Hurricane Sally Update from Escambia County Sept. 29 at 1 p.m.

Published Sep 29, 2020

County and city officials estimate over $126 million in damage to private property (single-family homes, multi-family homes, mobile homes and businesses) located in Escambia County and the City of Pensacola as a result of Hurricane Sally. Damage estimates in Escambia County are approximately $111 million and damage estimates in the City of Pensacola are $15.69 million. This is a conservative damage estimate because it only includes destroyed and major damage (not minor or affected), the valuation from the property appraiser is utilized, and assessments are continuing throughout the county and city. In the county and city, 44 buildings were destroyed, 629 have major damage, 915 have minor damage and 168 have been affected. To date, a total of 1,756 structures were damaged throughout the county. Read theFEMA definitions for damage assessments.
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners, the City of Pensacola Mayor and local state delegation members have sent a letter to the President of the United States requesting FEMA Individual Disaster Assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Sally. The Florida Panhandle was hit with a Category 2 hurricane on Sept. 16, 2020 with over 105 mph sustained wind, gusts up to 123 mph, over 30 inches of rain and water inundation as high as 15 feet in the Perdido Key area.News Release
President Trump has declared a major disaster exists in Florida from Hurricane Sally, including Escambia County, Florida, for all public assistance, including direct federal assistance, for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities. Individual assistance is still under review. Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state as warranted by the results of further damage assessments.
Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington Counties are approved for Public Assistance Category B (emergency protective measures), including direct federal assistance. All areas in the State of Florida are eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
To view the designated areas in this declaration, please visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4564/designated-areas.
Read More: President Donald J. Trump Approves Florida Disaster Declaration
Escambia County is working closely with State and Federal partners to assist in response and have requested multiple assets and personnel.
The Citizen Information Line is available seven days a week from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. for residents to call with questions or concerns at: (850) 471-6600
Everyone is encouraged to follow BeReadyEscambia Facebook and Twitter sites for the latest Hurricane Sally information.
The county is currently working on infrastructure assessments. Preliminary estimates are approx. $182.6 million of damageto public propertyin the county and city of Pensacola.
The Equestrian Center is available for horse owners from effected areas. For stall information, interested horse owners should contact the Equestrian Center directly at 850-941-6042 in which owners will be briefed on the required paperwork for the horses to be stalled at the facility.
If you need assistance with debris cleanup, mucking, tarp installation and mold remediation, please contact Crisis Cleanup at 800.451.1954
Over 40,187 meals have been served in our community at county feeding sites.
Residents in Molino, Carver Park and Cantonment who need food and water can contact the Citizen Information Line at 850-471-6600 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. to put in a request. Please provide your name, phone number and address to be contacted to schedule logistics while supplies last. (There are tarps, but food and water supplies have been allocated).
Recreational boaters are asked to refrain from boating due to submerged and floating debris, damaged/missing waterway markers.
All Escambia County boat ramps are "USE AT OWN RISK"
Galvez Boat Ramp: The east ramp is ok for use at own risk, but the west ramp needs evaluation, therefore should not be used. Docks sustained some damage, and these areas are marked with caution and danger tape.
Coronado Rampshould not be used until repaired.
Bill Dickson Rampis open, but the eastern dock is taped off due to missing dock section.
Navy Point and Mahogany Mill Rampsare open, but extra caution is advised at all docks.
The ramp at Pensacola Shipyard Marine Complex is closed.
The Wilson B. Robertson Rampon Perdido River is open, however, caution is advised.
At this time, the Parks and Recreation Department is in the process of initial damage assessments at our Escambia County parks. While in this process, we are strongly encouraging the public to refrain from park use until initial clean up and safety efforts are made.

