I NEED TO SET THE EXPECTATION
NOW.
IF YOU THINK YOU ARE IN THE
KEYS,.
LET'S GO TO BROWARD COUNTY
EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER
ANDTHE MAYOR.
UNDER A STORM SURGE WARNING.
A WARNING MEANS THAT THESE
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN36 HOURS.
MUNICIPALITIES INCLUDED IN THE
STORM SURGE WARNING ARE FORT
LAUDERDALE, HALLANDALE BEACH,
POMPANO BEACH, DEERFIELD BEACH
AND HOLLYWOOD.
A STORM SURGE OF 5 TO 8 FEET IS
EXPECTED IN THE AREAS.
IRMA IS NOW A CATEGORY 4. BUT
MAKE NO MISTAKE WE ARE IN A
SERIOUS SITUATION WITH THIS
VERY DANGEROUS AND DAMAGING
STORM.
THIS STORM IS LARGER THAN ANY
WE HAVE FACED INCLUDING ANDREW
AND WILMA.
WE EXPECT WORSENING WEATHER
CONDITIONS BEGINNING TONIGHT.
WITH THE AREFUEL OF TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WINDS SATURDAY
MORNING, ALL YOUR PERSONAL
PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE COMPLETE
BY THE TIME YOU GO TO BED
TONIGHT.
ALL LOOSE OUTDOOR OBJECTS
SHOULD BE SECURED AND BROUGHT
INDOORS.
THE WEATHER WILL WORSEN
THROUGHOUT THE DAY ON SATURDAY
WITH THE WORSE WORST CONDITIONS
FROM LATE SATURDAY EVENING
THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
EXPECTS IRMA TO BRING 10 TO 15
INCHES OF RAIN WITH THE RISK OF
TORNADOES.
THE FIRST SQUALL TO HIT THE
AREA WILL BE GUSTY IMPACTS AND
THEY WILL INCLUDE TRUCK --
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO HOMES AND
BUILDINGS.
THERE MAY BE TOTAL DESTRUCTION
OF MOBILE HOMES, DOWNED TREES,
FLOODING NEAR THE SHORE, AND
FLOODING OF ESCAPE ROUTES AND
SECONDARY ROADS.
OUR FLOOD CONTROL SIS
TESTIMONIES MAY BEY MIGHTED.
YOUR COUNTY -- SYSTEMS MAY BE
CRY MITED.
YOUR -- COMPROMISED.
THEY ARE COLLABORATING AND
COORDINATING TO ENSURE
PROTECTION ACTIONS ARE TAKEN.
MANY RESOURCES HAVE BEEN
PREPOSITIONED FOR A SWIFT
RECOVERY RESPONSE.
ONCE THE STORM HAS PASSED.
ALL AREAS EAST OF FEDERAL
HIGHWAY INCLUDING THE BARRIER
ISLAND ARE UNDER A MANDATORY
EVACUATION.
THE BRIDGES WILL GO INTO A LOCK
DOWN POSITION STARTING AT NOON
TODAY TO ASSIST THE VEHICULAR
TRAFFIC.
THERE ARE 14 SHELTERS OPENED
AND ADDITIONAL SHELTERS ARE
OPENING AS NEEDED AT THIS TIME.
THERE ARE 35 95 INDIVIDUALS IN
SHELTERS.
THAT HAVE A CAPACITY OF MORE
THAN 12,000.
THE POMPANO BEACH HIGH SCHOOL
SHELTER IS FULL.
THE MILLENNIUM CHALLENGER
SCHOOL PET FRIENDLY SHELTER IS
FULL.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF
IDENTIFYING AND PREPARING A
SECOND PET FRIENDLY SHELTER.
AN ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE MADE
WHEN RESIDENTS CAN COME TO THE
SHELTER.
OPEN SHELTER LOCATIONS ARE
POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE AT
BROWARD.ORG/HURRICANE.
BY ORDER OF THE GOVERNOR, ALL
SCHOOLS IN FLORIDA ARE CLOSED
ON MONDAY SEPTEMBER 11th.
THIS STORM WILL RESULT IN AN
EXTENDED RECOVERY EFFORT.
IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE
SO, PLEASE GO TO OUR WEBSITE
AND PRINT OFF THE 4 HOME DAMAGE
ASSESSMENT PHOTOS OR DOWN LOAD
THE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT APP SO
YOU CAN REPORT YOUR DAMAGE IN
THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF THE
STORM.
THIS WILL HELP US QUICKLY
DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF
DAMAGES.
