Latest storm/incident developments
• National Hurricane Center predicts Ian will become a major hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico.
• While the future path is still uncertain, major flooding and wind damage is expected in Pinellas County.
• Special needs shelters and two general population shelters will open Monday afternoon. Additional sheltering and evacuation plans will be announced Monday at a 10 a.m. press conference at the Emergency Operations Center.
• Visitors are encouraged to proactively evacuate as precautionary measure.
Pinellas County response/action
Special needs evacuation
• Special needs shelters will open Monday, Sept. 26, at 6 p.m. Residents with special needs who require transportation to a safe location until the storm threat passes can still sign up by calling the County Information Center at 727-464-4333.
Emergency shelters
• Residents should finalize their sheltering plans soon, whether it is in their non-evacuation zone home, in a hotel, or with a friend or family member.
• Two general populations shelters will open Monday, Sept. 26, at 6 p.m. for those needing emergency shelter:
- Ross Norton Recreation Center (1426 S M.L.K. Jr Ave, Clearwater, FL 33756)
- Lealman Exchange (5175 45th St N, St. Petersburg)
• Follow the latest updates on Alert Pinellas, Ready Pinellas, www.pinellascounty.org, County social media and local media.
General
• Pinellas County schools will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
• County Information Center remains open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Call 727-464-4333. Residents who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact the County Information Center via online chat at www.bit.ly/PinellasChat
Advice & Information for Residents and Visitors
• Visitors are encouraged to evacuate beginning Monday.
• Finalize your disaster preparedness kits.
• If you are leaving the county, plan to leave early and be sure to secure your property before you go.
• Take photographs of your home and valuable items for insurance purposes in case damages occur.
• Know your evacuation zone. Pinellas County updated evacuation zones for the 2022 hurricane season. Check your evacuation zone one of these ways:
- Storm.pinellascounty.org
- Download the new Ready Pinellas app
- If your property has a landline: Call (727) 453-3150 and enter your 10-digit home phone number
- Residents who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact the County Information Center via online chat at www.bit.ly/PinellasChat
• Register for emergency alerts at http://www.pinellascounty.org/alertpinellas and download the new Ready Pinellas app in the App Store or Google Play store for real-time storm updates.
Original source can be found here
Alerts Sign-up