CONTRACTORS

Contractors can get building permits at the COC, 3363 West Park Place, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. For storm-related repairs, permitting fees are waived; however, permits and land use approvals are still required.
Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 22, county building services will also be available at the Santa Rosa Island Authority building, 1 Via De Luna Dr, Pensacola Beach, FL 32561 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.
On Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 3:30-5 pm. Building Services will host an educational workshop at the Central Office Complex on how to proceed with severe structural damage to your home or property. Another workshop will be held the following week on Pensacola Beach.

Tips on choosing a contractor:

News release encouraging residents to be cautious of unlicensed contractors

For storm-related repairs, permitting fees are waived; however, permits and land use approvals are still required.

Ask to see their license and call the appropriate licensing agency – Escambia County Contractor Licensing Section for a county license or DBPR for state license to verify the status and insurance.
Contractor Search
Ask for and verify references from past customers.
Check with the local Better Business Bureau.
Get a written estimate from several licensed contractors. Be sure that the estimate includes all work to be done by the contractor, the materials involved, date of completion and the total cost.
Don't simply take the lowest bid. An abnormally low bid could lead to trouble later on.
If the project is for repairing damage, check with your insurance company before you sign a contractor to verify that your insurance will cover the repairs.
An occupational license is not sufficient in the construction trades.
Beware of alleged contractors who ask to be paid in cash or ask for large payments up front.

County Waste Services

Escambia County authorized three private contractors to begin debris removal in the unincorporated County beginning on Wednesday, 9/23. The county expects that the contractors will provide a full and complete first pass for debris removal in the next couple of weeks. Contracted county crews will also be providing targeted services related to the removal of hazardous hanging limbs and dangerous leaning trees. News Release
As of the completion of debris operations on Thursday, 9/24, Escambia County contractors had completed the following:

Collection of vegetative debris: 47,332 cubic yards
Hazardous hanging limbs: 391 limbs
Dangerous leaning trees: 54 trees

Do not place debris within four feet of:

Mailboxes
Water meters
Fire hydrants
any other above-ground utility

Only debris placed on the public right of way will be eligible for collection until further notice.

Florida SBDC - Business Recovery Center

As a result of Hurricane Sally, the Florida SBDC has been asked to open Business Recovery Centers in order to assist area businesses with applying for the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loans
Florida SBDC at UWF - Business Recovery Centers:
Perdido Key Area Chamber of Commerce – Leslie Nguyen
15500 Perdido Key Dr.
Pensacola, FL 32507
Florida SBDC at UWF (SCI Building) – Jenny Kunz
220 W. Garden St. Suite 301
Pensacola, FL 32502
Florida SBDC at UWF (UWF Building 8) – Brooke Gaskell
9999 University Parkway
Pensacola, FL 32514
Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church – Christa Wilson
75 Fairpoint Dr.
Gulf Breeze, FL 32561
Santa Rosa County Economic Development – John Emsing
6491 Caroline St. #4
Milton, FL 32570
Florida SBDC at UWF (Synovus Bank) – Bryan Mills
815 Beal Parkway NW, Suite A
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32566

Council on Aging of West Florida Feeding Sites:

Council on Aging of Northwest Florida will be distributing free shelf-stable meals to seniors on Thursday, Sept. 24 from 11 a.m. until noon at the following city community resource centers.

Bayview Senior Center, 2000 E. Lloyd St.
Cobb Resource Center, 601 E. Mallory St.
Fricker Resource Center, 900 N. F St.

Participants will receive five shelf-stable meals per person eligible for the senior meal site program. Council on Aging will distribute five additional shelf-stable meals on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at the same time and locations.

Meals will be availablefor pickup only. Seniors must contact Council on Aging at 432-1475 in advance to reserve their meals for both weeks.

Baptist Health Care

All Baptist Health Care facilities are back to normal operations. For all locations, patients are being contacted directly to reschedule cancelled appointments. We thank you for your patience as we worked through the challenges presented by Hurricane Sally.
The regular Jay Hospital phone number has been restored. To reach Jay Hospital, please call 675-8000.
Debris removal is ongoing at many of our campuses, so please be cautious if you visit. Please visit facebook.com/BaptistHealthCare for updates.

