided power has been restored to the facilities.
-
Fricker Resource Center will remain closed until further notice.
-
Vickrey Community Center will remain closed until further notice.
-
Parks managed by the City of Pensacola are closed to the public until deemed safe from the aftermath of Hurricane Sally.
- Multiple roadways in the city are closed or impassable due to flooding, downed power lines and other debris. For a real-time road closures map, visit pensacolapolice.com.
- The City of Pensacola’s 311 is down for non-emergency calls. The city is working to restore service as soon as possible. Reports can still be made here.
- PFD and PPD have responded to multiple calls to rescue people from cars. Onlookers are putting themselves and first responders at risk and taking resources away from those who are experiencing critical, life threatening emergencies.
- PFD has been coordinating with a National Guard high water response vehicle to rescue multiple occupants trapped due to high waters.
- If you smell natural gas or see a damaged gas line, please call Pensacola Energy at 474-5307.
- Pensacola International Airport is closed until further notice.
- All Meals on Wheels and to-go prepackaged meals from churches and community centers will resume as normal next week. Anyone in an emergency situation should call (850-432-1475.
-
City of Pensacola Sanitation Services will be modified next week so that every customer will receive garbage pickup twice. Customers will receive garbage pickup only (no recycling) the week of Sept. 21.
Garbage pickup next week will be as follows (applies to City of Pensacola Sanitation customers only):
- Monday, Sept. 21: Monday and Tuesday customers will receive garbage pickup only.
- Tuesday, Sept. 22: Wednesday and Thursday customers will receive garbage pickup only.
- Wednesday, Sept. 23: Monday and Tuesday customers will receive garbage pickup only.
- Thursday, Sept. 24: Wednesday and Thursday customers will receive garbage pickup only.
-
City of Pensacola crews are working to clear over 250 downed trees reported so far within city limits due to Hurricane Sally.
-
The public's patience is appreciated as crews work to clear major thoroughfares first before clearing trees on roadways in city neighborhoods. Crews are working as quickly as possible to remove downed trees from the roadways.
-
Drivers are urged to use extra caution on the roads and watch for downed trees, power lines and debris. Please remember to treat intersections with traffic signal outages as four-way stops.
Community Health Northwest Florida
We are pleased to announce that Friday Sept, 18, we will be opening two sites to care for patients with urgent medical needs (all other sites remain closed at this time).
ADULTS:
- Adult Walk-in Care will be provided in the Pediatric Suite on the ground floor of our Main Site at 2315 W. Jackson St., Pensacola. Hours of operation: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Please note:
- ADULTS only
- This is the only area of the facility that will be open to patients.
- Park in rear parking lot and enter directly through Pediatrics door.
CHILDREN:
- Pediatric Walk-in Care will be provided at our Pediatric Convenient Care location, 5375 N. 9th Ave., Pensacola. Hours of operation: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Please note:
- Children only
- Enter through regular Pediatric Convenient Care entrance on side of building.
- Trinity Pediatrics (primary care) will not be open.
ECAT
-
Due to flooding and roadway debris, ECAT will not run bus or trolley service Friday, Sept. 18 or Saturday, Sept. 19. ECAT will resume transportation as soon as it's safe to do so.
- ECCT will only be providing life-sustaining transports.
Emerald Coast Utilities Authority.
- Effective immediately, the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority is issuing a system-wide Precautionary Boil Water Notice -PBWN- to its water system customers. This notice is in response to the significant and wide-spread damages sustained from Hurricane Sally. ECUA crews are already out in the field working to locate, isolate, and repair main breaks in order to restore service as quickly as possible. Although the majority of our customers remain in service, there are too many main breaks that require a PBWN for it to be practical to issue separate notices during this initial emergency response. Once the number of pending repairs is significantly reduced, the ECUA will revert to issuing separate notices for individual areas. We ask for our customers’ patience and understanding as we work to repair hundreds of breaks, giving priority to our hospitals, dialysis centers, and other critical care facilities.
- Residents are advised to boil water for one minute at a rolling boil or to use 8 drops of regular unscented household bleach per gallon of water, for water to be used for drinking or cooking purposes.
- More information on precautionary boil water notice and key guidelines are available on the ECUA website at ecua.fl.gov/live-green/our-water-supply
- Thursday & Friday collections will both be picked up on Saturday.
- The Water Reclamation Plant on Pensacola Beach is back online. Our crews are working to locate, isolate, and repair water and sewer main breaks on the beach in order to fully restore services. The system-wide precautionary boil water notice will apply to Pensacola Beach once water service is restored.
- The ECUA phone line is down. Please use the Citizen Information Center at 850-471-6600.
Escambia County School District
- Superintendent Malcolm Thomas has announced that all offices and schools within the Escambia County School District will be closed Thursday, Sept. 17 and Friday, Sept. 18 due to the devastating effects of Hurricane Sally.
Escambia Search And Rescue, inc.
-
ESAR boat crew is searching Herron Bayou for a missing boater.
