UPDATE: County provides update on storm
UPDATE: At about 4:30 p.m. today, Oct. 6, Lee County provided the following additional updates:
Lee County Emergency Management urges residents to finalize their hurricane plans. Hurricane Milton is forecast to bring wind, life-threatening storm surge and localized flooding to Lee County this week.
Residents need to:
– Revisit their family emergency plan.
– Check their emergency supply kits.
– Secure objects around homes.
– Monitor local meteorologists’ reports.
– Sign up for AlertLee at https://www.alertlee.com/.
– Monitor www.leegov.com/storm and Lee County social media channels.
The EOC is activated at a Level 2 and will move to a full activation on Oct. 7 at 7 a.m.
At noon on Oct. 7, Lee County anticipates announcing information about evacuation orders and shelter openings, as well as LeeTran service to those shelters. Residents can check www.leegov.com/storm to see which shelters open and when.
Residents who live in coastal areas or flood-prone inland areas do not need to wait for evacuation orders to mobilize. Go to friend or family members’ homes or make arrangements to relocate inland.
View announcements on the county’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/leecountyflbocc. They can also be viewed on LeeTV and on the Lee County Government YouTube channel.
Residents can call the United Way’s Emergency Information Hotline with questions by dialing 211 or 239-433-3900.
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ORIGINAL (Oct. 6, 2024):
At noon today, Oct. 6, Lee County provided an update on Hurricane Milton.
Some of the highlights from the briefing, which included the Lee County commissioners and Lee County Public Safety Director Benjamin Abes, include:
– No evacuation orders are in place at this time. The county anticipates issuing evacuation orders as soon as Monday and no later than Tuesday morning.
– Some general population shelters will open Monday afternoon, especially for those who are still recovering from Hurricanes Helene and Ian. Additional shelters will open Tuesday. LeeTran will provide transportation to the shelters for those who need it. Remember to check www.leegov.com/storm to see which shelters open and when. The county is coordinating with the Florida Department of Health for its special needs sheltering operation.
– Emergency Operations Center is activated at a Level 2. That is a partial activation. The EOC will go to a Level 1 full activation at 7 a.m. Monday.
– Lee County has executed a State of Local Emergency for Milton.
– Public Safety is monitoring and preparing with partners, including the National Weather Service, National Hurricane Center, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Florida Division of Emergency Management, and local partners such as the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and School District of Lee County.
– Even if Milton’s forecasted cone shifts north or south, impacts including life-threatening storm surge will be felt in Lee County.
– County offices will open as scheduled at 8 a.m. Monday, but will close at noon. The county will be closed from Monday afternoon through Thursday. The county will announce information about Friday operations on Thursday, depending on the storm’s impact.
– The Lee County Board of County Commissioners meeting scheduled for Tuesday has been canceled. It has not been rescheduled at this time.
– The county asks residents to take time today to:
— Revisit your family emergency plan.
— Know where you will go if you plan to leave.
— Check your emergency supply kit.
— Secure objects around your home.
— Be where you plan to be for the storm by Tuesday evening.
— Monitor local meteorologists’ reports.
— Sign up for AlertLee at https://www.alertlee.com/.
— Monitor www.leegov.com/storm and Lee County social media channels.
— You have time to prepare today but the window to prepare is closing. The time for action is today.
– Sand and sand bags:
— Consult your local fire department for availability of sand and sand bags.
— Each site may have varying levels of inventory.
— Emergency Operations is working with vendors to replenish sand at fire departments.
– Solid Waste/debris:
— Helene debris collection continues to happen today. Debris will be collected Monday and will continue Tuesday as weather allows.
— Do not put out additional Helene debris or bulky waste. This precaution will help minimize the dangers of debris becoming projectiles during Milton. It also allows the haulers to pick up what is out there now.
– Solid Waste/regular pickup:
— Regular trash, recycling, yard waste that is scheduled for Monday will happen Monday.
— Do not place out trash, recycling or yard waste on Tuesday or Wednesday. All normal waste collection services are suspended for those days.
— Announcements will be forthcoming on when regular collections will resume.
– DOT and Natural Resources:
— Crews are out today clearing storm drains, adjusting weirs, monitoring creeks and streams.
— These activities have been ongoing since Hurricane Helene.
The update on Milton is available for viewing on the county’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@LeeCountyFLBOC.