City of Pensacola

Recovery Updates

City of Pensacola staff have been working diligently to clear downed trees from city roadways, restore traffic signals, clear stormwater ponds, assess damages and more since Hurricane Sally made landfall. City Public Works and Facilities, Parks and Recreation, Inspection Services and Sanitation Services staff began recovery work as soon as it was safe to do so after Hurricane Sally, and the city has also hired several contractors to help expedite the recovery efforts.
The public's patience is appreciated as crews continue to work throughout the city.
Construction for the City of Pensacola Community Redevelopment Agency DeVilliers Street Revitalization Project Phase II from Garden Street to Cervantes Street is expected to begin Monday, Oct. 5. This project is intended to make streetscape improvements that include sidewalks, lighting, landscaping and traffic calming.
City Hurricane Sally Recovery Summary:
- All of the city's 92 signalized intersections are working, and all city roadways should now be open to traffic.For a real-time road closure map, click here.
- All major stormwater ponds have been pumped down successfully, and storm inlets/pipes are being cleared by city crews.
- Damage assessments of city building facilities have been completed. The current damage estimate for city building facilities is at approximately $10 million.
- All 353 trees that were reported blocking city roadways have been cleared. If there is a downed tree blocking your street (within City of Pensacola limits) and it has not been cleared, please call Parks and Recreation at 850-436-5670.
- Damage assessments of city parks and waterfront assets are currently taking place. Preliminary damage estimates are expected to be complete within the next 24 hours. The current damage estimate for city parks and waterfront assets is at approximately $10 million - $12 million.
- A total of 15 crews (10 city crews and five contractor crews) began picking up debris today. More crews will be added later this week to expedite debris pickup.
- As of Monday, Sept. 21, city crews and contractors picked up approximately 4,000 cubic yards of yard debris.
- City staff went out with FEMA's Damage Assessment Team Monday, Sept. 21 and Tuesday, Sept. 22. The city's damage assessments with FEMA have been completed.
- The city distributed over 1,000 tarps Sunday, Sept. 20 at Fire Stations 1 and 6 and Monday, Sept. 21 at several city community centers.
- Private property damage assessment is currently at $15 million in the City of Pensacola.
Pensacola Energy
- Pensacola Energy has completed all emergency calls for service from Hurricane Sally.
- If you smell natural gas or see a damaged gas line, please call Pensacola Energy at 474-5307.
City of Pensacola Parks and Recreation
- The City of Pensacola Parks and Recreation Department has implemented recovery efforts to assist citizens due to the impacts of Hurricane Sally. City parks, several city community resource centers and facilities were affected by the storm resulting in the following changes:
Scheduled Programming
- All city parks will remain closed until further notice.
- Roger Scott Tennis Center hard courts reopened Monday, Sept. 21 at 8 a.m., Clay courts will remain closed.
- Osceola Golf Course will remain closed until further notice. Nine holes on the course and driving range are expected to reopen mid-week.
- Exchange Park Adult Sports Leagues and Youth Sports activities at Roger Scott Athletic Complex will be postponed until further notice.
- Vickrey Resource Center will remain closed to the public until further notice. Exception: YMCA after school programming
Mask distribution resumed Monday, Sept. 21, while supplies last. The locations, days and times of mask distribution are as follows (Limit five masks per household):
- Bayview Senior Center, 2000 E. Lloyd St.: Monday-Friday from 8-10:30 a.m. and 12:30-3 p.m. (drive-through only)
- Cobb Resource Center, 601 E. Mallory St.: Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Fricker Resource Center, 900 N. F St.: Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to noon
- Gull Point Resource Center, 7000 Spanish Trail: Monday-Thursday from 3-5 p.m.
- Sanders Beach-Corinne Jones Resource Center, 913 S. I St.: Tuesday-Thursday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (drive-through only)
- Woodland Heights Resource Center, 111 Berkley Drive: Monday-Friday from 3-5 p.m.
After school snack distribution resumed Monday, Sept. 21, Monday-Friday from 3-5 p.m. at the following sites:
- Cobb Resource Center, 601 E. Mallory St.
- Fricker Resource Center, 900 N. F St.
- Gull Point Resource Center, 7000 Spanish Trail
- Woodland Heights Resource Center, 111 Berkley Drive
- All senior meal sites have been temporarily suspended until further notice. Impacted sites include: Bayview Senior Center, Cobb Resource Center and Fricker Resource Center. Staff will continue to work with Council on Aging to determine future dates to resume. Announcements will follow upon determination. Seniors are encouraged to contact Council on Aging at 432-1475 for alternate programming.
