scottobear | 7844 - Hurricane Wilma Advisory #7

Broward Residents Urged to Take Refuge

FOR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION CONTACT: Judy Sarver
DATE: Sunday, October 23, 2005 PHONE (Media Only): 954-831-3891
TIME: 1:00 p.m. HURRICANE HOTLINE: 954-831-4000

Hurricane Wilma Advisory #7
Residents Urged to Take Refuge

Broward County residents are urged to complete their preparations and prepare to take refuge from Hurricane Wilma. Broward County is under a hurricane warning and will begin to experience deteriorating conditions this evening continuing through Monday morning. Category One winds of approximately 74 to 95 mph are expected with higher gusts.

There is a high probability of tornadic conditions in Broward County. When a tornado approaches, immediate action may mean the difference between life and death. If a tornado is sighted, residents should seek shelter into an interior hallway or lower level of a building and stay away from glass doors and windows.

PERSONS MUST NOT DRIVE OR WALK AROUND IN TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE FORCE WINDS. SEVERAL SOUTH FLORIDA DEATHS OCCURRED IN KATRINA WHEN PEOPLE DECIDED TO WALK AROUND TO WATCH TREES FALL IN STRONG WINDS.

All mobile home residents are under a mandatory evacuation order. Six Red Cross shelters are open for those residents that need refuge. They include: Arthur Ashe Middle School in Fort Lauderdale, Monarch High School in Coconut Creek, Fox Trail Elementary in Davie, Watkins Elementary in Pembroke Park, Park Lakes Elementary in Lauderdale Lakes and Plantation Elementary in Plantation. A pet-friendly shelter at Millennium Middle School in Tamarac is also open.

Two special needs shelters have been opened for those who are registered and require special assistance. Four Homeless Assistance Shelters have been opened and buses will be running from noon to 6 p.m. to designated pick-up points to transport the homeless to the shelters. Bus pickup points include St. John’s Episcopal Church in Hollywood, Pompano Beach City Hall in Pompano Beach and the Salvation Army Lodge in Fort Lauderdale.

The Coast Guard has ordered all bridges to remain in a locked-down position effective 5:00 p.m. today.

Travelers should contact their cruise line or airlines for possible delays or cancellations.

Broward County government offices are closed on Monday. All Broward County schools are closed on Monday. Buses service will be suspended on Monday and a list of cancellations and closing are available on the Broward County web site at www.broward.org.

Residents can call the Hurricane Hotline at 954-831-4000. The Hotline will remain operational on a 24-hour basis until the threat from Hurricane Wilma has passed.

along the atlantic coast including miami-dade, broward and palm beach counties...a storm tide of 2 to 4 feet above mean sea level can be expected mid morning monday...with slightly higher amounts possible in canals and waterways. south winds will pile some water into the north end of biscayne bay causing some flooding of causeways and low lying beach access roads for a short time from midnight sunday night into early monday morning. the high tide for the atlantic coast should be around midnight tonight into the pre-dawn hours monday morning which would be the most likely time for localized flooding.