November 7, 2022 – Flagler County officials urge all residents and businesses in Flagler County to make preparations for Tropical Storm like impacts from Subtropical Storm Nicole, including topping off emergency kits and having a destination in mind to go if evacuations are called for.
Residents and businesses on the barrier island – from the Volusia County line to the St. John’s County line – should be prepared to evacuate as early as Wednesday morning.
“At this time, it is expected that Flagler County will see conditions similar to what we saw with Hurricane Ian, to include coastal flooding and power outages but with less rainfall and therefore less inland flooding,” said Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord. “If we call for evacuations, we will open a shelter.”
Recommendations for preparation include:
- Make a Plan – Talk to friends and family about how communicating before, during, and after a potential storm will work. Have a primary, secondary, and possibly even a tertiary plan for where to go in the event of an evacuation. Consider staying with family or friends outside of the evacuation area in addition to hotels or motels.
- Build a Kit – Gather supplies necessary to be “Off-the-Grid” for a week after a disaster for everyone in the home. Don’t forget to consider the unique needs each person or pet may have. The kit should include food, water, medications, clothing, cash (as credit card/ATM machines may not work), radios, batteries, generators/fuel. Portability is key should evacuation be required.
- Protect Property – Secure outdoor items that could take flight in a strong wind, including loose tree limbs. Prepare window and door protection, such as shutters, should they need to be installed.
- Sign up for Alert Flagler at www.flaglercounty.gov/alertflagler, to receive timely emergency notifications.
“At this point, the National Weather Service isn’t predicting hurricane-force winds for our area, but we don’t know what later forecasts will bring,” Lord said. “The outlook for our area has not improved. I do recommend that all residents do the basics, like fuel up your vehicles and make sure you have a week’s worth of basic emergency provisions.”
As a sidenote, FEMA is closing the temporary Disaster Recovery Center at the Flagler County Fairgrounds Wednesday, November 9, through Friday, November 11, in preparation of Subtropical Storm Nicole.
For more information go to www.flaglercounty.gov/emergency and follow Emergency Management on social media at:
