(PENSACOLA, Fla.) - Hurricane Isaias more than outperformed expectations, making landfall near Destin, Florida, as a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 105 mph at 9:30 p.m. ET Friday. (Fox Weather) Florida’s Panhandle and its neighbors felt Isaias’ wrath throughout the night, leaving four dead and more than 900,000 without power in Florida and Alabama. Many residents woke up to roofless and flooded homes.
Photo Credit: Facebook/Damage from Hurricane Isaias in Pensacola, Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 26-202, which declared a state of emergency for 27 Florida counties. There were more than 16,000 linemen and restoration personnel standing by. Four hundred soldiers from the Florida State Guard were deployed to assist with pre- and post-landfall efforts. They have fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft available, unmanned aircraft systems, 20 maritime vessels, flat trucks, skid-steer loaders, all-terrain forklifts and a large fleet of vehicles and trailers for transport missions (FloridaJobs.org).
Sheriff Chip Simmons confirmed that a woman was killed after a tree fell on her home in Escambia County, and a man died due to carbon monoxide fumes from a generator that was running in his garage.
In neighboring Birmingham, Alabama, the city fire chief, Cory Moon, stated, “One person died when a tree fell on a house.” Another death in Alabama was attributed to a vehicular crash involving a downed tree in Barbour County, stated Josh Johnson of the state’s emergency management agency. At the time of publication, there were still more than 200,000 Florida Power & Light Co. (FPL) homes and businesses without power in Northwest Florida. (FPL Maps)
Photo Credit: FPL.com/Chart of customers with and without power
Several tips can help you use your generator safely and ensure you have safe drinking water. Always operate your generator outdoors, 20 feet away from your home, windows, doors, and vents. Do not run a generator in a garage or a carport. Always use carbon monoxide (CO) alarms that are operated by battery or battery-backup carbon monoxide detectors.
After a hurricane, do not assume that tap water is safe. Listen for “boil-water advisories” before using tap water. When boiling water, bring it to a rolling boil for at least one full minute. Remember to let it cool before storing. (CDC.gov)
As of this publication, the following school districts and institutions are closed Monday, Oct. 12, in Florida:
Escambia County Public Schools
Santa Rosa County Public Schools
University of West Florida
Pensacola State College
Chipola College
Gulf Coast State College
Northwest Florida State College
Florida State University Panama City
Always check your school or district for updates.
As of this publication, the following school districts and institutions are closed Monday, Oct. 12, in Alabama:
Bullock County Schools
Baldwin County Schools
Crenshaw County Schools
Pike Liberal Arts School
The Rock School
Troy City Schools
Always check your school or district for updates.
There is assistance in place for those affected by the hurricane:
FEMA assistance: 1-800-621-3362; Operation Blue Roof: 1-888-766-3258; storm-related legal help: 1-866-550-2929; insurance helpline: 1-977-693-5236; price-gouging hotline: 1-866-966-7226; American Red Cross: 1-900-733-2767.
To add to or correct any information in this report, please contact me at james.b@lead4earth.org or leave a comment below with your thoughts.
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