FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 11, 2004
Emergency managers held an 11 a.m. conference call this morning with the National Hurricane Center and state Emergency Operations Center to discuss the status and tracking of Tropical Storm Charley.
Here are some of the highlights:
- Next briefings will be a 1 p.m. regional conference call with surrounding counties and a 3 p.m. local briefing with emergency managers, law enforcement, school district, red cross, and other emergency related agencies where more decisions will be made. There also will be a 5 p.m. conference call with the National Hurricane Center and state Emergency Operations Center.
- Current track of the storm without deviation would bring it over the Keys Thursday afternoon/evening hitting the Florida peninsula Friday afternoon/evening. Conditions locally would begin to deteriorate late Thursday evening/early Friday morning. A hurricane watch for the Keys could be expanded to lower Florida later this afternoon.
- Storm surge would impact Lee County and rain could be six inches to 10 inches in some areas.
- Emergency managers are urging residents to continue to monitor the news to keep apprised of weather conditions and any future actions by emergency management. Residents and visitors should review emergency plans to protect their families, property and pets.
- No decisions have been made yet about opening shelters, discussions with the School District about closing schools, or evacuations of barrier islands, coastal areas or mobile homes. Some of those decisions could be made later today.
- Emergency managers will decide later today when to activate an emergency hotline phone number if needed.
- Community Emergency Response Teams are on standby.
- The EOC is at level 2 (partial activation). No decision has been made yet whether to expand the state of local emergency currently in effect for flooding. That could happen later today.
- A National Weather Service representative will be sent to Lee County EOC Thursday to help monitor the situation locally.