Coast Guard crews along Florida Gulf Coast prepare for Hurricane Irma

united states coast guard 

News Release  

Sept. 9, 2017
U.S. Coast Guard 7th District PA Detachment Tampa Bay
Contact: Coast Guard PA Detachment Tampa Bay
(305) 965-4672

Coast Guard crews along Florida Gulf Coast prepare for Hurricane Irma

Members from Coast Guard Station Cortez, a multi-mission unit on the west coast of Florida, make preparations to evacuate their crew and assets out of Hurricane Irma’s path before it makes landfall in Cortez, Florida, Sept. 9, 2017. The Coast Guard has pre-positioned personnel, pollution response teams, cutters, small boats and aircraft to ensure they are ready to respond immediately following Hurricane Irma. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Zac Crawford)  Members from Coast Guard Station Cortez, a multi-mission unit on the west coast of Florida, make preparations to evacuate their crew and assets out of Hurricane Irma’s path before it makes landfall in Cortez, Florida, Sept. 9, 2017. The Coast Guard has pre-positioned personnel, pollution response teams, cutters, small boats and aircraft to ensure they are ready to respond immediately following Hurricane Irma. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Zac Crawford)  Members from Coast Guard Station Cortez, a multi-mission unit on the west coast of Florida, make preparations to evacuate their crew and assets out of Hurricane Irma’s path before it makes landfall in Cortez, Florida, Sept. 9, 2017. The Coast Guard has pre-positioned personnel, pollution response teams, cutters, small boats and aircraft to ensure they are ready to respond immediately following Hurricane Irma. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Zac Crawford) 

Editor's note: Click on images for link to high resolution versions.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Coast Guard stations along Florida's Gulf Coast pre-staged personnel and boats Saturday for potential Hurricane Irma impacts to the area.

Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg and stations Fort Myers Beach, Cortez, St. Petersburg, Sand Key and Yankeetown have pre-staged personnel and boats to ensure rapid deployment of resources after the storm passes the Clearwater area and it's safe for Coast Guard crews to respond.

"Just as the Coast Guard and its members are preparing in advance, we urge the public to do so as well." said Capt. Holly Najarian, Captain of the Port for Tampa (COTP), St. Petersburg and Manatee. "Having a hurricane kit and emergency evacuation plans can help ensure the safety of individuals in our community and their loved ones, both during and after a storm."

Maritime search and rescue capabilities may be degraded or unavailable immediately before, during and after the storm. We urge boaters to stay off the water.

Mariners in need of emergency assistance are urged to contact 727-896-6187 to directly reach Coast Guard communication watchstanders. Due to potential high-call volume, continue to call if the line is busy. 911 services should only be used for land-based emergencies.

It is important to note this number is only for life-threatening maritime emergencies along Florida's west coast. Coast Guard response capabilities will be severely degraded or delayed due to severe weather as Hurricane Irma passes through the area. 

Mariners are strongly discouraged from requesting life-saving assistance through social media. Coast Guard access to social media feeds may be severely limited due to the effects of the storm.

For breaking news, follow us on Twitter @uscgsoutheast.

-USCG-