Leon County Emergency Management: Hurricane Michael Daily Brief - Tuesday, October 9

For Tuesday, October 9

As our community braces for Hurricane Michael, Leon County Emergency Management is preparing for response and recovery operations and executing our emergency plans for this powerful storm, forecasted to become a Category 3 hurricane.

Important Updates

Shelter Locations:

On Tuesday, October 9, Leon announced the following locations for shelter openings:

• Lawton Chiles High School, 7200 Lawton Chiles Ln. This shelter is pet accessible.
• Lincoln High School, 3838 Trojan Trail
• Braden Elementary, 15100 Blountstown Hwy
• SAIL High School, 2006 Jackson Bluff Rd
• Godby High School, 1717 W. Tharpe St
• Opening at 6 pm, Leon High School, 550 E Tennessee St

Shelters will have water and snacks available. Individuals planning to go to a shelter must bring any necessary items, including food, medications, bedding/cots, and anything you need to feel comfortable. 

If you have special needs, please contact the Leon County Citizens Information Line at (850) 606 -3700.

If you need a ride to a shelter, contact StarMetro at (850) 891-5199.

Office, School, and University/College Closures:

• Leon County offices and facilities closed today, Tuesday October 9, at noon and will remain closed Wednesday, October 10 and Thursday, October 11.
• The Tuesday, October 9 Leon County Board of County Commissioners Meeting was canceled.
• City offices and facilities were closed at noon, today, October 9 until further notice.
• Leon County Schools will be closed Tuesday, October 9 through Friday, October 12.
• All universities and colleges will be closed Tuesday, October 9 through Friday, October 12.
• State offices will be closed Tuesday, October 9 through Thursday, October 11 for the 35 counties under a state of emergency.

Solid Waste Services

• All service providers will be closed on Wednesday, October 10.
• Leon County Transfer Station and Solid Waste Management Facility (SWMF) will be closed on Thursday, October 11.

Residents are urged to secure their collection bins during the storm. Further details on waste collection service will be announced later this week.

Stay Informed

As Hurricane Michael approaches our area, Leon County Emergency Management is actively monitoring and executing our emergency plans for this powerful storm. To stay up-to-date on Leon County preparedness actions, such as sand bag locations, shelter openings and preparedness tips, you have the following resources:

• Download the Leon County Citizens Connect mobile application - Completely redesigned, the Citizens Connect mobile app puts timely emergency notifications at your fingertips through push notifications on your smartphone or other device. Be the first to know about shelter locations, road closures and service changes by downloading the application on the Apple and Google Play stores.
• Visit the Leon County Emergency Information Portal - Hosting the same information as the Citizens Connect app, the Emergency Information Portal can be accessed on a desktop or a mobile browser by visiting www.LeonCountyFL.gov/EI .
• Listen to 88.9 WFSU-FM - Citizens can tune in to 88.9 FM for the most up-to-date information from local public safety officials. Featuring to-the-minute reporting, WFSU, Leon County and the City of Tallahassee remain committed to getting information out on the radio as soon as possible.
• Additionally, iHeartRadio will also provide updates on the following stations: WFLA-FM 100.7, WFLF-FM 94.5, WTNT 94.9, KISS-FM 107.1, X-FM101.5, and The Beat-FM 105.3.
• Call Big Bend 2-1-1 - If you need community information, services and support any day of the year, Big Bend 2-1-1 is reachable by dialing either 2-1-1 or (850) 617-6333.
• Call (850) 606-3700 with questions - Leon County Emergency Management staff is available to answer questions from what you should prepare, act and recover.
• For updates on City of Tallahassee Utilities and other City services, visit Talgov.com .
• Insurance Helpline - The Florida Department of Financial Services offers a toll-free Insurance Consumer Helpline to assist Florida's insurance consumers. Insurance Specialists are available to answer questions or concerns regarding insurance coverage and advocate on a consumer's behalf to resolve a dispute with an insurance company. To receive assistance, call 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (693-5236) toll-free, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Price Gouging - During a state of emergency, it is unlawful to sell or lease certain commodities for an amount that grossly exceeds the average price. To report price gouging, call 1-866-966-7226.
• If you are looking for gas, use GasBuddy.com to report fuel prices and availability.

Sandbag Locations

Sand bag sites will cease operations at dusk on Tuesday, October 9.

The County and City made sandbags available to the public at the following locations:

• Tekesta Park, at Tekesta Drive and Deer Lake Road in Killearn Lakes (County)
• Apalachee Regional Park (Landfill), 7550 Apalachee Parkway (County)
• Lee Vause, 6024 Old Bainbridge Road (County)
• At the intersection of Oak Ridge at Ranchero roads (County)
• Winthrop Park, 1601 Mitchell Avenue (City)
• James Messer Sports Complex, 2830 Jackson Bluff Road (City)
• Lawrence-Gregory Community Center, 1115 Dade Street (City)
• Jack McLean Community Center, 700 Paul Russell Road (City)

County locations will be staffed to assist citizens. Sand, bags and ties will be available for public use. Residents are asked to take no more than 20 (25 City) bags so as to allow others to prepare. Staff will monitor the sites to replenish as needed.

Plan now because when disaster strikes it is too late to prepare. Leon County and the City of Tallahassee encourage citizens to put disaster supplies in a waterproof and durable five-gallon bucket. Keep these essential items near an exit door in your home or in your vehicle.

Some important items include a flashlight, medications, nonperishable food and water. You can see a full list of preparedness items at www.HaveaHurricanePlan.com . The 2018 Disaster Survival Guide can also be picked up at any Leon County public library or City of Tallahassee community center.

Once you and your family have a hurricane preparedness plan in place, check on your neighbors to ensure that they have one, too. Neighborhoods that prepare together create strong support networks that are vital to a speedy recovery. In the event of a major disaster, your neighbors will be your closest resource and support.

While Leon County is under a hurricane warning at this time, it is important to know the difference between a hurricane watch and a hurricane warning. A hurricane watch is an announcement that hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or higher) are possible within a specified area. Watches are generally issued 48 hours in advance of a hurricane winds. A warning indicates conditions are expected, and these are issued 36 hours in advance.

Prepare your home for strong winds by visually inspecting trees on your property for poor health and reduce the risk to your home by trimming hanging limbs. If you have any questions about your tree's health, contact a Certified Arborist to assist you.

The Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross is offering training this week for citizens interested in volunteering should a shelter activation be required. Learn more by calling 878-6080. Volunteer applications are available at RedCross.org.

Please prepare now. If you have any questions about how best to prepare, please call The Leon County Citizens Information Line at (850) 606-3700.

For current information about local preparedness and response, please follow Twitter.com/LeonCounty .