Tropical Depression Four has been upgraded to Tropical Storm Debby

Compiled from press releases from Alachua County and City of Gainesville

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Tropical Depression Four has been upgraded to Tropical Storm Debby.

Monitor the US National Weather Service website at weather.gov/jax for the latest storm information, including anticipated local impacts. You can find the latest National Weather Service briefing packet, which is updated regularly at https://tinyurl.com/NWSJAX.

To aid our residents as the storm approaches, Alachua County has activated the 311 Emergency Information Line (352-264-6557 if 311 is unavailable in your area). This is for questions and rumor control. 

If you have a true emergency call 911.

Sign up for text alerts by texting the word ALACHUA to 888-777 to stay fully informed of any disaster related information related specifically to Alachua County.

Information on sandbags, closures, and other protective measures can be found at AlachuaCountyReady.com.

City of Gainesville announcements

Facilities

• The City’s parks and Ironwood Golf Course closed at 3 p.m. on Saturday and will remain closed on Sunday.
• The City of Gainesville is monitoring conditions and will provide future updates regarding City offices and facilities.

Refuse Collection

• There are no changes to residential waste pickup at this time.

Regional Transit System (RTS)

• There is no change to bus service at this time.

Sandbag operations

• Approximately 4,000 sandbags were distributed by the City on Saturday.
• Sandbag distribution at Public Works has ended.
• Sand remains available for self-serve bags at Citizens Field, 1000 NE Waldo Rd. Please bring a shovel or trowel to fill sandbags at this location. Please access the site from NE 12th Avenue via Waldo Road, or travel south on NE 15th Street via NE 16th Avenue.

Additional resources

• Sign up for email, phone and text notifications 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 additional planning tips and all emergency management updates.

Preparations

Alachua County residents should not dismiss this storm. Please take the necessary precautions now to get you and your family ready. You should have your hurricane kits and plans in place if you haven’t already done so.

Some of those actions include, but are not limited to:

• Sign up for emergency alerts by texting ALACHUA to 888-777.
• Clearing items around your home that can be picked up by strong winds.
• Securing property in areas that are prone to flooding.
• Clearing tree limbs from around windows.
• Moving vehicles out from underneath trees.
• Ensuring everyone in your family is familiar with your disaster plan.
• Having a plan for prolonged power outages.
• Refilling prescription medications.
• Having a plan for your pets.
• Checking up on neighbors and those that you know may have special needs.
• Use Alachua.weatherstem.com to view weather stations that are near your home.
• Go to hurricanes.gov and weather.gov/jax for the latest storm track and potential impacts.