Posted on 09/05/2017 12:44:23 PM PDT by Red Badger
MARATHON (CBSMiami) – Evacuation orders are being given in the Florida Keys as Monroe County emergency managers prepare for Hurricane Irma.
A State of Local Emergency was declared for Monroe County on Tuesday afternoon.
Traffic is building on the overseas highway as locals and tourists get out of the keys ahead of an evacuation order.
“We’re just evacuating, getting out of town before everybody else does,” said Key West resident Luann Huff.
Huff lives in Key West. She’s heading to Central Florida and she’s not alone on the road.
“If it stays on this course, then I’m gone,” said Florida Keys resident Cedric Burns. “I’m not going to stay.”
Burns lives in Marathon. His house is ready and he’s gassing up his truck and is ready to leave.
“For the Florida Keys, if you were to create the worst case scenario that is what we are looking at,” said Monroe Co. Emergency Operations Center Director Martin Senterfitt.
The grim outlook prompted Senterfitt to order mandatory evacuations.
“We’re emphatically telling people you must evacuate, you can not afford to stay on an island with a Category 5 hurricane coming at you. Most of this island chain is only three to five feet above sea level. With the surges we’re expecting this is not the place to be,” said Senterfitt.
A visitor evacuation is expected to begin at sunrise on Wednesday. An evacuation for residents also will be issued. The time has yet to be determined.
There will be no shelters in Monroe County.
Eric Bradway who was visiting Key West from Philadelphia didn’t wait until Wednesday to leave.
“It’s going to be crazy getting out of here, gridlock,” said Bradway, “Getting out of the Keys, there’s only one way in and one way out. It’s going to be crazy.”
Many locals are also already making plans to get out.
“I’m scared. Category 5, never been through one. Been through a four but never a five and I don’t want to be here,” said Elizabeth Prieto who lives in Marathon.
While the water is calm now emergency mangers expect Irma to send waves over water that could cover the islands.
“With a Category 5 coming at the Florida Keys we could be looking at wave heights that would literally put the ocean over the islands. We’re got to remember we’re an island community and islands go under water,” said Senterfitt.
The line of traffic is already building heading toward the mainland and that traffic is likely to get much heavier.
“Today is just another prep day,” said charter boat captain Johnny Maddox. “I started yesterday morning on the prep.”
Maddox is getting his boat ready for a very powerful storm. He knows how dicey it can in the Keys. He was there for Wilma and remembers slogging around in waste deep water from storm surge.
“If you’re not in a Category 5 building you need to get out of town. Just leave. Take your belongings and your insurance papers, get your pets, get your meds and all that kind of stuff and head to the mainland,” he said.
Related: How To Protect Your Pets Ahead Of A Hurricane Hit
And days before the wind begins to blow some are slowly starting to board up.
The folks at Bud N Mary’s in Islamorada are getting buildings and boats storm ready.
“Normally it’s a wait and see deal, but I’ll be honest with you, this track of this particular hurricane is so close to [Hurricane] Donna and could be so devastating that we’re getting an early jump on it, so to speak,” said Richard Stanczyk with Bud N Mary’s.
All Monroe County schools and county offices will be closed beginning Wednesday.
Monroe County’s three hospitals – the Lower Keys Medical Center in Key West, Fishermen’s Hospital in Marathon and Mariners Hospital in Tavernier – have begun plans to evacuate their patients. Monroe County’s Health Department is also closing Wednesday.
I believe the last time the Keys were evacuated, even the emergency personnel left. It has been awhile since I lived in Florida, however.
I went through the 165 mph northern eye wall of Andrew. It stripped all the green from the trees and shrubs and plants, only leaving the grass. Something like that hitting the Keys would be beyond catastrophic, it would be biblical.
I’d say it’s a good idea to take a week or so off and visit another state.
Any sensible evacuation would be to get out of FL and get inland.
Colorado is nice this time of year....................
Harry Truman was allowed to decide to stay during that big volcano. He stayed and paid with his life but he seemed to be okay with that.
That would seem reasoned. Thanks for the mention.
as it should be.
a little sanity in the midst of panic.
Ah, but panic gets all those juicy endorphins flowing and stuff.
“Mandatory evacuation” means exactly that - you are on your own.
I just remembered a story my dad told me years ago, but I can no longer confirm. The officials have a bunker somewhere high and either on the mainland or a high point in the Keys. However, if the bridges go, stragglers are on their own. As a preteen, in the 70s, I asked about that. I plan to call my family in the area tonight. Perhaps I can confirm it for you, and for my own curiosity.
You post:”
Idiots will stay, and then look for others to come rescue them.”
There won’t be anyone left to rescue - just recover- maybe - maybe have to go out to sea for recovery
They’re hyping this, at ‘5’, as the biggest hurricane EVER to hit the USA ... god for Climate change hype...
and if you ignore two other ‘”5’s”
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-labor-day-hurricane-anniversary-20150827-story.html
I’m not privy to information like that about the area. Could be, I just don’t know.
Good luck with the family though. I hope they’re on the move shortly.
BINGO
They’ve dug out of it before, and will again. However, evacuation now seems the most prudent course.
“These islands should never have been inhabited.”
Nah.
In fact it has been brilliantly inhabited:- by using disposable housing! And there’s a nice big road to evacuate on.
Hurricanes will always come, but they quickly go too.
” “Mandatory evacuation” means exactly that - you are on your own.” So Your are saying mandatory does not mean you are compelled by law to leave?
Interesting read here: https://www.americanbar.org/publications/law_practice_today_home/law_practice_today_archive/april11/fight_or_flight_on_enforcing_mandatory_evacuations.html
If everyone leaves the islands at one time won’t they flip over?
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