Emergency Management monitors Tropical Storm Isaias

Posted On: July 30, 2020

Volusia County Emergency Management officials are monitoring Tropical Storm Isaias as it tracks northwest in the Atlantic Ocean. The system is the ninth named storm of the 2020 season.

Volusia County is participating in daily conference calls with the Florida Division of Emergency Management and National Weather Service Office in Melbourne. Additionally, a countywide call took place yesterday with city managers to discuss the status of the storm and a coordinated approach should the threat increase.

In preparation for the inclement weekend weather, Volusia County’s beach safety and coastal divisions are securing all assets on the beach. All portalets will be removed from the beach by end of day today, and the majority of waste receptacles will be removed by end of day Friday. Rough surf and higher than normal tides are expected, which may force the closure of beach driving. As more information becomes available, additional closures and measures may be taken.

Jim Judge, Volusia County’s emergency management director, said Thursday that while there is still much uncertainly in the future track and intensity of the system, Volusia County can expect squally conditions this weekend. Residents are reminded to monitor this system and the tropics as the peak of the hurricane season approaches.

“Right now, residents and visitors should pay close attention to the local weather reports and use caution and common sense,” said Judge. “We’ve seen a very busy 2020 hurricane season thus far, and we’re not even at the halfway point. September 10 is the peak of the season, so there is a lot of time left for a hurricane or another tropical storm to come our way. It only takes one storm to cause a disaster. Don’t be caught without a disaster plan and a complete disaster supply kit.”

Residents can prepare and stay informed by downloading the Volusia County EM app, available for free on the Google Play or App Store. The app features weather alerts and current conditions, preparedness checklists, links to county sites, locations of the nearest open shelter and sandbags locations, evacuation information, push notifications and more. Residents can also follow Volusia County Emergency Management on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates related to Volusia County.