Hurricane Irma Sept 6 -5 am update

Here are some important numbers and websites to remember during the storm. The Martin County Emergency Operations Center has activated their citizen rumor control hotline. The number is 772-287-1652. It will be open from 8am until 6pm until Friday when it will be operational around the clock. You can also get information at Martin.fl.us/hurricane FL. The city of Port St Lucie also has a hotline. That number is 772-873-6397. There is also a website, City of PSL where information will be updated frequently. Residents of Fort Pierce can check out City of Fort Pierce for updates.

Treasure Coast Hurricane Shelters/announcements

Okeechobee county schools will be closed Thursday and Friday

St Lucie schools will be closed Thursday and Friday

Palm Beach County

All Palm Beach County public schools and district offices will be closed Thursday, Sept. 7, and Friday, Sept. 8, in an effort to allow families to prepare for Hurricane Irma.
- All afterschool activities, including sports and school meetings, are canceled for Wednesday, September 6th in advance of schools closing on Thursday and Friday. All afterschool aftercare programs will remain operational through Wednesday at 6 p.m.
- St. Lucie County
  - St. Lucie Public Schools will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 7 and Friday, Sept 8.
  - Indian River CountyThe School District of Indian River County schools will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 7 and Friday, Sept. 8 in preparation for Hurricane Irma.
  - Due to Hurricane Irma, schools will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 7 and Friday, Sept. 8.
- Gov Rick Scott has suspended all tolls across Florida to ease the flow of traffic as residents evacuate from the state.
- Pet owners; advice to help ensure the safety of animals now and for the rest of the hurricane season. Keep animals indoors with you if you choose not to evacuate. This includes rabbits, birds, lizards, dogs, cats, or any other animals who can be taken indoors. If you evacuate, do not leave animals behind, where they could drown or be killed by the storm. Although emergency shelters sometimes turn animals away, some hotels may be willing to accept small animals in an emergency.
- Transport them in secure carriers and keep larger dogs leashed or harnessed, as frightening sounds and unfamiliar surroundings can cause them to bolt. Take along water and food bowls, a favorite toy, a blanket, a towel and enough food for a week. Be prepared by having your animals microchipped and putting secure, legible ID tags on them.

If you leave the barrier island you must have a reentry form;

Major Category 5 storm

Hurricane Irma is about 1,300 miles away from the Treasure Coast, a major Category 5 storm with wind speeds of 185mph. The 5am forecast from the National Hurricane Center puts the eye of the storm on the southern edge of Lake Okeechobee at 2am Monday morning. Emergency personnel in Martin County are working on a plan of action. The Emergency Operations Center is up and ready to go in advance of Hurricane Irma.

The Martin County Emergency Management Agency wants everyone else to plan ahead too, with four main options for getting through a hurricane. Plan A: relocate outside the area. Find out where you are going, plan a route, and book your hotel rooms now. Plan B: stay with local friends or relatives. Make sure that enough supplies are available for everyone who will be there. Plan C: stay at home. Houses and apartments that meet current county codes could be safe during a hurricane, if kept in good condition.

Mobile home

A mobile home is not a safe option in hurricane conditions, no matter how securely it’s affixed to the ground. The final plan is to go to a shelter. If you plan on going to a shelter, leave as soon as the shelter’s opening is announced and bring along irreplaceable documents and bedding. No pets will be admitted in a shelter. Anyone who needs to go to a special needs shelter must pre-register. To pre-register in St Lucie County call 772-462-8100, and for information on the Martin County special needs shelter, call 772-287-1652. If you do plan to stay at home, make sure to have a battery operated radio, flashlights with extra batteries, extra drinking water, food, extra medicine, a first aid kit, and a working fire extinguisher.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced on Tuesday, it had started making water releases from Lake Okeechobee, including some to the Stuart area.. The concerns related to Lake Okeechobee are storm surge and the integrity of the levee around the lake, which was identified as one of the nation’s most vulnerable dams.