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City of Gainesville Storm Update #6 – Please stay off the roads, keep your phone on

Press release from City of Gainesville

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Hurricane Helene has increased strength offshore and has become a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 125 mph. Tropical storm-force winds are expected for the next several hours as it approaches landfall, gusting as high as 75 mph in our area.

Public safety officials are asking all neighbors to stay off the roads as much as possible. This will enable emergency vehicles to respond quickly and safely.

As our area remains in a tornado watch, keep phones on for emergency weather alerts and stay prepared to shelter in an interior room if a tornado warning is issued.

Remember, if your home loses power and you plan to use a portable generator, do so safely. Generator exhaust contains carbon monoxide (CO), a colorless, odorless and tasteless poison gas that can be deadly. Never run gas-powered generators in the home. Make sure generators are placed in well-ventilated areas – not in the garage – and at least 20 feet from the house. Let the generator cool at least 20 minutes before refueling.

Regional Transit System (RTS)

  • Bus service will end at 7 p.m. tonight and will operate on reduced service tomorrow, Sept. 27. Fares resume tomorrow.

Refuse Collection

  • Today’s residential trash and recycling pickup is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28. Please do not place containers, branches or other items curbside before then.

Facilities

  • City offices, facilities, parks, pools and recreation centers remain closed through tomorrow and are expected to reopen Monday.

Parking

  • Parking restrictions remain lifted through tomorrow for all parking zones.
  • Free parking at the SW Parking Garage, 105 SW 3rd Street, continues through tomorrow (based on availability) for neighbors who need to store their vehicles.

311 Emergency Information Line

  • Alachua County has activated the 311 Emergency Information line for rumor control and questions. Neighbors can also dial 352-264-6557.

Additional resources

  • To receive City of Gainesville alerts, sign up at www.alertgnv.org.
  • Visit GRU.com/StormCentral for a list of important phone numbers in the event of service emergencies, as well as a link to the Gainesville Regional Utilities outage map with estimated time of restoration.
  • Visit www.safeGNV.org for all emergency management updates and additional preparedness tips.
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