TAMPA (970 WFLA) -- Drawbridges are locked down on the Intracoastal in Pinellas County (as of 7 this morning)... to help in the evacuation ahead of Hurricane Irma. Bridges are open but Pinellas deputies aren't allowing people onto the barrier islands, unless they live there or have business there... including helping someone evacuate.
Hardee County is lightly populated... but directly in Irma's path... the county says Florida Hospital Wauchula will keep functioning but go on lockdown during high winds. They're planning to issue a mandatory evacuation for mobile homes and low lying areas near the Peace River starting at 8 this (Saturday) morning. The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the Peace River.
Hernando County is issuing a mandatory evacuation in Zones A and B... there are five shelters in the county.. one of which is pet-free... ((1. CHALLENGER K-8 SCHOOL OF SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS 13400 ELGIN BLVD., SPRING HILL, FL 34609 DESIGNATED SPECIAL NEEDS SHELTER 2. D.S. PARROTT MIDDLE SCHOOL 19220 YOUTH DR., BROOKSVILLE, FL 34601 DESIGNATED PET-FRIENDLY SHELTER 3. EXPLORER K-8 10252 NORTHCLIFFE BLVD., SPRING HILL, 34608 4. HERNANDO HIGH SCHOOL 700 BELL AVE., BROOKSVILLE, 34601, BROOKSVILLE, FL 34601 5. NATURE COAST TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL 4057 CALIFORNIA ST., SPRING HILL, FL 34604 ))
The James A. Haley VA Hospital in Tampa remains open on a normal schedule through Saturday. All outpatient services will be closed Monday. VA has activated the pharmacy relief plan... eligible veterans can go to any retail drugstore and get a 10 day supply... controlled substances excepted.
We got some calls about RaceTrac gas stations possibly closing around Florida. Here's a statement from their spokesperson, Ashleigh Womack:
"The safety of RaceTrac team members and guests is of the utmost importance. RaceTrac is committed to providing our neighbors with the goods and services they need to safely evacuate or wait out the storm; however, the safety of our team members and guests takes priority in times of crisis. To prepare for the impact of Hurricane Irma, all RaceTrac stores in Florida will close, beginning with our South Florida stores Friday evening and remaining stores north of I-4 closing by Saturday evening. We plan to reopen all stores early next week, but will monitor Hurricane Irma’s impact and confirm conditions are safe prior to reopening stores. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Georgia, Texas and Louisiana stores remain open and we encourage guests in those states to check THIS LINK for fuel availability near you."