Hurricane Irma Update 7
Posted On: September 9, 2017
Volusia County Schools
Public schools will be closed through Tuesday, Sept. 12. Future closings will be determined on a day-to-day basis.
Daytona Beach International Airport
- The airport passenger terminal closed at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9.
- All airlines flying out of the airport have canceled flights for Sunday, Sept. 10.
- Travelers should monitor flights next week with the airlines. As the storm passes, staff will work to restore operations.
- The airport is not a shelter.
Weather status and impacts
- Officials expect conditions to deteriorate Sunday. The storm will not clear until Monday late afternoon.
- Winds and the potential for flooding are still concerning.
- 3 to 6 inches of rain are projected Sept. 9 from a system not associated with Hurricane Irma
- 8 to 12 inches from Hurricane Irma, and possibly 15 to 18 inches in isolated areas
- Emergency officials expect damaging sustained tropical storm force winds in Volusia County for about 30 hours. Residents should be prepared for wind damage, the potential for flooding and possibly tornadoes.
Shelters
Shelters at capacity as of 2 p.m. Saturday are:
- Atlantic High School
- Citrus Grove Elementary School
- Sweetwater Elementary School
- Hinson Middle School
- Taylor Middle/High School
- Palm Terrace Elementary School
- Cypress Creek Elementary School
- Creekside Middle School
As of 4 p.m., there were 3,000 people, including law enforcement and shelter staff, in shelters,
Special needs shelters
Special needs shelters are for people with special needs.
People with special needs are those who need basic medical assistance. Examples are medically fragile people and those with medical conditions that require electricity
When evacuees arrive at a special needs shelters, staff will review their medical condition to ensure they are appropriate for a special needs shelter.
Health Department staff can provide very basic medical assistance and monitoring. Evacuees who need more extensive medical assistance should bring a caregiver with them.
- The Health Department is fully staffed at the five special needs shelters.
- The Health Department does not need volunteers at this time. The Medical Reserve Corps on standby to provide medical volunteers.
- Volunteers for other types of services are being coordinated by the American Red Cross.
Generator safety
Generators create a colorless, deadly gas that you cannot smell. The fumes can build up very quickly. If you use a generator, place it outside and as far away as possible from windows, doors, vents and your A/C unit.
Curfew
The countywide curfew is from 9 p.m. Sunday through noon Monday, weather permitting and depending on road conditions.
Bridge closures
Bridges to the beachside will close when there are sustained winds of 39 miles per hour, which we expect to be after noon on Sunday. The time is subject to change based on the forecasts.
Evacuation order
- A mandatory evacuation remains in effect for beachside residents and those who live in low-lying areas and in RVs, mobile and manufactured homes.
- If you have rain storms regularly and flood or need flood insurance, you are in a low-lying area.
Citizens Information Center
As of 1 p.m. Saturday, the center had received 3,469 calls.
Beach Erosion
Earlier this week, Gov. Rick Scott authorized the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to work with the counties and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District Five to deploy emergency sand berms in critical erosional areas of the county. State Road A1A in Ormond-by-the-Sea was damaged significantly by Hurricane Matthew. Over the past 11 months, FDOT has been working diligently to restore the structural integrity of this vital infrastructure. At 8 a.m. Friday, FDEP's contractor started deploying beach-compatible sand seaward of Ocean Shore Boulevard in the areas impacted by Hurricane Matthew. This sand placement should act as a buffer, potentially minimizing damages from Hurricane Irma. Sand placement was completed at noon Sept. 9..