Escambia Shelters Now Closed
November 10, 2009
The three storm shelters in Escambia County have closed.
About 130 people weathered Tropical Storm Ida in Escambia County Shelters overnight, and another 40 were in a Santa Rosa County shelter.
There were 23 people and a small number of pets in the pet-friendly shelter at Molino Park Elementary School and 35 in a shelter at Pensacola High School. There were also 75 people in the West Florida High School special needs shelter.
Another 40 people were in Santa Rosa County’s public shelter at the Milton Community Center.
Ida Just a Tropical Depression
November 10, 2009
At 8:30 Tuesday morning, Ida was downgraded to a tropical depression near the North Escambia area. Ida made its landfall as a tropical storm about 5:40 Tuesday morning at Dauphin Island, Alabama. Data from NOAA Doppler radar and surface observations indicate that the center of Ida made its second landfall around 7 a.m. just to the northwest of Bon Secour Alabama.
Maximum sustained winds were at 35 mph with higher gusts. Ida has lost tropical characteristics and its winds are expected to slowly diminish during the next day
or so.
Ida was located about 40 miles west-northwest of Pensacola this morning, the last advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center.. Ida is moving to the northeast near 9 mph. This general motion with a turn toward the east is expected until it
becomes absorbed by a front on Wednesday.
There’s still a chance of more rain today, but most will be drizzle. By tomorrow, Veterans Day, we can expect sunny skies and a high in the upper 60’s.
Latest Escambia County Storm Information
November 10, 2009
Here are the latest Tropical Storm Ida details for Escambia County, Florida (newest information is highlighted in yellow):
Utilities
- Gulf Power
- 325 homes are without power in Escambia County
- Gulf Power expects to have all power restored by midnight
- Report power outages to 1-800-GU-POWER (1-800-487-6937)
- Escambia River Electric Cooperative
- All power has been restored
- Emerald Coast Utilities Authority
- Residential sanitation collections will be cancelled Tuesday, November 10.
- Tuesday collections will be on Wednesday, November 11.
- Wednesday collections will be Thursday, November 12.
- Thursday collections will be on Friday, November 13.
- Friday collection will be on Saturday, November 14.
- Commercial Service for Tuesday will be collected on Wednesday, November 11. All other commercial collections will be on regularly scheduled days.
- Residential sanitation collections will be cancelled Tuesday, November 10.
Shelters
- Shelters will be closing by 9 a.m. Tuesday, November 10
Road Closures
- Pinoak – both lanes closed
Transportation/Bus Services
- Escambia County Area Transit will resume operations on Tuesday, November 10 after all routes have been deemed safe.
Pensacola Beach
- There are extremely dangerous surf conditions at Pensacola Beach. Surfers and swimmers are encouraged to stay out of the water.
- Collections of tolls will resume on Tuesday, November 10.
Traffic Concerns
- If you approach a traffic signal where the power is out please treat the intersection as a four way stop.
- If you approach standing water in the roadways, turn around and take an alternate route.
City of Pensacola
- Normal operations will resume for all departments at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, November 10.
- Sanitation Services will be closed on Tuesday, November 10 and Wednesday, November 11.
o Tuesday, November 10 will be collected on Thursday, November 12.
o Thursday, November 12 will be collected on Friday, November 13.
o Friday, November 13 will be collected on Saturday, November 14.
o Trash and yard debris collection will resume at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, November 10.
County Offices
- All Escambia County offices will be closed on Tuesday, November 10 and for the Veteran’s Day holiday, November 11.
- Normal operations will resume on Thursday, November 12.
Citizen Information
- The Citizen’s information phone lines will be closing at 4 p.m. Tuesday, November 10, 2009.
- Citizen information phone lines are open. Residents may call (850) 471-6600 with any questions concerning the aftermath of Tropical Storm Ida.
Official Escambia County Websites
EREC: All Power Restored
November 10, 2009
Escambia River Electric Cooperative reports that as of 7:35 a.m., there were no power outages among their members in Escambia or Santa Rosa counties.
“We’ve had scattered outages throughout the night, but the crews have been able to repair them as they occurred,” Sabrina Owens, EREC spokesperson said.
“Safety is our primary concern. I am thankful our crews were able to work safely through the night and keep outages to a minimum,” according to Clay Campbell, EREC general manager/CEO.