PLEASE TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE
INSIDE AND OUTSIDE YOUR HOME
BEFORE AND AFTER THE STORM TO
ASSIST WITH INSURANCE REPORTS
AND CLAIMS.
IF YOU BELIEVE YOU QUALIFY FOR
SPECIAL NEEDS SHELTERS
SERVICES, AND ARE NOT ALREADY
REGISTERED, YOU ARE RUNNING OUT
OF TIME.
ESPECIALLY IF YOU NEED
TRANSPORTATION TO THE SHELTER.
IF YOU CALL 311 BEFORE 5 P.M.,
OR 954-831-4000 YOU WILL BE
CONTACTED AND PICKED UP FOR
TRANSPORTATION BY MIDNIGHT.
PLEASE DO NOT TRIM TREES AND
VEGETATION NOW.
THE BROWARD COUNTY LANDFILL AT
THE CORNER OF SHERATON STREET
AND U.S. 27 IN PEMBROKE PINES
IS OPENED TODAY UNTIL 6 P.M.
FOR YOU TO GET RID OF THE
VEGETATIVE AND YARD WASTE
CONSTRUCTION DEMOLITION WASTE
OR BULK WASTE YOU HAVE
ACCUMULATED.
DO NOT TRIM TREES AS THEY
BECOME PROJECTILES DURING THE
STORMS.
FOR ALL WASTE MANAGEMENT
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL
CUSTOMERS, THERE WILL BE NO
GARBAGE RECYCLING, YARD WASTE
OR BOAT COLLECTION SERVICE AT 1
P.M.
TODAY.
WATCH BROWARD.ORG/HURRICANE FOR
UPDATES ON WHEN THE FACILITIES
WILL REOPEN POST STORM CLEANUP.
FPL'S OUTAGE AND RESTORATION
INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE BY
CALLING 1-800- 4-OUTAGE.
OR 1-800-468-8243.
THIS NUMBER MAY ALSO BE USED TO
REPORT DOWN POWER LINES.
THE LAST FLIGHT IS EXPECTED TO
DEPART FORT LAUDERDALE
HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
AT 7:45 P.M.
TONIGHT.
THERE ARE 76 DELAYED FLIGHTS
AND 276 CANCELLATIONS REPORTED
AS OF THIS MORNING.
THE AIRPORT GARAGES ARE FULL.
THE VALUE PARKING LOT IS CLOSED
BUT HONORING PREVIOUSLY MADE
RESERVATIONS.
IF YOU ARE TRAVELING, PLEASE
CHECK WITH YOUR AIRLINE OR
CRUISE LINE FOR AN UP-TO-DATE
INFORMATION.
DO NOT PLAN TO PARK IN THE
GARAGES.
THE AIRPORT WILL BE CLOSED ON
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
PORT EVERGLADES IS AT A
CONDITION YANKEE WHICH MEANS
THAT GAIL FORCE WENDS ARE
EXPECTED WITHIN 24 HOURS.
THE PORT IS CLOSED TO INBOUND
SHIPS.
FUEL DELIVERIES CONTINUE
THROUGH THE EVENING AND TRUCKS
WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE
DELIVERIES THROUGHOUT TODAY.
ALL SHIPS HAVE LEFT THE PORT.
CARGO TERMINALS HAVE CEASED
OPERATIONS THAT ARE NOT
ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE
PREPAREDNESS.
BROWARD COUNTY TRANSIT IS ON A
SATURDAY SCHEDULE THROUGH
FRIDAY.
EXPRESS BUS SERVICE WILL
CONTINUE REGULAR SERVICE UNTIL
THE ARRIVAL OF TROPICAL
STORMFORCE WINDS.
ROUTES 15,24, 23, 56 AND 88
WILL BE- WILL BE-A WEEK DAY
SCHEDULE AND BUS SERVICE STOPS
AT 1 A.M.
SATURDAY.
PARATRANSIT IS RUNNING A
SATURDAY SCHEDULE TODAY AND
WILL BE CLOSED ON SATURDAY AND
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
THEY HAVE TRANSPORTED 897
RESIDENTS TO SHELTERS AND
ANOTHER 400 ARE BEING SCHEDULED
AS WE SPEAK.
PLEASE, I URGE YOU, IF YOU
THINK YOU HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS OR
YOU THINK YOU NEED
TRANSPORTATION TO A SHELTER,
IT'S IMPERATIVE YOU CALL 954-
831-4000 NOW.
