Monroe County Office of Emergency Management
Update, Hurricane Ike – 3:30 p.m.
Keys Officials Announce Protective Actions for Ike
Visitor Evacuation to Begin Saturday Morning
Initiating protective actions Friday to ensure safety of life and property, Florida Keys officials ordered a mandatory visitor evacuation, officially beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday.
All visitors are asked to calmly depart as soon as possible beginning Saturday morning.
Emergency officials are set to begin a phased evacuation for all residents beginning Sunday at 8 a.m. Times and regions are as follows: Lower Keys and Key West: 8 a.m.; Middle Keys including Marathon: Noon; Upper Keys including Key Largo, Islamorada and mainland Monroe County: 4 p.m.
The evacuations are to continue through Monday at noon, well prior to the current forecast’s arrival of tropical storm force winds arriving in the Keys Monday evening.
“The forecasters at the National Hurricane Center and Key West weather office are cautioning that a portion of the Keys may be impacted by a major hurricane,” said Keys Emergency Management Director Irene Toner. “Because of our unique geography and the possibility that other Florida counties may also be ordering evacuations, it is important for residents and visitors to heed our advice.”
Monroe County Sheriff Rick Roth said that while people should not waste time securing their homes, businesses, boats and other property, there is no reason to panic.
"There is plenty of time to make hurricane preparations and calmly leave the Keys," said Roth. "Our deputies will be out in force, making sure the evacuation goes smoothly and any accidents that might occur are cleared from the roadway quickly in an effort to minimize delays."
Tolls on the Card Sound Road Bridge are to be suspended Saturday morning.
To assist visitors and residents needing to locate hotel rooms outside the Florida Keys, Visit Florida is establishing both an online and operator-assisted hotel availability resource pool for evacuees. The online component should be available beginning Saturday morning by going to www.visitflorida.com and looking for the “hotel availability” link.
Visit Florida visitor assistance phone number is 1-800-287-8598.
Officials suggest that visitors and residents evacuate to mainland hotels well away from coastline areas.
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ADDITIONAL HELP AND RESOURCES
Keys Visitors Assistance: (800) 771-KEYS
Visit Florida Hotel Hotline: (800) 287-8598
Monroe County Emergency Information: (800) 955-5504
County Public Access Television: Channel 76 on Comcast Cable
Contact: Becky Herrin, (305) 707-0579
Andy Newman, (305) 542-6014
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