Hurricane Dorian Palm Beach Gardens

WEST PALM BEACH — The main message Palm Beach County officials had for residents ahead of Hurricane Dorian's uncertain landing: Keep calm and be prepared.

Palm Beach County Administrator Verdenia Baker said Thursday afternoon no determinations have been made on whether shelters will open, but an announcement will be made as the storm gets closer.

"If we determine that the storm path is definitely going to have a significant impact on us, we will immediately identify the areas that should be evaluated and assist you with making those evacuations if necessary," Baker said.

A local state of emergency has been declared for Palm Beach County, and the Palm Beach County Emergency Operations Center expects to upgrade its activation level once again on Friday to "Partial Activation." That means county emergency management staff and outside agencies will meet to prepare for the storm.

>>MORE: Palm Beach County is watching, preparing for the storm

As of Thursday afternoon, no evacuations had been ordered and no shelters had opened.

"If evacuations are ordered, you should consider evacuating miles, not hundreds of miles, but miles," Baker said. "Those who are not in evacuation zones, I repeat, should shelter in place."

Residents can find out their evacuation zones and nearest shelter by visiting ReadyPBC.com.

Officials advise that shelters are to be a last resort. Residents should first determine if a family, friend, co-worker or hotel outside of an evacuation zone can be a suitable place to wait out the storm before going to a shelter.

>>RELATED: Shelters: When should Palm Beach County residents go, and where?

Baker added that residents should anticipate to have food and water to last between five and seven days. A major reason for that is to reduce the number of drivers on the road after a storm.

"Regardless of whether we get the full brunt of it, or we just get tropical storms and rain, we're going to have some flooding," Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said. "It's not the winds, it's the flooding where people get killed."

Bradshaw advised residents to be patient, as cars lined up at gas stations and residents depleted grocery store shelves of water over the past few days.

>>RELATED: Supplies of gas are ample for now as consumption increases

One Wellington gas station owner said he sold 3,000 gallons of gas each day on average. On Wednesday, he sold about 8,000 gallons.

A Port Everglades spokeswoman told The Palm Beach Post that there is plenty of gas ahead of Dorian's arrival.

While the warnings were stern and serious, officials wanted to convey confidence in their response to stifle any panic.

"Stay at home. Ride it out. Try to relax. We've got you covered, just like we do every single time," Bradshaw said.

Officials announced Palm Beach County's natural areas would be closed beginning Thursday evening until further notice.

Palm Beach Atlantic University's West Palm Beach campus canceled all classes Friday, and Florida Atlantic University classes beyond 12:30 p.m. Friday were also canceled.

Classes and after-care programs will operate as usual Friday in Palm Beach County's public schools as the region prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Dorian.

But sporting events and other after-school special events Friday are canceled, the school district announced.

With the storm predicted to make landfall Monday on Florida's east coast, the district said it is reminding parents that schools are closed Monday in observance of Labor Day.

County emergency managers will decide in upcoming days whether to open several public schools as emergency shelters and whether to resume classes Tuesday.

The school district will keep parents and employees informed about storm-related plans through phone calls, emails and the school district's website, palmbeachschools.org.

Public schools in Martin and Indian River counties will open Friday, although classes in both counties will dismiss early and all after-school activities are canceled.

Volusia County public schools, which includes Daytona Beach, are operating on a normal schedule Friday.

>>MORE: When do I put up my shutters?

Palm Beach's decision sparked strong opinions among teachers, some of who said they wished schools were closed Friday so school employees had more time to prepare.

"I'm disappointed," said Tina Martin, a teacher at Discovery Key Elementary west of Lake Worth. "There's so much to do to get ready. If we have to wait until Saturday, there won't be much left in the way of supplies, time to put up shutters... and whatever else we need to do to get ready."

But Michael Woods, a teacher at Santaluces High School, said that he thinks teachers should be treated no differently from other workers who have to go to their jobs Friday to help others can prepare for the storm, such as grocery store employees.

"If they work...we work," he said. "I have heard many colleagues discuss the difficult situations we create for other families — again many of whom will be working — when we close schools."

Palm Beach Post staff reporters Andrew Marra, Kristina Webb and Jeff Ostrowski contributed to this report.

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Source: https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/politics/county/2019/08/29/hurricane-dorian-palm-beach-county-declares-local-state-of-emergency/112146774/

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