Escambia County - Hurricane Dennis Update

Curfew Order

Escambia County Administrator, George Touart has established a curfew order effective Sunday, July 10, 2005, from 8:00pm to 6:00am.

Law Enforcement agencies will enforce the curfew with the following exceptions:
Businesses and their employees who sell any goods, services, materials, merchandise, supplies, equipment, resources, or other articles of commerce including food, water, ice, chemicals, petroleum products, and lumber necessary for use as a result of a direct emergency; emergency responders including employees of Federal, State, County and Municipal agencies and heath care workers assigned to work as a direct result of this emergency; and employees or agency volunteers of non-governmental organizations officially participating in the emergency response effort assigned to work as a direct result of this emergency are exempt.

Health Department

Effective immediately, the Health Department is issuing health alerts for all swimming and water recreation areas in the inland waters of Escambia County. Excessive surface run-off and possible sanitary sewer overflows caused by flooding may potentially contaminate local swimming areas with water-borne disease pathogens. The Health Department advises against any water-related activities including swimming and fishing in the inland waters due to the potential for high bacteria levels.

Excessive surface run-off and possible sanitary sewer overflows caused by flooding may contaminate the floodwaters pooled on area streets. Children and adults should stay away from pooled floodwaters on area streets; children playing in contaminated standing water can become sick due to high bacteria levels and disease pathogens.
The Escambia County Health Department will assess the safety of swimming areas and notify the public when regularly monitored areas are safe for swimming, fishing and water recreation.

Basic hygiene is very important during an emergency period. Always wash your hands with soap and water that has been boiled or disinfected and cooled before eating, after toilet use, after participating in cleanup activities, and after handling articles contaminated by floodwater or sewage.

Traffic & Fuel

Crews cannot get to areas. Please stay off roads so crews can repair services.
The county is working with the state for fuel deliveries.

Shelters

The Special Needs Shelter will now accept residents who are no longer able to live in their home due to loss of power or damage from Hurricane Dennis. The Special Needs Shelter is for the medically needy who live independently but rely on either nursing care or electrical power to perform daily activities such as taking medication or monitoring vital signs.

The shelter populations are as follows as of 9:30 pm July 10:

Total general shelter population – 1,210
Bellview Elementary, 4425 Bellview Ave – 80
Blue Angel Elementary, 1551 Dog Track Road - 141
Carver Century, 440 East Hecker Road - 159
Ferry Pass Middle, 8355 Yancey Avenue – 50
Molino Park Elementary, 899 Highway 97 - 210
Pensacola Civic Center 201 East Gregory Street – 350
Tate High School, 1771 Tate Road – 52
University of West Florida, 11000 University Pkwy, Bldg. 13 – 101
West Florida High School, 2400 Longleaf Drive - 67
Special Needs Shelter-– 206 including staff

Governor Jeb Bush will visit Escambia County EOC on Monday from 9:45-10:45.

Fire & Law Enforcement

The Escambia County Fire Department and EMS crews are currently responding to calls held during the storm and current emergency calls. They are also doing street-to-street damage assessments and search and rescue operations.

Escambia Search and Rescue personnel are asked to report as early as possible on Monday.

The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department and Pensacola Police Department are currently conducting damage assessments and answering emergency calls.

FHP is reporting downed trees, water on roads and are still assessing the interstate.

FDLE has 450 state law enforcement officers responding, 750 national guardsman, and 100 sheriff’s deputies.

Hospitals

West Florida Hospital is currently running on generators but has water service. Patients are safe and cared for.

Baptist Hospital is up and running.

Sacred Heart is up and running.

Beaches

Perdido Key is open but under current curfew conditions.

No hurricane passes are needed.

No power or other utilities at this time.

Access from Escambia County only.

The Perdido Key Chamber of Commerce Office will be closed Monday to allow County crews easier access for damage assessment, but will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, July 12, 2005.

Residents that do not already have their hurricane passes should pick up their passes beginning on Tuesday, July 12, 2005.

Pensacola Beach has downed power lines and wash-overs on roads.