EREC is a Touchstone Energy cooperative that distributes electricity to approximately 10,000 members in northern Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in Florida.
Santa Rosa County Storm Information
November 10, 2009
Here is the final Ida information update from the Santa Rosa Emergency Management Agency.
The newest information is highlighted in yellow.
Storm Information as Currently Forecasted by the National Weather Service
· The tropical storm warning has been lifted.
· Coldwater River is expected to crest around midnight Wednesday at four inches above flood stage.
· Flood models for the Blackwater River in Milton are being run by the River Forecast Center, updates will be provided as soon as they are available. At 8 a.m. this morning, it was approximately 2 feet above normal levels, and covered the Riverwalk Boardwalk by roughly 6 inches.
· Residents living near county rivers should monitor the water levels in their area and remember conditions can change very quickly.
Actions by Santa Rosa County
- The emergency operations center will deactivate at 10 a.m.
- Any road flooding will be handled by normal procedures.
- The citizen information line will close at 3 p.m.
Damage Assessments
· Damage assessments were completed this morning, with only minor damage reported.
Road Closures/Traffic Conditions
· Gulf Boulevard/399 west of the Santa Rosa County line is currently impassible.
· Roads with standing water:
o Ward Basin Road at Brown Fish Camp
o Newport Street
o Newport Drive
o Madura
o Coquina
o Andrew Jackson
o Municipal Drive and Elmira Street
o Riverwalk Street at the end of Berryhill Street.
· Driving through rising flood waters is extremely dangerous. Most deaths from flooding in the United States are due to people driving their cars into flooded areas. “Turn around, don’t drown.”
· Any additional closures will be announced as they occur.
Shelters
· The special needs and general shelter at Milton Community Center is closed.
Beach Conditions
· Beachgoers, swimmers and surfers should heed red flag warnings and stay out of the water as deadly rip currents and rough surf conditions are present.
County Offices
· The public presentation of the local mitigation strategy multi-hazard plan and the flood mitigation plan will take place as scheduled tonight at 6 p.m. in the board room of the Santa Rosa County Administrative Center located at 6495 Caroline Street in Milton.
City of Milton
· Russell Harber Landing and Carpenters Park will remain closed through most of the day.
NAS Whiting Field
· Naval Air Station Whiting Field East and West gates to the base are open for return of authorized persons.
· Base personnel should return to work no later than 10 a.m. today.
· Whiting Field services, to include MWR facilities, Navy Exchange, and Commissary should be open by 10 a.m. and will continue their normal operating hours from that time.
· The Naval Branch Medical Clinic will reopen for patients at 7 a.m. Thursday. The pharmacy for the clinic will be able to fill existing prescriptions today, but will not be able to take new prescriptions until Thursday morning.
General Safety Information
· Please monitor your home weather radio and local media outlets for the most up-to-date information.
· Your best defense in any disaster is a NOAA Weather radio.
· Citizens can signup to automatically receive breaking news alerts from Santa Rosa County Emergency Management via e-mail or as a text message on their cell phone at: http://www.santarosa.fl.gov/
Work Must Go On: Working During Ida
November 10, 2009
A few dozen people in North Escambia were hard at work Monday night and Tuesday morning during Tropical Storm Ida.
At Century Care Center, one of North Ecambia’s largest overnight employers, it was an ordinary night at work as the storm passed.
For more photos from Century Care Center, click here.
Pictured above and below: It was work as usual at the Century Care Center overnight as Tropical Storm Ida made landfall. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida: Food Stamp Benefits Available Early Due To Ida
November 10, 2009
In preparation for the potential effects of Tropical Storm Ida, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) made November food stamp benefits available to current recipients earlier than normal. The measure was intended to ensure that storm-impacted residents have an adequate food supply during the post-storm period.
The advance distribution applies to participants of the regular food stamp program in the following counties: Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, Holmes, Jackson, Washington, Calhoun, Bay, Gulf, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Wakulla, Liberty and Franklin.
Benefits are normally available on a staggered schedule from the first to the 15th of each month. The change will allow about 30,000 households to use their benefits earlier than normal. These families should be able to access their benefits using their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card Tuesday morning.
Molino Park Opened As Escambia’s First Pet Friendly Shelter
November 9, 2009
Molino Elementary School became the first storm shelter in Escambia County to accept pets during Ida. It housed 32 people and a small number of pets.
