Drew Dixon
Flagler County, the most sparsely populated county on Florida’s Atlantic Coast, is preparing a hurricane shelter for its residents as Hurricane Milton continues to churn toward the state.
But county officials stress that the shelter won’t open until the county issues mandatory evacuation orders, which have not come as of late Tuesday.
Milton, again a Category 5 storm, is projected to hit the Gulf Coast late Wednesday and then plow through the interior of the state into early Thursday, with it exiting into the Atlantic Ocean near Daytona Beach. Flagler County is just north of that area and is likely to get hit with high winds and heavy rains.
Flagler officials announced that they are getting a hurricane shelter ready for residents that will open at 8 a.m. on Wednesday.
“If evacuations occur, a shelter inclusive of pets and those with special needs will be set up at Rymfire Elementary (1425 Rymfire Dr, Palm Coast, FL 32164),” a county news release said.
The county did acknowledge that shelter could be opened as early as Wednesday morning.
The Flagler County Emergency Operation Center will open a public Hurricane Evacuation Shelter at 8 a.m. Wednesday in conjunction with a mandatory evacuation order.
“After the evacuation orders are issued, at 8 a.m. Wednesday, residents seeking public sheltering will be able to go to Rymfire Elementary School,” Flagler County officials said.
Flagler County managers did advise if there are residents or visitors who are not going to use the shelter, they should consider making arrangements as soon as possible.
“For residents whose evacuation plans are to go to hotels/motels or stay with friends/family, we recommend you do so well before the evacuation orders are issued, preferably this evening, to help limit the traffic on the roads on Wednesday,” a news release said.
The city of Palm Coast, the main municipality within Flagler County, deferred to Flagler County for all storm information. Palm Coast did announce all public city offices and services will be closed due to the impending storm until Friday.