An information station is being setup on Perdido Key where passes for re-entry can be obtained. (The location to be announced). These passes will be recognized on Orange Beach and Baars Bridge. See their website www.perdidochamber.com for updates.

Hurricane passes from Ivan can be used for re-entry to Perdido Key.


Escambia County Emergency Operations

The EOC will continue to staff positions.

Transportation

The bridge and road at Eleven Mile Creek on 297A will be closed between Highway 97 and Pinecone Drive.

All bridges are closed other than 3-Mile Bridge and the Theo Baars Bridge until inspection by the Department of Transportation on Monday.

The detour route for Interstate 10 is north from Exit 13 SR 291 (Davis Highway) or Exit 22 SR 281 (Avalon Boulevard) to US 90. Motorists are asked to follow the detour signs. Traffic will use this route until the bridge structures have been inspected after the storm makes landfall.

The Alabama Pass Bridge closed at 6:00 a.m. Saturday per the Orange Beach Police Department.

ECAT bus service will have no service Monday.

All ECAT employees are to report as scheduled Monday.

People in shelters should not call ECAT individually. Shelters will coordinate their transportation.

Four buses will be sent to each shelter to transport. All people from the shelters at one time.

Tolls remain suspended on the Mid-Bay and Garcon Point Bridges in Florida’s panhandle until further notice.

The Florida Department of Transportation has set up and is manning a phone bank for motorist seeking information. Live personnel are standing by 24/7 to answer calls related to detours, road closures and other transportation related issues. The toll free number is 888-638-0250, then dial 1 and extension 637.

Pensacola Regional Airport

Pensacola Regional Airport sustained damage to the roofs of two out buildings, the Navy Flying Club and Air Cargo. There is minor water damage to other parts of the airport.

The airport is expected to open within 48 hours.

Travelers are advised to make any travel changes by telephone, and should not come out to the airport before contacting their airlines.

AirTran Airways: 1-800-247-8726
American Eagle: 1-800-433-7300
Continental Airways: 1-800-525-0280
Delta Air Lines: 1-800-221-1212
Northwest: 1-800-225-2525
US Airways: 1-800-428-4322

Contact information for all airlines serving the Pensacola Regional Airport is available at www.flypensacola.com.

County Office Announcements

Escambia County Facilities Management reports:

The Escambia Jail, Central Booking, and Sheriff Administration are without water pressure and power.

The canopy blew off the Central Booking building onto Escambia County One-Stop Building.

The generator at the Road Prison is not working.

The Animal Shelter has sustained roof damage.

The phone system at Escambia County Animal Control is out of service due to the storm. Until it is repaired, citizens who have animal control emergencies should call the County dispatchers at 471-6300.

Escambia County Road Department Crews are currently inspecting roads.

The Escambia County Engineering Department is evaluating all traffic signals and will have generators at locations that do not have power.

The Escambia County Animal Shelter is open as of Monday.

The county currently has three debris contractors, Ash Britt, Crowder-Gulf and DRC and will not be soliciting for additional contractors.

Those Board of County Commissioner and Constitutional Officers’ employees that are Manpower Pool unscheduled are to report to the Extension Center at 8:00 am on Tuesday for job assignments. Please monitor news broadcasts in the event that the return time is moved up to an earlier time. This includes all employees who have not been assigned pre-storm duties. This does not include School Board or Emerald Coast Utilities Authority employees. Staff are asked to come prepared to work outside with tennis shoes, sunscreen, hats, etc.

All Escambia County Health Department clinics will be closed on Monday. Clients with appointments at any of the health department’s four clinics should call next week to reschedule.

Escambia County Health Department employees must call-in their status using the toll-free phone number 1-877-425-8852. There are more than 400 health department employees reporting to emergency assignments during Hurricane Dennis including assignments at the county’s Special Needs Shelter.

Escambia County School District

Disaster assessment teams are asked to report to their respective sites at 7:00 am Monday.

The Escambia County School District has reported that all district activities are cancelled for next week.

Clerk of the Circuit Court's Office

The scheduled Tax Deed Sale scheduled on Monday July 11th, 2005 at the Old County Courthouse has been cancelled and will be rescheduled.

