Early Preparations for Hurricane Irma

9/5/17 @ 2:50 p.m. - Nassau County has begun planning for potential impacts related to Hurricane Irma. A conference call was held this morning with the Florida Department of Emergency Management and individual counties to discuss preliminary preparations and Nassau County is working behind the scenes to ensure we have adequate supplies, equipment and personnel. Though it is entirely too early to tell where this storm will hit, residents are encouraged to begin planning in case of evacuation.

Getting Ready

• Gather important documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, pet immunization records, photos, etc.)
• Prepare a list of important numbers including County Offices, local hospitals, utility companies, your property insurance agent, and local safety personnel
• Refill medications
• Purchase supplies for during and after the storm (see link for basic supply kit recommendations from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• Prepare your Family Emergency Plan (see link for NOAA recommendation)  
• Determine location to evacuate. If not staying with friends or family, make hotel reservations. They can always be cancelled if not needed!
• Fill up cars with gasoline
• Know your evacuation zone (see below for more information)
• Sign up for Citizen Alerts (see below for more information)

Determining Your Evacuation Zone
Attached is a map outlining declared evacuation zones (Note: Zones A and B were combined due to the miniscule difference in storm surge potential). In the case of an evacuation, zones will be called one by one for evacuation beginning with Zone A. Know which zone you are in! Follow the steps below or view the attached document for step-by-step screenshots:

• Visit the Property Appraiser's website
• Click on Property Search
• Type address into Property Address field
• When property appears, click on parcel number
• Click "Map This Parcel"
• When aerial view appears, click on "Map Layers" and select the box for public safety
• The aerial view will then show your Evacuation Zone

Note: if you home does not fall in a declared Evacuation Zone, you will only be called to evacuate if a mandatory evacuation is ordered for the entire County.

Citizen Alerts
If you have not already done so, sign up to receive citizen alerts. This will keep you informed as the storm progresses and the County makes announcements regarding possible evacuations, bridge closures, etc.

Lastly, the Board of County Commissioners has scheduled a Special Meeting for 10:00 a.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, September 6, 2017, to discuss preliminary preparations. This meeting is open to the public. We will continue to post updates here as they are received.

If you have any questions regarding the County's preparations, please contact the Nassau County Emergency Operation Center at (904) 548-0900.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office