City of Gainesville Hurricane Ian Update #2

Press release from City of Gainesville

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe has signed an executive order declaring a local state of emergency as Hurricane Ian continues its advance toward Florida. The order mobilizes all resources necessary to coordinate the City’s response for the safety and protection of all neighbors.

Alachua County is now under a Tropical Storm Watch. A tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions could affect the watch area within 48 hours. 

• Neighbors are advised to continue to prepare themselves, their families, and their property should our area experience major wind and rain effects as Hurricane Ian approaches. Sign up for email, phone, and text notifications at www.alertgnv.org.

• Pre-made sandbags will be available from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. tomorrow, Sept. 27, at the Public Works administration building, 405 NW 39th Ave. A limit of 10 filled sandbags per vehicle can be picked up at this location.

• Bags and sand to make sandbags will be available from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. tomorrow, Sept. 27 at Citizens Field, 1000 NE Waldo Rd. Please bring a shovel or trowel to fill sandbags at this location. A limit of 10 bags for filling will be provided per vehicle. Please access the site from NE 12th Avenue via Waldo Road, or travel south on NE 15th Street via NE 16th Avenue.

• For information about sandbags outside Gainesville city limits, contact your local municipality or visit the Alachua County website. [Editor’s note: the information Alachua County sent out today about sandbags can be found here.]

• Alachua County has activated the 311 Emergency Information line for questions and rumor control.

• Bus service: The City’s Regional Transit System (RTS) continues normal operations at this time. Service will be suspended once area winds reach 35 mph. Visit www.go-rts.com. 

• Solid Waste collection: Residential trash pickup continues normal operations at this time. Service is suspended once area winds reach 35 mph.

• Emergency shelters are not open at this time, but information will be provided as soon as it becomes available. [Editor’s note: information on preparing to go to a shelter is here.]

• The mayor and city leaders are hosting a telephone town hall to update neighbors about local storm preparations. Dial-in details can be found here.

• Emergency management updates are available online at www.safeGNV.org.