The scheduled Mortgage Foreclosure Sale scheduled on Monday July 11th, 2005 at the M.C. Blanchard Judicial Building has been cancelled and will be rescheduled.

Courts

All courts in Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Walton Counties are closed on Monday, July 11, 2005 due to Hurricane Dennis.

The Information Hotline for the courts is 850/595-4400 in Pensacola. Information will be updated on that line as it becomes available. The courts have also established a web link at www.firstjudicialcircuit.org where updates will also be posted.

Persons who miss a court date on Monday should call their attorney’s office on Tuesday for rescheduling information. Unrepresented persons should call the respective Clerk of Court when the courts reopen.

It is anticipated that all courts will re-open for business on Tuesday, July 12, 2005 unless otherwise posted or stated on the Information Hotline.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY JURORS: All Escambia County jurors scheduled to report for the week of Monday, July 11, 2005 should not report to the M.C. Blanchard Building on Monday. Pay close attention to the news media for updated information and further instructions.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY JURORS: No jurors are scheduled to report the week of Monday, July 11, 2005. Jurors scheduled to report the following week should pay close attention to news media for updated information and further instructions.

OKALOOSA COUNTY JURORS: Jurors scheduled for jury duty on Monday, July 11, 2005 should plan to report instead on Wednesday, July 13, 2005. Pay close attention to the news media for updated information and further instructions.

WALTON COUNTY JURORS: Jurors scheduled to report on Monday, July 11, 2005 are excused. Pay close attention to the news media for updated information and further instructions.

City of Pensacola

The City of Pensacola reports the northeast side of the city was hardest hit. Most damage was not severe, generally downed trees.

The Fire Department will start clearing roads immediately.

Pensacola Police Department is currently conducting damage assessments and answering emergency calls.

The Pensacola City Council has cancelled City Committee meetings scheduled Monday, July 11 and the City Council meeting scheduled Thursday, July 14. The meetings are expected to be rescheduled for the week beginning July 17.

Navy

NAS Pensacola sustained minimal damage. The front and back gates are open. Access is restricted to military and civilian employees with red stickers.

NAS Pensacola will reopen tomorrow to all military personal and those civilians with red and yellow stickers for normal working hours from 8:00 am.

All residents of Mariner Village may return at any time. Be advised there is no power as of yet.

NAS Pensacola base housing will be open for residents at noon Monday. Base housing does have power.

The base will reopen to all at noon Monday.

Tuesday will be normal working hours for all personnel.

Boat owners with boats at Bayou Grande Marina will have access to their boats at noon Monday.

NEX facilities will reopen at noon Monday.

Military personnel and government employees are exempt from the curfew order.

NAS Whiting Field personnel with red/orange stickers are to report to work at 8:00 am Monday. Personnel with purple stickers should report at noon.

NAS Whiting EOC contact number is: (850) 623-7709/7287.

Center for Information Dominance, Corry Station – All military and civilian personnel will muster no later than 12:00 noon on Monday, July 11, 2005.

The Naval Hospital will be open Monday, July 11, 2005 and will be accepting patients on a walk-in basis. Tuesday will be business as usual.

NAS Saufley Field will resume normal operations on Monday, July 11, 2005.

Gulf Power

Following Hurricane Dennis, 236,713 Gulf Power customers are without power – almost 60% of the 396,000 total customers. The following is an outage breakdown geographically, by county:

Escambia - 101,620
Santa Rosa - 52,227
Okaloosa - 60,877
Bay - 16,783
Washington - 2,462
Holmes - 1,820
Walton - 587
Jackson - 337

Gulf Power has been busy trying to assess damage to the electrical system as Dennis passed through the area. Full restoration will begin at daybreak on Monday as Gulf Power crews and outside workers head out in full force.

Until damage assessments are done, they cannot determine how long it will take to restore power.

Customers are asked to report outages to 1-800-GUPOWER.

1,400 employees are prepared for storm duty and outside utilities are standing by to send in crews.

Gulf Power Company has commitments for more than 3,300 outside workers to help restore power after the storm passes.

