Hurricane Matthew Preparation and Emergency Information
- October 6, 2016
Pinellas: Citizen Information Center open, EOC activating
Pinellas County officials are closely monitoring Hurricane Matthew for potential impacts to local residents. Pinellas County is activating its Emergency Operations Center at 10 a.m. to allow county and partner agencies to better coordinate resources and operations.
The Citizen Information Center is now open until 11 p.m. Residents can call (727) 464-4333 for general information.
Pinellas County remains under a tropical storm watch, with the National Weather Service forecasting sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph and occasional storm bands with 40 to 55 mph wind gusts, similar to summer thunderstorms. These conditions are expected to begin early Friday morning and last a good portion of the day.
According to the official forecast from the National Weather Service, the predicted track of Hurricane Matthew can still change, which could further increase the expected wind speeds. However, the amount of rainfall is predicted to be about one inch and there is no forecast for storm surge. Pinellas County will not be issuing sandbags.
According to the National Weather Service, there is a high risk of rip currents on Friday for all Pinellas beaches and tides two feet above normal from Tarpon Springs to Indian Rocks Beach. Clearwater Beach is expecting a northwest wind influence that is expected to cause wave run-up and beach erosion.
No evacuation is being called in Pinellas County. In an abundance of caution, three shelters will be available at 2 p.m. today should residents want to shelter there. The shelters will also be available to support residents from the east coast who are not able to find hotel accommodations.
· Dunedin Community Center, 1920 Pinehurst Road, Dunedin
· Ross Norton Recreation Center, 1426 South Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Clearwater
· Northside Baptist Church, 6000 38th Avenue North, St. Petersburg
During a declared state of emergency, restrictions on refilling medications early are suspended by state law. This law requires all insurers and managed-care organizations to suspend refill-too-soon restrictions when a patient seeks a refill.
Some of the recommended steps residents are asked to take include:
· Sign up for Alert Pinellas at www.pinellascounty.org/alertpinellas to receive emergency notifications via phone, email or text message.
· Stay tuned for weather updates through weather alert radios, local media outlets, the county website (www.pinellascounty.org) and county social media accounts with the designated #MatthewPinellas for easier information tracking.
· Review additional tips and planning tools in the 2016 All Hazards Guide, available in English and Spanish at www.pinellascounty.org/emergency.
· Know your evacuation zone, which can be found at www.pinellascounty.org/emergency or by downloading the Pinellas County Doing Things mobile app.
· Review disaster plans for your family, business and property.
· Get your survival kit and important papers ready. Purchase any items you will need to complete your survival kit now to avoid long lines and limited supplies.
If you have special needs, be sure your caregiver begins to implement your plan. If you have no other options, register for special needs shelters by calling Emergency Management at (727) 582-2600 or by contacting your local fire department.
For more information on emergency preparedness, visit: www.pinellascounty.org/emergency. Pinellas County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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