Escambia County Hurricane Isaias Update #6

Escambia County began response and recovery efforts early this morning, Saturday, Oct. 10 following Hurricane Isaias, including damage assessments and debris clearing across roadways.

Public safety is the top priority as Escambia County begins to enter the recovery phase. EMS, Fire, and law enforcement resumed calls for service once the storm passed and conditions were safe. Escambia County EMS and Escambia County Fire Rescue began running calls shortly after Isaias made landfall, responding to over 200 emergency calls within two hours of resuming service. Read more here.

Many roads are closed due to downed power lines and trees throughout Escambia County and the City of Pensacola. View road closure information at MyEscambia.com/roads or fl511.com.

Call 1-800-4-OUTAGE (1-800-468-8243) immediately to report a dangerous condition such as a downed power line. Please note, if you have already reported a downed power line, there is no need to report it again. Please call 911 for life-threatening emergencies.

Although the impacts of the storm have passed, road conditions remain unsafe. Please stay home and allow first responders and crews to work on recovery efforts. If you must drive, use extra caution on the roads and watch for downed trees, power lines and debris. Remember to treat intersections with traffic signal outages as four-way stops.

Escambia County:

• Escambia County crews are actively working to clear numerous downed trees throughout the county, with a priority on clearing roadways needed to access critical facilities such as hospitals. The public's patience is appreciated as crews work to clear major thoroughfares first before clearing trees on roadways in neighborhoods. Please note that crews will begin with "cut and toss" operations to simply move the trees out of the roadway, and will return later in the recovery process to fully remove the trees and debris.
• Residents with damage to property or their street are asked to complete the Citizen Damage Report here.
• Escambia County is urging residents using generators to keep them at least 20 feet away from your home and to never operate a generator in an enclosed space. Ensure the generator has at least three to four feet of clear space on either side, and use the correct cord for the wattage and GFCI protection. Read more safety tips here.
• The Citizen Information Line is available 24 hours a day for residents to call with questions or concerns at 850-471-6600.

Emergency Storm Repairs

• In the aftermath of a storm, structural damage can leave homeowners and businesses scrambling to get repairs done as soon as possible. The Escambia County Building Services Department Permitting Division can process permit applications through various methods in the event of a natural disaster.
• Click here for a breakdown of what you need to do when it comes to permitting after a storm.
• For more information on storm recovery, visit myescambia.com.

City of Pensacola:

• City crews are collaborating with Florida Power and Light on restoration efforts. Thousands of linemen are out in full force to help bring service back to customers.
• City departments including Pensacola Police Department, Pensacola Fire Department, and Public Works are continuing to respond to calls to provide life safety and restore operations throughout the city. Read more here.
• The Pensacola Airport Runway is open for non-commercial operations only. Damage assessment is under way and there is no timetable yet for reopening.
• No water or power at the Port. All buildings sustained some level of damage, but final assessments are pending.
• 31 calls systemwide at Pensacola Energy and all have been addressed at this time.

Emerald Coast Utilities Authority:

• ECUA's boil-water notice remains in effect while their crews continue to assess and repair damage to their infrastructure. Use bottled water for drinking and cooking. Read more here.

Florida Department of Health in Escambia County:

• The Florida Department of Health in Escambia County (DOH-Escambia) urges residents to be aware of the health risks following Hurricane Isaias. Residents should take precautionary measures to prevent illness or injury from flood waters, Vibrio vulnificus, carbon monoxide poisoning, mosquito bites, wildlife, and more.
• For more information, download the DOH Emergency Preparedness and Recovery guide, or visit escambia.floridahealth.gov.

Hurricane Isaias Relief:

• BRACE staff is working diligently to manage the ESF-15 Volunteers and Donations support for both Escambia and Santa Rosa County Emergency Management. To report any unmet needs, please call 211 and any needs will be assessed once the storm has passed. To make a donation, please click here.

Updates will continue to be posted online at myescambia.com. For the latest news and updates on emergencies impacting the community, like Escambia County Emergency Management on Facebook and follow @EscambiaBeReady on Instagram.