Emerald Coast Utilities Authority

ECUA has experienced loss of power at several of its production wells resulting in loss of pressure and available water. As a precaution, ECUA is notifying all of its water customers to boil water prior to drinking or use bottled water.

The Main Street Wastewater Plant is currently with power.

Bayou Marcus is operating on generators. Please restrict water use.

Escambia River Electric Cooperative

According to remote indicator equipment, 10,000 northern Escambia County and Santa Rosa County customers are without power. Assessments are currently being conducted.

Call 1-800-235-3848 to report power outages.

Gonzales Utilities and Farm Hill Utilities

These utilities have reported that they will continue to run throughout the hurricane.

Bell South

With power outages, some customers receiving service through remote telephone terminals have experienced service interruptions. Service to most of those customers is being restored as commercial power returns.

Some customers may experience service interruptions if their lines have been damaged. As soon as it is safe to enter these areas, BellSouth sweep teams are assessing damage and restoring service.

Approximately 7,000 BellSouth employees maintain the Florida network and hundreds of BellSouth technicians in surrounding BellSouth states are mobilized with vehicles, equipment and supplies ready to work around the clock to help restore telephone service to Florida customers affected by Hurricane Dennis.

Cox Communications

Cox Communications is currently going through the assessment process.

Preliminary basements show the network did not sustain major damage. Assessments will continue today and tomorrow.

1,000 additional contractors and employees from other Cox service areas will help restore services as soon as possible.

Perdido Landfill

The landfill plans to re-open on Monday at 1pm (weather permitting).

The Solid Waste Department has pulled all their recycling containers. They will be replaced as soon possible after the storm passes.

The Oak Grove Convenience Center will reopen after the storm as soon as possible.
Citizens are encouraged to report anyone who is seen dumping illegally by providing vehicle tag numbers and descriptions to (850) 595-3536.

Landfill employees are to report to work Monday as scheduled unless winds are above 40 mph (sustained).

The Debris Hotline, 937-2180, will resume as soon as possible after the storm.

Red Cross

All Red Cross volunteers and individuals wishing to volunteer their support for Hurricane Dennis should contact their local Red Cross office unless already scheduled for assignments.

In Escambia County, Red Cross volunteers and those wanting to assist should call (850) 432-7601.

United Way

Any residents who would like to volunteer to assist others please call the EOC Volunteer Line at 471-6696.

The Volunteer Reception Center will open for donations on Tuesday morning.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services will begin feeding at 10:30 am on Monday, July 11, 2005, at the Miracle Faith Center located at 4317 N Palafox Street and the Salvation Army Main Building located at 1501 N “Q” Street.

An additional eight mobile feeding units will arrive early Monday afternoon and will be dispatched to the following locations:

Parkmore Plaza, Milton
Pace Assembly of God, Pace
Bruno’s Grocery Store, Gulf Breeze
Winn Dixie, Gulf Breeze
Walnut Hill Community Center
Pensacola Retirement Center
Old Albertson’s Parking Lot at Mobile Highway and Fairfield Drive
First West Florida Baptist District Association at Strong and “S” Street

Additional Information

Remain calm, especially while waiting in fuel lines, at grocery stores, banks, etc.
Be sure to store gasoline and diesel fuel in well-ventilated areas, away from heat sources, which could cause it to ignite.

Generators should be placed outdoors in a well-ventilated area.

Residents can help the recovery effort by staying off the roads until curfews are lifted. Refrain from unnecessary travel following the storm’s landfall.

Evacuated residents should avoid returning to impacted areas until local authorities issue re-entry orders, roads and bridges along travel corridors re-open and utility crews begin returning power to communities.

Exercise patience, restraint and good judgment.

Visit floridadisaster.org for the latest information or call the Florida Emergency Information Line at 1-800-342-3557 before returning to impacted areas.

Citizen Information Line

Citizens may call (850) 471-6600 if they have questions about Hurricane Dennis.

Price Gouging

Residents are asked to report price gouging to the Florida Attorney General at 1-866-966-7226.

Official Website for Preparations (as well as what to do after a storm)

www.bereadyescambia.com