Lake County government's Hurricane Ian message: 'We really want everyone to be safe'
TAVARES — Lake County residents on Wednesday were told to hunker down in the safest place by 2 p.m. as Hurricane Ian approaches.
Tropical storm-force winds are expected to lash the county from 2 to 4 p.m., County Commission Chairman Sean Parks said during a morning news conference.
The National Weather Service said the county could expect to see up to a foot of rain in some areas, 45 to 55 mph wind gusts, and the potential for isolated tornadoes Thursday.
Live Hurricane Ian updates: The latest as the storm heads into Florida
Shelters and sandbags in Lake County: The latest on Hurricane Ian
'Water, Chef Boyardee and doughnuts': Lake County residents brace for Hurricane Ian
“Stay away from windows. Stay off the roads,” said Emergency Management Director Megan Milanese.
Flooding will be an issue, especially in Astor, said Sheriff Peyton Grinnell, who said his agency will have a strong presence in the town on the banks of the St. Johns River.
Other areas also typically flood during major storms, including Emerald Lakes in Clermont, which includes mobile homes.
There are no mandatory evacuations, however. Police and sheriff’s deputies have been advising people of the dangers. Parks said the rapidly growing county now has 400,000 residents, many of whom have never experienced a hurricane.
“We really want everyone to be safe,” said Grinnell, and that was the emphatic message of Jim Dickerson, chief of Lake Fire-Rescue.
Among his tips:
If power goes out on a traffic light, consider it to be a four-way stop
Do not have a generator closer than 20 feet to a house, and not in an enclosed area like a garage, or even a screened-in porch
If you have a generator, only hook it to essential places, like the refrigerator. Overuse could delay power companies from restoring power
“Please do not use candles,” he said. He recalled a fatal house fire where candles were in use
Don’t try to do anything at night. If a tree is down, it could be entangled in downed power lines
Snakes and alligators will be showing up in unexpected places
And in a tip that makes one shudder at the potential for gore, if you are not familiar with a chainsaw, let an experienced person do the work.
In Lake County, 15 schools have been transformed into schools
School Superintendent Diane Kornegay said 15 schools were opened as shelters. She praised those who were manning the shelters, including food service workers who were feeding the people in the shelters.
Aaron Kissler, director of the Department of Health, urged people to bring their own blankets, pillows and entertainment, but not too much. Each person is allotted 20 square feet.
At 9:30 a.m., when the news conference was held at the Emergency Operations Center, Hurricane Ian had not yet made landfall in southwest Florida.
The county had provided 3,500 sandbags and sheltered 300 people
“We know people are nervous and anxious. It can be very stressful,” commission Chairman Parks said. “We know there’s going to be a lot of damage and people’s lives are going to be impacted We have the greatest team. We have people that are very passionate about serving people,” he said.
There is a citizens information phone line at 352-253-9999.
Lake County will also be posting information on Facebook and other social media sites. A lot of county services have been put on hold, including trash pickup, which is expected to resume Monday. The county has contracted a debris hauler.
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Lake County, Florida government braces for Hurricane Ian