- Osceola Golf Course clearing is ongoing, with a goal of reopening nine holes and the driving range by the end of the week or this weekend.
- Roger Scott Tennis Center has reopened the 18 hard courts and is working on getting eight of the clay courts back open.
- Parks and Recreation is working to get Exchange Park and Roger Scott fields back in playable condition and reopened.
City of Pensacola Sanitation Services
Garbage collection is back to regularly scheduled pickup days for City of Pensacola Sanitation customers starting today, Monday, Sept. 28. This does not include debris pickup, which will be ongoing on a separate schedule. This information applies to City of Pensacola Sanitation customers only (black garbage can and tan recycling can).
- The Mayor's Neighborhood Cleanup originally scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26 has been rescheduled due to Hurricane Sally recovery. The cleanup that was in a portion of the Scenic Heights neighborhood and Spanish Trail area will now take place on Saturday, Nov. 21.
Debris Pickup
- Starting Monday, Sept. 21, City of Pensacola Sanitation began to pick up yard debris on residents' curbside.
- Please do not place yard debris in plastic garbage bags. Yard debris that is already bagged at the curb will be collected, but the plastic bags prevent the debris from being processed as yard waste. Yard debris should be placed curbside either loose or in paper bags.
- If items are not collected on the first pass, please push them to the curb and they will be collected on the second pass.
- Debris pickup area maps are being added to the City of Pensacola's Facebook page as they are finalized with contractors.
Debris should not block the roadway and should avoid trees, poles, and other structures. The public's patience is appreciated during this time, as crews will be working diligently to remove debris as safely and efficiently as possible.
This only applies to City of Pensacola sanitation customers.
Recycling
- Due to significant damage from Hurricane Sally at the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority's Materials Recycling Facility, recycling for City of Pensacola Sanitation customers is temporarily on hold.
- City of Pensacola Sanitation customers are asked to only use their black garbage cans until further notice since materials will not be recycled.
- Recycling is expected to resume late October, but will be dependent on when repairs to the facility are completed and ECUA is able to accept recyclable materials.
Pensacola International Airport
- Pensacola International Airport reopened at noon on Friday, Sept. 18, to commercial air traffic. The PNS operations team has worked with all airport partners to ensure the airport is safe and secure in order to resume normal operations.
- Passengers are reminded to continue to adhere to the safety precautions put in place due to COVID-19. Masks are still required to be worn, and passengers are asked to maintain appropriate distancing while at the airport.
- For more information about Pensacola International Airport, visit flypensacola.com.
Cox Communications
- Cox crews from around the Southeast have restored services to thousands of Cox customers since Hurricane Sally made landfall. Teams are reconnecting our network around the clock, and we will have more than 90% of Gulf Coast customers restored by the end of the day.
Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
- Mon. Sept. 28, 2020 – Observance of Yom Kippur Due to the First Judicial Circuit courts being closed in observance of Yom Kippur, the Clerk’s court offices at the MC Blanchard Judicial Building, Theodore Bruno Juvenile Justice Building, Public Records Center, and the Century Courthouse will be closed Monday, September 28, 2020. Clerk’s Official Records, Finance and Clerk to the Board offices, located at 221 Palafox Place, will be open.
ECAT
ECAT began running regular modified service starting Tuesday, Sept. 22. The following routes will be temporarily suspended until further notice:
• Route 41, East Pensacola Heights
• Route 59A, NAS Pensacola, airport
• Route 59X, NAS Pensacola, downtown, Cordova Mall
• Route 61, Pensacola Beach
• Route 64, Beach Jumper
- Buses may experience possible traffic delays due to detours and debris. Buses will run every two hours, with the final routes departing ECAT and downtown at 6 p.m. The same modified schedule will run Saturdays. UWF Trolley Service will resume service on Thursday, Sept. 24.
- Escambia County Community Transportation Paratransit services resumed Tuesday, Sept. 22.
Emerald Coast Utilities Authority
- ECUA’s phone service has been restored since the hurricane but intermittent issues continue to affect our Customer Service line at 476-0480. Many calls are getting through but we have received some reports of the line ringing once or twice and then disconnecting. ECUA is working with the various cell providers and our communications hardware/software vendors to determine the source of this problem and resolve it as quickly as possible.