THERE MAY BE A WAIT TIME.
PLEASE STAY ON THE PHONE.
WE WILL GET TO YOU.
THE BROWARD COUNTY
EMERGENCY HOTLINE IS OPENED 24
HOURS, 7 DAYS A WEEK TO ANSWER
YOUR QUESTIONS.
IN BROWARD, CAULK 311 OR 954-
831-4000.
WE ASSISTED NEARLY 7,000
RESIDENTS AS OF YESTERDAY.
IF YOU WANT TO JOIN US AT
TWITTER, YOU CAN GO TO TWITTER
AT READY BROWARD OR SUBSCRIBE
TO BROWARD COUNTY NEW EMERGENCY
ALERT NOTIFICATION SYSTEM
CALLED ALERT BROWARD.
YOU CAN FACEBOOK WITH US AT
FACEBOOK AT BROWARD EMD.
YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR ALL OF
THESE SO YOU CAN KEEP IN TOUCH
WITH US THROUGHOUT THE STORM.
AT THIS TIME, I AM JOINED BY MY
COUNTY COMMISSIONER COLLEAGUE
AND AS WELL AS JULIETTE FROM
FPNL BROWARD COUNTY SHERIFF AND
OUR CONGRESSWOMAN.
AT THIS TIME I AM GOING TO ASK
FPL TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE
BECAUSE POWER HAS BEEN ONE OF
THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE BEEN
ASKED ABOUT.
GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU, MAYOR.
AS YOU HEARD AND WE ARE ALL
AWARE, WE ARE UNDER A HURRICANE
WARNING.
WE EMPLOY YOU TO TAKE THIS
SERIOUSLY AND THE TIME IS NOW
TO TAKE ACTION AND LASTMENT
PREPARATIONS.
FPL IS ALSO MAKING LAST-MINUTE
PREPARATIONS BEFORE WE HAVE TO
ALL HUNKER DOWN AND TAKE CARE
OF OURSELVES FOR THIS STORM.
FPL HAS A RESTORATION WORK
FORCE OF MORE THAN 11,000
EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS AND
WE ARE PREPOSITIONING THIS ARMY
OF PRIMARILY LINE AND
VEGETATION WORKERS ACROSS THE
STATE.
IN AREAS ANTICIPATED TO BE
HARDEST HIT SO THEY ARE READY
TO RESPOND SAFELY AS SOON AS
THE STORM SUBSIDED.
WHILE THE PATH OF THE STORM
CONTINUES TO GO FORWARD AS YOU
KNOW, COME DIRECTLY ACROSS UP
THE STATE, WE EXPECT THAT THERE
WILL BE A DIRECT HIT IN THIS
AREA.
SHOULD OUR WORST FEARS BE
REALIZED, THE WIND STORM SURGE
AND RAIN SQUALL WILL LIKELY BE
FELT THROUGHOUT NPL'S ENTIRE
SERVICE TERRITORY.
WITH A STORM OF THIS MAG
STEWED, AND -- MAGNITUDE AND
INTENSITY, CREWS WILL LIKELY
HAVE TO COMPLETELY REBUILD
PARTS OF OUR SYSTEM.
WITH THAT RESTORING POWER AND
REBUILDING THE SYSTEM WILL
RESULT IN PROLONGED REPAIRS AND
RESTORATION OF POWER.
REBUILDING COULD LAST MORE THAN
WEEKS.
AS MUCH AS WEEKS RATHER.
NO MATTER HOW EXTENSIVE THE
DAMAGE, YOU HAVE OUR FULL
COMMITMENT THAT WE WILL WORK
AROUND THE CLOCK TO RESTORE
YOUR POWER.
WE HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY
AGGRESSIVE IN OUR TREE TRIMMING
AND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT
PROGRAM.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE A LOT OF TREES
IN THE AREA AND TREES WILL BE A
CONCERN FOR US WITH DAMAGING
OUR SYSTEM.
BECAUSE OF THAT, WE EXPECT THAT
THERE WILL BE A LOT OF TREES
CAUSING MAJOR POWER OUTAGES AS
WELL.
AS YOU HEARD THE MAYOR
INDICATE, PLEASE DO NOT
CONTINUE TO TRIM ANY TREES
DESPITE THE RISK BECAUSE THAT
WILL ALSO COMPLICATE THE STORM
REPAIR AND RECOVERY.
WE ARE DOING ALL WE CAN DO AT
FPL BUT WE IMPLORE YOU THERE
ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR
SAFETY.