Officials said now is good time to pre-register for the shelter before the next storm hits be registration for pets is required. Registration forms plus a full list of all requirements and pet owner responsibilities can be downloaded from www.bereadyescambia.com, or picked up at the Escambia County Animal Shelter, 200 West Fairfield Drive in Pensacola.
Space is limited to between 150 and 350 animals, depending on breed and kennel sizes. Only dogs and cats will be accepted – no pets of any other species are allowed – however there is no limit of cats or dogs per person, nor limitations on breeds. Pet owners will be required to stay at a facility adjacent to the pet shelter and may not leave their pet at the shelter for any length of time.
Identification tags, proof of vaccinations, food, water, any medications plus bedding and kennels must be provided by the pet owner for each animal. Owners will also have to care for each of their animals including feeding, exercising, potty breaks and all clean up.
Emergency Management’s disaster preparedness web site, www.bereadyescambia.com, provides vital information for pet owners evacuating or sheltering-in-place during storms and lists more than 1,500 rooms available in comfortable, pet-friendly local motels. While pet owners are advised to find alternative accommodations in the event of a hurricane, the pet-friendly shelter will be opened for residents as a refuge of last resort.
One Year Later: Hurricane 113 Evacuation Route Stands Ready
November 9, 2009
This week marks one year since the four-lane Highway 113 route from Flomaton to I-65 opened, providing a vital capacity increase for the major hurricane evacuation route.
The $22.7 million project, which included funds from the state of Alabama, Flomaton and both Escambia County, Alabama, and Escambia County, Florida, provides 13.5 miles of four-lane divided highway from Highway 29/31 in Flomaton to Exit 69 on I-65.
“We found out after Ivan what it was like to have a four lane coming out of the coast of Florida and coming into Flomaton into a two lane,” Alabama Gov. Bob Riley said at the highway’s ribbon cutting last year. “We backed up traffic for miles. And that’s when we really did realize we’ve got to do something to get people on up to 65. One of these days, we are going look back and we are going to say that building this road saved hundreds if not thousands of lives because we were able to evacuate people from the Gulf Coast where otherwise it might not ever have happened.”
The 14 mile widening project broke ground on September 11, 2007. Escambia County, Florida, contributed $4 million to the project. Flomaton and Escambia County, Alabama, each contributed $500,000 with the state of Alabama and the federal government picking up of the rest of the nearly $22.7 million tab.
The highway also includes a new four-span, 204 foot bridge to accommodate northbound traffic.
The November 12, 2008, ribbon cutting was actually over 40 years in the making. Florida and Alabama agreed back in 1967 to four-lane roads on both side of the state line for an evacuation route. Florida finished their part along Highway 29 by 1990, but Alabama did nothing more after acquiring right-of-way back in the 1970’s.
Pictured above: Dignitaries including Alabama Governor Bob Riley cut the ribbon on the newly widened Highway 113 in Flomaton on November 12, 2008. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill Fire Honors Firemen, Community Members During Fish Fry
November 8, 2009
The Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department honored members of the community and the department during their annual fish fry Saturday.
Royce Ward was recognized for his part in forming the fire department in 1965. The fire department was organized by the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club, under the leadership of Ward who served as the group’s president.
The WHVFD presented their Community Service Award to Escambia Grain Manager Ed Nowlin for his long-time service to the Walnut Hill community.
The Officer of the Year Award was presented to Deputy Chief Kevin Mininger. Mininger joined the department in 1987, advancing to deputy chief by 2008.
Jonathan Koehn was named Firefighter of the Year. Koehn joined the fire department in early 2008 and completed his state Firefighter I certification by the end of the year.
Saturday’s fish fry marked the 40th annual event for the department, with over 550 fish and chicken plates sold.
“I would like to thank the department for all they do,” Escambia County Fire Chief Frank Edwards said. “We could not do what we do without the volunteer departments, especially up here.”
For more photos from the 40th annual Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department fish fry, click here.
Pictured top: Andrew Peters (left) takes fish out of a fryer with the help of Chad Rigby Saturday at the annual Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department fish fry. Pictured inset: Community Service Ward winner Ed Nowlin. Pictured below: The department sold over 550 plates of chicken or fish. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
