Volusia County enacts evacuations ahead of Hurricane Milton

Ormond Beach Observer
News

Volusia County has enacted an evacuation order for Hurricane Milton beginning 8 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, for the following:

All areas east of the intracoastal waterway
All manufactured and mobile homes
All low-lying areas and other areas prone to flooding
All campsites and RV recreational parks

Hurricane Milton poses a significant threat of heavy rainfall, flooding, and damaging winds and gusts. Evacuees are encouraged to seek short-distance evacuations to a nearby location, stay with friends or family, or visit www.volusia.org to find local shelters and help minimize traffic congestion.

Emergency Shelters

Volusia County will open multiple emergency shelters at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9. General population shelters will include:

Creekside Middle School, 6801 Airport Road, Port Orange
Deland High School, 800 N. Hill Ave., Deland (pet-friendly)
University High School, 1000 W. Rhode Island Ave., Orange City
Mainland High School, 1255 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach (pet friendly)
Volusia County Fairgrounds, 3150 E. New York Ave., Deland (pet-friendly)

Special needs shelters, which will be staffed by health care professionals, will also be available. Evacuees should be accompanied by only one caregiver. These shelters are not for isolated patients or people who need 24-hour dedicated care, a hospital bed, a ventilator, or other complex care. Special needs shelters will include:

Galaxy Middle School, 2400 Eustace Ave., Deltona
David C Hinson Sr Middle School, 1860 N., Clyde Morris Blvd. Daytona Beach

Votran and Volusia County Schools will provide free transportation to public shelters.

Curfew

A curfew has been announced for Volusia County beginning at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9., and lasting until 8 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, to discourage unnecessary traffic during the height of the storm. The curfew does not apply to:

Regular members of law enforcement bodies
Regular employees of businesses, industries, or government entities while traveling for their jobs
All emergency workers

Any person who knowingly violates this ordinance shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of up to $500 and/or imprisonment in the county jail for up to 60 days. Volusia County staff will continue coordinating with state officials and the National Weather Service to assess potential local impacts from the storm. Residents can stay updated by downloading the Volusia Emergency Management app, following the County’s social media channels, or visiting www.volusia.org.

Sandbags

Volusia County will continue operating self-service sandbag distribution sites tomorrow, Oct. 8, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the following locations:

Fire Rescue Station 22, Oak Hill Station, 213 N. U.S. Highway 1, Oak Hill
Fire Rescue Station 23, Turnbull Station, 1850 Pioneer Trail, New Smyrna Beach
Fire Rescue Station 34, Indian Mound Station, 1700 Enterprise-Osteen Road, Osteen
Fire Rescue Station 45, St. Johns Station, 2580 W. State Road 44, DeLand

A Volusia County pre-filled sandbag distribution site will be hosted from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Volusia County Fairgrounds, 3100 E. New York Ave., DeLand. The Volusia County Branch Jail sandbag operation will not be operational on Tuesday.

There will be two drive-thru lines, including a self-service lane for individuals to load their bags and an assisted service lane for those needing help.

Some municipalities will also be offering sandbags tomorrow. The Volusia Emergency Management app will be updated to list sites, including those operated by the municipalities.

Landfill Operations

The Tomoka Farms Road Landfill and the West Volusia Transfer Station will be open during normal operating hours through Wednesday, Oct. 9. Both locations and administrative offices will be closed on Thursday, Oct. 10. Weather permitting, both facilities will reopen for normal business hours on Friday, Oct.11.