PREPARE TO BE WITHOUT POWER FOR
AN EXTENDED PERIOD AND KEEP A
BATTERY OPERATED RADIO ON HAND.
RECORD YOUR FPL ACCOUNT NUMBER
IN A LOCATION THAT WILL BE
READILY AVAILABLE.
THAT WILL ALLOW FOR PROCTOR
SERVICE AND RESPONSE.
THE NUMBER THAT WAS PROVIDED 1-
800-468-8243, IS THE BEST WAY
TO REACH US AS WELL OF COURSE
AS WWW.FPL.COM.
IF SOMEONE IN YOUR HOME IS
DEPENDENT ON ELECTRIC POWER
LIFE SUSTAINING MEDICAL
EQUIPMENT, PLEASE REVIEW YOUR
FAMILY EMERGENCY PLAN FOR
BACKUP POWER OR MAKE
ARRANGEMENTS TO RELOCATE THEM
WHEN -- AS WE ARE NOW UNDER
STORM WARNING WATCH.
ADJUST YOUR REFRIGERATORS.
THESE ARE PRACTICAL
SUGGESTIONS.
PLEASE ADJUST YOUR
REFRIGERATORS AND FREEZERS TO
THE COOLEST TEMP SETTINGS AT
THIS TIME TO KEEP FOOD FRESHER
LONGER AND IN THE EVENT OF A
POWER OUTAGE.
DO NOT PLEASE DO NOT VENTURE
OUT INTO THE DARK OR AFTER THE
STORM WHEN THERE IS STANDING
WATER OR APPROACH ANY DOWN
POWER LINES.
THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT RISK FOR
YOU.
AND AGAIN, IF YOU WANT ANY
OTHER TIPS THAT ARE STORM
RELATED OR ELECTRICITY RELATED,
VISIT FPL.COM.
THANK YOU AND GOD SPEED DURING
THIS STORM.
NOW WE WILL HAVE OUR BROWAR
COUNTY SHERIFF SCOTT ISRAEL FOR
REMARKS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR.
BROWARD COUNTY, THIS IS THE
TIME WHERE FAMILIES,
INDIVIDUALS, WE NEED TO REMAIN
CALM, PATIENT, WORK TOGETHER,
WITH EACH OTHER.
THIS STORM WITHOUT A DOUBT IS
GOING TO PUNCH BROWARD COUNTY.
THERE WILL BE HOMES, PROPERTY
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED.
WE KNOW THAT.
I CAN'T PREDICT OR CONTROL THE
STORM.
BUT AS A COUNTY, LET'S SET A
GOAL OF NO DEATHS.
LET'S PRACTICE THE THINGS WE
HAVE LEARNED.
SOME OF THE THINGS I WANT TO GO
OVER PECK UP THE ROOM IN YOUR
HOME WITH NO WINDOWS.
WHEN THE HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS
COME, BRING YOUR FAMILY INTO
THE HOME WHERE WINDOWS CAN'T
GET SHATTERED.
MAKE THAT YOUR SAFE HAVEN.
IF YOU HAVE TO BE DRIVING
DURING TROPICAL STORM WINDS OR
HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS, ALTHOUGH
I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU WOULD BE
OUT DURING THAT TIME, TREAT
EVERY TRAFFIC LIGHT LIKE A STOP
SIGN LIKE A FOUR-WAY STOP.
DOESN'T ASSUME THE LIGHTS ARE
WORKING.
STOP AT EACH LIGHT.
LOOK EACH WAY.
AND THEN CONTINUE ON.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
WE DON'T WANT ANY TRAFFIC
CRASHES THAT RESULT IN MAJOR
INJURIES OR DEATHS.
I WANT TO THANK THE MEN AND
WOMEN IN PUBLIC SAFETY
THROUGHOUT BROWARD COUNTY.
OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR DETENTION
DEPUTIES, OUR ROAD PATROL
DEPUTIES, OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU
HAVE DONE THESE PAST FEW WEEKS.
EVERYTHING YOU DO TODAY, AND
EVERYTHING YOU DO TOMORROW TO
BRING SAFETY BACK TO BROWARD
COUNTY.
WE WILL EVENTUALLY, WE WILL
ENDURE.
THE RACE DOESN'T GO TO THE
SWIFT OR THE STRONG BUT HE OR
SHE WHO ENDURES WE WILL ENDURE
THE STRONG AND WE WILL RECOVER.
LET'S GET TOGETHER AS A
COMMUNITY PRACTICE SOUND