-
ESAR teams are preparing to do a house-to-house survey on Pensacola Beach, as requested by Escambia Fire.
Supervisor of Elections
- The office will remain closed to the public on Friday, September 18. Many of our services are available online at EscambiaVotes.gov. You can register to vote, update your voter record (change address, name, and political party), request a vote-by-mail ballot, find your polling location, and much more.
- The election worker training classes scheduled for Friday, September 18 and Saturday, September 19 will be rescheduled. Workers will be notified once the new training date and time have been set.
- Check our website and follow us on social media for updates.
First Judicial Circuit
- State courts in Escambia and Walton Counties will be CLOSED on Thursday and Friday, September 17 and 18, 2020. Regular operations will resume on Monday, Sept. 21.
- State courts in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Counties will be CLOSED on Thursday, September 17. If closure is required on Friday, that announcement will be made as soon as possible.
Florida Department of Transportation
Chipley – The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is providing an update on state road and bridge closures and restrictions in Northwest Florida due to Hurricane Sally.
Escambia County
· Pensacola International Airport has suspended operations for all arriving and departing commercial aircraft.
· The Pensacola Bay Bridge on U.S. 98 is closed to all traffic.
Jackson County
· S.R. 166 (Caverns Road) from Russell Road to S.R. 71 is closed due to flooding.
Santa Rosa County
· Garcon Point Bridge (State Road (S.R.) 281) is open to limited to two-axle vehicles. Emergency service vehicles, including ambulances and fire trucks, are permitted to cross the bridge as well as sport utility vehicles, pick-up trucks, and private vehicles towing single or double axle trailers. Trucks need to continue to follow the truck detour routes.
· The outside eastbound lane of U.S. 90 from the Escambia County Line to Bass Hole Cove Bridge is closed due to shoulder erosion.
· S.R. 89 is closed at the Alabama State line due to roadway damage in Alabama.
Washington County
· S.R. 277 from Pioneer Road to Bonnett Pond Road is closed due to flooding.
Motorists are encouraged to monitor weather reports and road conditions and to be on the lookout for flooded roads. If the road ahead is flooded, turn around and find an alternate route. Flooded roads may hide the fact that the roadway is washed out underneath and as little as six inches of rushing water can force your car off the road.
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 visit the Florida Department of Transportation District Three on the web at www.nwflroads.com, follow us on Twitter @myfdot_nwfl, or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MyFDOTNWFL.
-
Theo Baars and Bob Sikes bridges are open to residents. Identification such as a driver's license, utility bill, lease, or Pensacola Beach sticker is required for Pensacola Beach access.
-
Bob Sikes Bridge inspection was completed at 2:45 p.m. today. The southbound bridge is closed until further notice due to undermining of the approach slab and roadway shoulder collapsing. The northbound bridge is open to restricted traffic loads and speeds at this time. Minimal undermining of approach slab for this bridge. Contractor is currently mobilizing resources.
-
Out-of-town Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key property owners should wait to check on their properties due to limited access, power and water. Very few stores or retail establishments are open. Law enforcement is patrolling the areas.
Florida Department of Health in Escambia County
Gulf Power
Escambia River Electric Cooperative, Inc.
-
EREC line crews and assisting cooperative crews continue to make great progress in repairs to our power system. We are following the proper steps in power restoration to bring the largest number of members back online in the shortest amount of time. All substations are energized, and crews are working on main distribution lines and, in some areas, tap lines.
-
95% of our membership was without power immediately following the storm. At this time, 41% of outages have been restored. We currently have 5,936 outages – 3,182 in Escambia County and 2,754 in Santa Rosa.
-
We appreciate our members’ patience as crews work around the clock making power system rep
Governor's Press Office
-
Yesterday, Governor DeSantis held a press conference regarding Hurricane Sally at Pensacola Aviation with Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez, FDEM Director Jared Moskowitz, Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Kevin Thibault and Congressman Matt Gaetz.
-
Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-225, expanding the state of emergency for Hurricane Sally to the following counties: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Okaloosa, Walton and Washington.
NAS Pensacola
- Following the aftermath of Hurricane Sally, Naval Air Station Pensacola is currently at Condition of Readiness (COR) V as of Thursday, Sept. 17.
- Access to the base remains only for mission essential personnel or base residents until further notice. COR V is the lowest condition of hurricane readiness. Destructive force winds (50 mph) are not expected.
- Damage assessment continues onboard NAS Pensacola following the hurricane and more information will be provided in the near future.
Pensacola Area Chamber Of Commerce
Escambia County Key Business Opening Status as of Sept. 16 (4:30 p.m.)
Store openings/closings
- All Targets are open until 7 p.m. and have limited dry groceries.
- All Publix stores are open. Hours vary depending on location and supplies.
- All Lowes and Home Depot stores are open operating from 6 a.m. until curfew.
- The following Walgreens are open: Nine Mile and Pine Forest, Mobile Highway and Saufley, 9th Avenue and Cervantes Street.