- To contact our Customer Service Department, please email us at customer.service@ecua.fl.gov. We appreciate our customers' understanding as response times will be longer than normal and apologize for any inconvenience these issues may cause.
ECUA is experiencing very high levels of household garbage, yard waste, and bulk waste items as a result of Hurricane Sally. ECUA collected a record-breaking 2,224 tons of waste the week after the hurricane, 49% more than the previous week (1508 tons), and we expect to break this record yet again with this week’s collections. While we have returned to a normal collection schedule, we anticipate that collections will begin to fall behind by one day due to the following:
- High collection volumes (trucks fill up faster and need to make more trips to the landfill, taking more time to complete their route).
- The County’s contracted storm debris crews are also using the Perdido Landfill and all vehicles are currently experiencing significantly longer wait times to enter and dispose of the materials at the landfill.
- Some streets and roads (or portions thereof) are still inaccessible to sanitation collection vehicles due to increased traffic, debris, or downed utilities, slowing down the collection process or requiring a second pass.
- If any waste collections are missed, it is likely that the truck did not finish its daily route. Be assured that the truck will complete its route the next day. In Escambia County, all collections will completed by Saturday. Collections in Santa Rosa County will be caught up by Wednesday and Saturday. If a collection has not been completed within these time parameters, customers are asked to contact the ECUA Customer Service Department by calling 476-0480 or via email at customer.service@ecua.fl.gov. We appreciate our customers’ understanding as we work through the hurricane recovery effort and the greater-than normal waste volumes.
- ECUA is on a normal trash collection schedule. Recycling is temporarily suspended and debris pickup efforts will start Wednesday, Sept. 23.
- Sanitation collection is back on normal schedule for garbage collection. Recycling collections are on hold; Yard waste collections are limited and we ask that customers bag their yard waste or place it in a designated yard waste can. We are using yard waste trucks to collect excess bagged garbage while our garbage trucks are being used to pick up and empty garbage cans. The separate trucks will not necessarily be collecting from your home at the same time. We are also resuming pickup of usual bulk items if they are placed at the curb. This is for usual bulk household items and NOT for household storm debris. Storm debris is being coordinated and picked up by contractors working on behalf of Escambia County. Please visit their website for specific storm debris collection information.
- Our Recycling Facility sustained approximately $800K of damage, which is substantial and will require some time for recovery. The building contractor is already on site, has completed inspections, and is ready to begin rehabilitation work. At this time, our early estimates point to having the facility back in service at the end of October.
Escambia County Animal Services
- The state ESF-17 and Escambia County Animal Services has requested and received all of the assistance we need from The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). We do not need further assistance from other organizations.
- Beware of scams. We would encourage people not to donate to any animal rescue organizations for this event. It is common for people to solicit donations for assisting animals during disaster, post photos from the area that are not theirs and never even be in the area.
- With the help of the Humane Society and the Friends of the Escambia County Animal Shelter, the Escambia County Animal Shelter was able to successfully relocate close to 100 animals who were available for adoption.
Escambia County School District
- Superintendent Malcolm Thomas has announced that all schools and district administrative buildings will resume normal operations on Wednesday, September 23, 2020. All district employees are to report to their work sites at their normally scheduled time on Wednesday.
Escambia County Tax Collector's Office
- All four Escambia County Tax Collector offices areOPENregular business hours.
Supervisor of Elections
- The Supervisor of Elections Office reopened to the public on Monday, Sept. 21 at 8 a.m. You may visit us in person at 213 Palafox Place, second floor, by phone at 850- 595-3900, via email at soe@EscambiaVotes.com, or on the web at EscambiaVotes.gov.
- Check our website and follow us on social media for updates.
The Property Appraiser
- The Property Appraiser’s offices areOPENfor our regular business hours.
Feeding the Gulf Coast

