HURRICANE IAN UPDATE (11:30 a.m., Tuesday)
In an emergency meeting Tuesday morning, the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners declared a local state of emergency for Hurricane Ian, which continues its trek toward Florida.
Shayne Morgan, the county’s emergency management director, also informed the commission during the meeting that the Emergency Operations Center would be activated 24 hours a day beginning at 8 a.m. Wednesday.
Also on Wednesday, the county would begin opening shelters to have them ready should they be needed for the storm.
Morgan said the county was considering utilizing Fort White High School, Pinemount Elementary School and the Winfield Community Center as general population shelters. Westside Elementary School could be used as a special needs shelter. Morgan said the plan would be to have shelters available at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Tom Moffses, the administrator of the Columbia County Health Department, recommended that if the storm is not projected to be a hurricane by the time it reaches Columbia County, that they use a “hybrid model” in handling special needs individuals at shelters.
Moffses said the county previously had a special needs team set up at a general population shelter to assist, rather than open up a special needs shelter.
According to Moffses, the health department has already contacted residents registered with special needs and none are planning on using the shelters. He also said to open a special needs shelter, the health department would have to be closed to man that shelter and he can’t close if the county offices are not closed.
“I want to emphasize that sheltering is a last resort,” Morgan said, adding shelters would be available for both county residents and evacuees from other portions of Florida. “There’s not much comfort when you come to a shelter.”
There won’t be many other places in the county for evacuees to stay, currently. Paula Vann, the county’s Tourist Development Council director, said the hotels in Lake City are full.
The county offices will be closed Thursday and Friday. The board approved that closure following a recommendation from County Manager David Kraus.
The commission plans to hold emergency meetings at 9 a.m. daily until the storm passes.