- FloridaDisaster.Biz Open/Close Status: https://www.floridadisaster.biz/BusinessOpenCloseStatus
Pensacola Christian Academy
- Pensacola Christian Academy and Pensacola Christian College will be closed Thursday, Sept. 17 and Friday, Sept. 18. Non-essential employees should not report to work Thursday and Friday.
Peoples Water Service Company of Florida
- Peoples Water Service Company has issued a system-wide Precautionary Boil Water Notice to its customers.
- Customers are advised to boil water for one minute at a rolling boil or to use 8 drops of regular unscented household bleach per gallon of water, for water to be used for drinking or cooking purposes. If you have any questions, please contact us at (850) 455-8552.
The Santa Rosa Island Authority
- The Santa Rosa Island Authority regular scheduled committee meeting for September 23 has been postponed to September 30.
Waste Services
Escambia County is beginning its recovery process in the wake of Hurricane Sally. To assist residents and the county’s commercial haulers in the process of disposal of waste and debris, the following schedule of hours of operation for the Perdido Landfill, Palafox Transfer Station and Oak Grove Citizens Convenience Center, for Friday, Sept. 18 and Saturday, Sept. 19 are being provided for your assistance and convenience:
-
Perdido Landfill – 13009 Beulah Road, Cantonment
09/18 – Commercial: 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residential: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
09/19 – Commercial: 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residential: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m
Palafox Transfer Station (Commercial Only) – 2906 N. Palafox St., Pensacola
-
09/18 – CLOSED
09/19 – 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Oak Grove Citizens Convenience Center (Residential Only) – 745 County Road 99, McDavid
09/18 – 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – (Until further notice, please observe regular volume limits)
UWF
- UWF will be closed until Monday, Sept. 21 through 4:59 a.m.
Pensacola State College
- All offices, classes and activities at Pensacola State College will remain closed through Friday, September 18. PSC plans to reopen on Monday, Sept. 21, but will monitor the weather and any storm related issues and send additional alerts if plans change. Go to pensacolastate.edu for additional information. All maintenance and security personnel should contact their supervisors for instructions.
Generator Safety Tips and Precautions
- Do not attempt to move downed power lines. Please contact Gulf Power at 1-800-GU-POWER (1-800-487-6937)
- Unless you are in a life-threatening situation, please shelter in place and do not venture out.
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.
- Never make 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 cutting; 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.
Storm Debris Burning
- Burning large debris left from a hurricane can be dangerous. Many residents open windows to get air circulation in their homes due to power outages, and burning large trees and limbs as well as other debris, creates large amounts of smoke which can travel into homes.
- Burning insulation and roofing creates very toxic smoke.
- Burning large trees and limbs and branches can also create sparks that go airborne and land on your home.
- Burn laws are still in place before, during, and after a hurricane. Know your local burn ordinance.
- Children should never be allowed to burn debris and should leave any type of burning to an adult.
Tips on choosing a contractor:
No permitting is required for emergency storm repairs. Emergency repairs are for achieving a basic level of safety for occupancy of a structure.
- Ask to see their license and call the appropriate licensing agency – Escambia County Contractor Licensing Section for a county license or DBPR for state license to verify the status and insurance.
- Contractor Search
- Ask for and verify references from past customers.
- Check with the local Better Business Bureau.
- Get a written estimate from several licensed contractors. Be sure that the estimate includes all work to be done by the contractor, the materials involved, date of completion and the total cost.
- Don't simply take the lowest bid. An abnormally low bid could lead to trouble later on.
- If the project is for repairing damage, check with your insurance company before you sign a contractor to verify that your insurance will cover the repairs.
- An occupational license is not sufficient in the construction trades.
- Beware of alleged contractors who ask to be paid in cash or ask for large payments up front.
Report Price Gouging
- Report fraud by calling the Price Gouging Hotline at 1-866-9 - NO-SCAM (1-866-966--7226. Visit www.MyFloridaLegal.com to find consumer tips or to file a complaint.
Helpful Links and Contacts
Outages:
- Gulf Power: 1-800-GU-POWER (1-800-487-6937)
- Escambia River Electric Cooperative: 1-877-OUT-EREC (1-877-688-3732)
- ECUA General Customer Service: (850) 476-0480
Law Enforcement: All emergencies: 911
Utilities
How You Can Help
- United Way of West Florida (UWWF) will open a relief fund for those affected by Hurricane Sally.
- UWWF will accept financial contributions to the fund to provide support to these households.
- UWWF will accept financial contributions to help victims of Hurricane Sally.
- BRACE strongly encourages Cash, Confirm, and Connect through cash donations the affected can receive the aid they need.
- At this time, there are no needed items for those impacted by Hurricane Sally. ESF 15 encourages cash donations to UWWF.
- You can help aid in the recovery by donating to UWWF’s Hurricane Sally Relief Fund. Text 850RELIEF to 41444 or visit www.uwwf.org/850RELIEF.