9/29/2020

10:00 AM

Alabama-West Florida Conference of the UMC

5983 Dogwood Drive

Milton

32570

FL

Santa Rosa

10/1/2020

10:00 AM

Alabama-West Florida Conference of the UMC

301 E Winthrop Avenue

Pensacola

32507

FL

Escambia

10/5/2020

10:00 AM

Alabama-West Florida Conference of the UMC

4540 Chumuckla Hwy

Pace

32571

FL

Santa Rosa

10/6/2020

5:00 PM

CDAC Behavioral Healthcare

3100 W De Soto Street

Pensacola

32505

FL

Escambia

10/6/2020

5:00 PM

CDAC Behavioral Healthcare

5629 Byrom Street

Milton

32570

FL

Santa Rosa

10/8/2020

9:00 AM

Christ Church Parish

500 N. Guillemard Street

Pensacola

32501

FL

Escambia

10/10/2020

8:00 AM

Eastside Baptist Church

3385 Roche Ave

Vernon

32462

FL

Washington

Resource information
Website:https://www.feedingthegulfcoast.org/learn-more/storm-update
·"Find Help" to locate a pantry by address, zip code, or city
Phone: (888) 704-FOOD(3663) or 2-1-1
First Judicial Circuit
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
County Court arraignment dates from Sept. 15, 16, and 17 will now be heard on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 9:30 a.m. in Courtroom 101.
County Court arraignment dates from Sept. 21, 22, 23, and 24 will now be heard on Friday, Oct. 2 at 9:30 a.m. in Courtroom 101.
Felony arraignment dates from Sept. 17 and 18 will now be heard on Friday, Oct. 2 at 1 p.m. in Courtroom 101.
Division 1 (Judge Charles Young)
Plea day hearings for in-custody defendants originally scheduled for Sept. 15 are now scheduled to be heard in video court immediately following first appearance hearings (approximately 3 p.m.) on Friday, Oct. 2.
Plea day hearings for out-of-custody defendants originally scheduled for Sept. 15 are now scheduled to be heard on Friday, Oct. 9 from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Violation of probation hearings for in-custody defendants originally scheduled for Sept. 17 are now scheduled to be heard in video court immediately following first appearance hearings (approximately 3 p.m.) on Thursday, Oct. 8.
Division 2 (Judge Kerra Smith)
Plea day hearings for in-custody defendants originally scheduled for Sept. 22 are now scheduled to be heard in video court on Thursday, Oct. 1 from 8:15 to 10:15 a.m.
Plea day hearings for out-of-custody defendants originally scheduled for Sept. 22 are now scheduled to be heard on Thursday, Oct. 8 from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Division E (Judge Jan Shackelford)
Violation of probation hearings for in-custody defendants previously scheduled for Sept. 22 are now scheduled to be heard by ZOOM on Thursday, Oct. 1 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Docket day hearings for out-of-custody defendants previously scheduled for Sept. 16 will be held on Monday, Oct. 5 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Division F (Judge Thomas Dannheisser)
Violation of probation hearings for in-custody defendants previously scheduled for Sept. 16 will now be held in video court on Monday, Oct. 5 from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Docket day hearings for out-of-custody defendants previously scheduled for Sept. 23 will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Division J (Judge Coleman Lee Robinson)
- Violation of probation hearings for in-custody defendants previously scheduled for Sept. 21 are now scheduled to be heard by ZOOM on Friday, Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. to noon.
Florida Department of Transportation
Chipley – The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is providing an update on state road and bridge closures and restrictions in Northwest Florida due to Hurricane Sally.
Escambia County
The Pensacola Bay Bridge on U.S. 98 is closed to all traffic.
Jackson County
The outside eastbound lane of U.S. 90 from east of the Chipola River Bridge to Old U.S. Road is closed due to shoulder erosion.
