Monroe County Office of Emergency Management
Update: Tropical Storm Fay, August 17, 2008 - 11 a.m.
Keys Officials Issue Additional Protective Actions for Tropical Storm Fay
Four Keys Shelters to open 7 p.m.
Public schools to be closed Monday and Tuesday
Mobile home residents, those in low-lying areas and boat live-aboards should evacuate to shelters
Keys county and city offices to close Monday
Sheriff's Offices closed Monday and Tuesday
Evacuation continues for visitors.
Monroe County Emergency Management is monitoring Tropical Storm Fay very closely and, with it's expected arrival in the Florida Keys Monday at noontime, they are issuing a number of protective action orders today.
Everyone in the Keys should be closely monitoring the storm and should continue to listen to loal radio and television stations for updates on both the storm, and for any
new protective action reccomendations which might be issued.
Shelters will open at 7 p.m. tonight for those residents who are staying in the Keys and who do not feel comfortable staying home during the storm.
Shelter locations are:
Key West High School on Flagler Avenue in Key West
Sugarloaf School on Crane Boulevard, just off the bayside of the 19 mile marker of Highway U.S. One
Stanley Switlik Elementary School at 3400 Overseas Highway in Marathon
Coral Shores High School, mile marker 90 on Highway U.S. One in Islamorada.
It is highly recommended that those living in mobile homes, low lying areas and boat live-aboards to go to these shelters for the duration of the storm.
Monroe County public schools will be closed on Monday and Tuesday. Parents should be receiving a confirmation call from the school disrict about these closings.
Keys county and city offices are closed on Monday. A decision is to be made later regarding the status of county and city offices on Tuesday. The Monroe County Sheriff's Office will close it's administrative offices on both Monday and Tuesday. Law enforcement operations will, of course, continue throughout the storm.
Boat owners should now be securing their vessels, well before the arrival of tropical storm-force winds midday Monday. The Snake Creek drawbridge, in Islamorada, will not open to marine vessels, upon the arrival of tropical storm-force winds.
Hospitals in the Florida Keys are canceling elective procedures, but intend to remain open for emergency service otherwise, unless there is a change in the intensity of Fay.
Airports in Key West and Marathon are closely monitoring the storm's progress and are likely to remain open through early Monday morning. Operations will cease upon the arrival of tropical storm-force winds arrive.
Monroe County Sheriff Rick Roth said that there are no plans to close the Overseas Highway (U.S. 1) before, during or after the storm.
A mandatory evacuation for visitors is now in effect.
Additional Resources:
Monroe County Emergency Information: (800) 955-5504
Keys Tourism Help Line: (800) 771-KEYS
Contact: Becky Herrin, (305) 797-0155
Andy Newman, (305) 542-6014
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