Gov. Scott Issues Updates on Hurricane Irma Preparedness
Today, Governor
Hurricane and Storm Surge Watches are in effect for portions of
EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS BY STATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM
WATCHES AND WARNING
* A Storm Surge Watch has been issued for the
* A Hurricane Watch has been issued for the
EVACUATIONS AND SHELTERS
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* School buses are available for transportation needs in
* Additional evacuations are expected throughout the state. All Floridians should pay close attention to local alerts and follow the directions of local officials.
* Shelters are opening in coastal counties throughout the day, including shelters for people with special needs, pets and general populations. DOH is coordinating the set up and staffing for special needs shelters. A list of all open shelters will be available at floridadisaster.org/shelters.
* The state is working with the
MILITARY SUPPORT
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LAW ENFORCEMENT
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* FWC is also coordinating with partners in states such as
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* A total of 330 FHP troopers are currently on standby for deployments. A 33-member team is currently in route to the
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TRANSPORTATION & PUBLIC WORKS
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* Real-time traffic information and evacuation routes is available at www.FL511.com
* FDOT is coordinating with Google's emergency response team to prepare to 'close' roads in Google Maps in real time in the event that Hurricane Irma forces the closure of any roads in the aftermath of the storm. Google Maps are used for
* The
* FDOT is coordinating with county emergency operations centers directly to coordinate any necessary response actions, including activating traffic counters, providing local evacuation support and providing maintenance of traffic and other assistance.
* The state is monitoring conditions at all airports and seaports. As of now, there are no closed airports or seaports.
VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS
* Volunteer Florida is coordinating with volunteer organizations across the state and has partnered with the
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* Volunteer Florida has fielded 250 calls from individuals interested in volunteering.
* Volunteer Florida is also registering volunteers at volunteerflorida.org. Over 1,900 individuals have registered to volunteer in the last 24 hours.
* Volunteer Florida has 43 Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) on standby to deploy to areas of need. Many of these teams have begun to work in local call centers and prepare for sheltering assistance.
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* Feeding Florida has received nine truckloads of food from
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* Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of
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* Angel Flight SE has 700 pilots based in the southeastern
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* Mission North American Disaster Relief is staging equipment in various locations across the state and have two shower trailers available.
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HUMAN SERVICES:
* While the state is working with retail partners to fill grocery store shelves with water and other emergency resources as quickly as possible, it is important to be considerate of neighbors and take only what each family needs to be prepared.
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* The state has established local points of contact with mass care organizations and volunteer agencies, including working with the
* The state is staging mass care supplies such as meals, shelter support trailers and water at the State Logistic Response Center in
* Food Safety Response Teams are beginning to be placed on standby for recovery assessments.
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VETERAN SERVICES
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* Veterans from storm-impacted areas who require immediate assistance may contact: VA Health Resource Center Disaster Hotline: 1-800-507-4571.
STATE OFFICE CLOSURES
* Governor
* State offices in
* In partnership with the
SCHOOL DISTRICTS
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* Districts are preparing in the case that their facilities are needed for shelters. Colleges are making emergency preparations on their campuses and working with students who may need assistance with relocation.
K-12 Public Schools Closures
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* St. Johns (Friday, Monday)
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Florida College System Closures
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State University System Closures
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FUELS
* For more information, please click HERE (http://www.flgov.com/2017/09/07/gov-scott-were-working-aggressively-to-get-more-fuel-to-gas-stations/)
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* Following a request from
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* All Florida ports are operational and are prioritizing fuel shipments.
Fuel Updates
* The state has worked with fuel suppliers to identify excess fuel in the Western
* Emergency fuel contractors have secured 1.5 million gallons of fuel for initial delivery and confirmed that additional fuel supply is on standby for future deliveries.
* The state is working to identify other fuel ships that can be diverted to
* There is currently a fuel ship in route from a refinery in
BUSINESS, INDUSTRY, & ECONOMIC STABILIZATION
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* The state has activated the Private Sector Hotline at 850-815-4925. The hotline is available for business inquiries about the storm, preparedness information and post-impact information.
* The state is conducting daily Private Sector conference calls to provide situational awareness and to address concerns of private sector partners.
* DEO is continuing to coordinate with CareerSource Florida, local workforce boards, and other public-private partners.
* Major retailers are being contacted to provide the status of emergency supplies.
VISIT
* VISIT
* Through VISIT
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PUBLIC HEALTH AND MEDICAL
* Under a State of Emergency, individuals are able to refill prescriptions early. All health insurers, managed care organizations, and other entities that are licensed by the
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ELECTRIC & NATURAL GAS UTILITIES (
* Utility providers are working on staging and asset allocation so they can return power as quickly as possible following the storm and are prepared to start reporting outage and restoral information when notified to begin.
* The state is monitoring the power grid for sufficient power and the natural gas infrastructure for any damages that can cause a loss of service to power plants.
* The state is coordinating with utilities to identify potential fuel, equipment or resource needs.
* Memos for several gas companies to have access to their facilities have been issued.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
* The state has contacted telecommunications partners and activated protective action plans and procedures for Central Offices, tower sites, mobile response units and any other critical infrastructure.
* Comcast has opened more than 137,000 free Xfinity WiFi hotspots throughout the state for individuals in need, including non-Xfinity customers, to help residents and emergency personnel stay connected if Hurricane Irma makes anticipated landfall in
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* The state has finalized 24-hour staffing schedules and all Telecommunications remain on standby to respond if required. Additional resources are being identified and preparing for potential deployment.
* At this point, there are no out of ordinary reports of any major outages.
* Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) has been sharing vital information about Hurricane Irma through their broadcast network, social media and station websites.
* FPREN is also reporting important news and information through the Florida Storms app and social media pages.
* The state is monitoring the State Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS), which is fully operational.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
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* DEP is reaching out to drinking, wastewater and hazardous waste facilities to help ensure preparation steps are being taken, and has issued an emergency final order to ensure recovery efforts are not hampered or delayed.
* Sixteen Florida State Parks are currently closed. DEP is preparing to close more than 20 additional parks by the end of the day today. A full list of closures can be found at https://floridastateparks.org/content/storm-information.
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* Routine inspections of the Herbert Hoover Dike are taking place and additional inspections will begin once the lake approaches 17 feet. The lake level is currently at 13.67 feet.
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* Field station staff are also inspecting key parts of the flood control system and ensuring adequate supplies of fuel and equipment for pump stations.
* The District is closely coordinating with local drainage districts and governments to help them prepare their local canal systems for stormwater runoff from the hurricane.
INSURANCE
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* Additionally, in response to the Governor's Office Executive Order, OIR has notified all entities writing health insurance in the state of their statutory obligation to allow for early prescription refills. OIR is also coordinating with the
* Chief Financial Officer
* 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.
* OIR has updated its "Hurricane Season Resources" webpage, which contains links to information provided by the Governor, Chief Financial Officer, Attorney General, Commissioner of Agriculture,
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* The media line is 850-921-0217.
* Follow @FLSert or @FLGovScott on Twitter for live updates on Hurricane Irma.
* Visit http://www.floridadisaster.org to find information on shelters, road closures, and evacuation routes.
* On Monday,
* On Tuesday,
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