'Stay off the roads': Volusia officials urge people to hunker down for Hurricane Ian

With a monster storm slamming into Southwest Florida and making its way toward Volusia County, local government officials delivered a consistent message to residents on Wednesday afternoon: If it's safe, stay home.

Hurricane Ian was a Category 4 hurricane, and just shy of being a Category 5, with sustained winds at 155 mph as of Wednesday, said Jim Judge, interim director of emergency management for the county during a press conference at the county Emergency Operations Center in Daytona Beach.

"Think of Charley," Judge said, referring to Hurricane Charley, which hit Florida in 2004 with 150 mph sustained winds and caused $3.2 billion in damage in Charlotte County.  "This is following almost (the) exact same track. This is a very dangerous storm."

Live updates: Hurricane Ian rages forward on path toward Volusia, Flagler counties

'Under the gun': Volusia County declares state of emergency, will open shelters as Hurricane Ian approaches

While the hurricane is expected to weaken before it gets to Volusia County, officials expect the hurricane to bring sustained winds of 55-65 mph, gusts of 80-90 mph, 12-18 inches of widespread rain and up to 24 inches in some areas, Judge said.

The most serious winds are expected from 2 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, but rain will last through Sunday, Judge said.

There's also a high risk of tornadoes and severe flooding. Lake Harney Woods, Stone Island, Astor and surrounding areas are especially vulnerable to flooding, officials said.

Community Information Director Kevin Captain reminded people to bring in anything from their properties that could pose a danger in the wind.

Sometimes a hurricane can draw thrill-seekers to surf, but beach safety and ocean rescue Chief Andy Ethridge said ocean currents and waves are extremely dangerous, and he urged people not to go in the ocean or on the beach at all.

"Do your part and stay out of the water. Don't put our rescue personnel in danger," he said.

Those sheltering in place for Hurricane Ian should've found a safe position already

Officials said people should have already been hunkered down in a safe place by Wednesday afternoon. For those that weren't, they said time was slipping away.

Volusia County opened four shelters on Wednesday morning, though there has been no mandatory evacuation. By 2 p.m., 159 people were at the shelters, which have a capacity of 1,119 people, said Volusia County Schools Chief Operating Officer Earl Johnson Jr.

Serving the general population are shelters at DeLand High School at 800 N. Hill Ave. in DeLand and Mainland High School at 1255 W. International Speedway Blvd. in Daytona Beach.

Those with special needs are taking refuge at Atlantic High School at 1250 Reed Canal Road in Port Orange, and Galaxy Middle School at 2400 Eustace Ave. in Deltona.

Shelters will remain open through the storm. But officials urged people to get to a safe place as soon as possible because time was running out.

Staying home will be mandatory for a couple of nights.

A countywide curfew will be in effect from 8 p.m. Wednesday to 7 a.m. Thursday and between the same hours Thursday into Friday. The curfew doesn’t apply to law enforcement, emergency workers or people traveling for work at a business, industry or government entity.

Even outside of the curfew, officials urged people to stay off the roads for the safety of first responders, emergency workers and themselves. Storms can cause standing water, downed trees and power lines and debris.

"In addition to securing yourself, your home and your family, the most important thing you can do is stay off the roads," Volusia County Council Vice Chair Barbara Girtman said.

When it is time to get back on the road, people should remember that an intersection where traffic lights aren't working must be treated as a four-way stop, Captain said.

He also reminded people to be careful when using generators, which if used improperly can be fatal because of carbon monoxide.

"Never use generators indoors or outside near windows, vents or air intakes that could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors," the county said in a news release.

The county has declared a local state of emergency and issued a number of closures and cancellations, including closing the Daytona Beach International Airport until further notice.

Girtman said the county is collaborating "with all relief agencies and all levels of government" in its preparation for the storm.

"We will be here for you before, during and after the storm. We've been through this before, and together we'll get through this time. But we need your help," she said. "Please pay attention to any emergency declarations, orders or weather alerts, and be sure to follow them."

 ―  Charles Runnells of the Fort Myers News-Press and Ryan Truchelut WeatherTiger contributed to this report. 

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Hurricane Ian: Volusia County officials urge people to hunker down