Hurricane Idalia Community Brief

Idalia made landfall around 8 AM this morning near Keaton Beach (Taylor County) as a strong Category 3 hurricane with 125 mph winds at landfall. Since yesterday’s update, Idalia’s track began to take a slight eastward shift – ultimately sparing Leon County from the catastrophic damage that was experienced in neighboring counties along Florida’s Gulf Coast. The following includes a list of resources for disaster planning in Florida:

• FloridaDisaster.org contains a summary of currently open general and special needs shelters within the State of Florida.
• The Visit Florida website contains current travel safety information as well as resources for hotel and lodging availability across the state of Florida.
• The American Red Cross shelter directory contains a list of currently open American Red Cross shelters across the country. 

Rural Waste Service Centers and Solid Waste Management Facility 

All Rural Waste Service Centers and the Solid Waste Management Facility will be open on Thursday, August 31 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (these hours are specially modified to allow residents to drop off yard debris). Each site will resume normal service hours beginning Friday, September 1. This includes household hazardous waste collection. 

Sandbag Sites 

All County sandbag sites have closed. 

Risk Shelters

Risk shelters are no longer accepting new shelter occupants. 

Office, School, and University/College Closures 

• County offices reopen on Friday, September 1. 
• For all other reopenings, please go to that entity’s website for more information.

• LeonReady.com – The Leon Ready website is a hub of resources to help you, your family and your neighborhood prepare for disasters. There are a variety of resources available, like the County’s 2023 Disaster Survival Guide, a full list of disaster supplies for your disaster bucket, and so much more, to increase your readiness. 
• Download the Leon County Citizens Connect Mobile App - Completely redesigned, the Citizens Connect mobile app puts timely emergency notifications at your fingertips through push notifications on your smartphone or other device. Be the first to know about shelter locations, road closures and service changes by downloading the application on the Apple and Google Play stores. 
• Visit the Leon County Emergency Information Portal - Hosting the same information as the Citizens Connect app, the Emergency Information Portal can be accessed on a desktop or a mobile browser by visiting www.LeonCountyFL.gov/ei. 
• Listen to 88.9 WFSU-FM - Citizens can tune in to 88.9 FM for the most up-to-date information from local public safety officials. Featuring to-the-minute reporting, WFSU, Leon County and the City of Tallahassee remain committed to getting information out on the radio as soon as possible. 
• Additionally, iHeartRadio will also provide updates on the following stations: WFLA-FM 100.7, WFLF-FM 94.5, WTNT 94.9, KISS-FM 107.1, X-FM101.5, and The Beat-FM 105.3. 
• Call 2-1-1 Big Bend - If you need community information, services and support any day of the year, Big Bend 2-1-1 is reachable by dialing either 2-1-1 or (850) 617-6333. 
• Call (850) 606-3700 with questions - Leon County Emergency Management staff is available to answer questions about how you should prepare, act and recover. 
• For updates on City of Tallahassee Utilities and other City services, visit Talgov.com. 
• Insurance Helpline - The Florida Department of Financial Services offers a toll-free Insurance Consumer Helpline to assist Florida's insurance consumers. Insurance Specialists are available to answer questions or concerns regarding insurance coverage and advocate on a consumer's behalf to resolve a dispute with an insurance company. To receive assistance, call 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (693-5236) toll-free, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
• Price Gouging - During a state of emergency, it is unlawful to sell or lease certain commodities for an amount that grossly exceeds the average price. To report price gouging, call 1-866-966-7226. If you are looking for gas, use GasBuddy.com to report fuel prices and availability. 

Plan now because when disaster strikes, it is too late to prepare. Leon County and the City of Tallahassee encourage citizens to put disaster supplies in a waterproof and durable five-gallon bucket. Keep these essential items near an exit door in your home or in your vehicle. 
 
Some important items include a flashlight, medications, nonperishable food and water. Visit LeonReady.com to view the 2023 Disaster Survival Guide for disaster preparedness resources and a full list of preparedness items. 
 
Once you and your family have a hurricane preparedness plan in place, check on your neighbors to ensure that they have one, too. Neighborhoods that prepare together create strong support networks that are vital to a speedy recovery. In the event of a major disaster, your neighbors will be your closest resource and support. 
 
It is important to know the difference between a hurricane watch and a hurricane warning. A hurricane watch is an announcement that hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or higher) are possible within a specified area. Watches are generally issued 48 hours in advance of hurricane winds. A warning indicates conditions are expected, and these are issued 36 hours in advance. 
 
Prepare your home for strong winds by visually inspecting trees on your property for poor health and reducing the risk to your home by trimming hanging limbs. If you have any questions about your tree's health, contact a Certified Arborist to assist you. 
 
Please prepare now. If you have any questions about how best to prepare, please call the Leon County Citizens Information Line at (850) 606-3700. 
 
For current information about local preparedness and response, please visit www.LeonCountyFL.gov/ei.