Santa Rosa County
State Road 89 is closed at the Alabama State line due to road damage in Alabama.
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities:
Escambia County:
- Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – For the latest information visitFDOT.gov/PensacolaBay.
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) – Drivers traveling Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 Overpass and the U.S. 29 traffic between I-10 and 9 1/ 2 Mile Road may experience alternating lane shifts or closures as crews continue drainage and paving operations.
- East Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Safety Project from North Palafox Street to Chemstrand Road – Motorists will encounter intermittent nighttime lane closures as crews continue construction activities.
- West Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Construction Activities West of I-10 – Motorists will encounter an intermittent, westbound lane closure from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28 through Friday, Oct. 9 as crews perform curb and gutter work in preparation for paving of the new turn lane.
- U.S. 29 Resurfacing from south of Muscogee Road (County Road 184) to Atmore Highway (State Road (S.R.) 97)- Motorists can expect intermittent daytime lane restrictions as crews continue construction activities at various locations.
- Mobile Highway (U.S. 90) Intersection Improvements at New Warrington Road (S.R. 295) - Construction activities continue. Drivers can expect lane closures between 9:30 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Santa Rosa County:
- Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – For the latest information visit FDOT.gov/PensacolaBay.
- S.R. 87 Resurfacing from Clear Creek to S.R. 4- Drivers can expect intermittent daytime lane closures along the 14-mile corridor through fall 2020 as crews perform paving operations.
- S.R. 4 Routine Bridge Inspection over Big Juniper Creek – Motorists will encounter intermittent eastbound lane closures from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30 as crews perform a routine bridge inspection.
- S.R. 87 North Underground Utility Operations from Park Avenue to S.R. 89 – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 1 through Saturday, Oct. 3 as crews perform underground utility repairs.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
Motorists are encouraged to monitor weather reports and road conditions and to be on the lookout for flooded roads. If the road ahead is flooded, turn around and find an alternate route. Flooded roads may hide the fact that the roadway is washed out underneath and as little as six inches of rushing water can force your car off the road.
For the latest closures and updates, travelers can access Florida’s 511 service from cell phones, landlines and online atwww.FL511.com.For more information visit the Florida Department of Transportation District Three on the web atwww.nwflroads.com,follow us on Twitter @myfdot_nwfl, or like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/MyFDOTNWFL.
Infrastructure Branch
FDOT cleared the following bridges for traffic and are functioning:
- Longleaf at Bayou Marcus
- Marcus Pointe at Crescent Lake
- Bauer Rd at Unnamed Branch
- Beula Rd at Unnamed Branch
- Cantonment Athletic at Unnamed Branch
- Fairground Road at Wilder Branch
- Schaag Rd at Branch of Jacks Brand
- Theo Baars bridge is open to residents.
- County officials are mobilizing crews for Bob Sikes bridge reconstruction efforts. Traffic will continue within one lane in each direction along the northbound bridge with restricted speeds until further notice. Southbound bridge will remain closed until further notice.
- Florida Department of Transportation FDOT Secretary Kevin J. Thibault, P.E. has directed Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) to further extend the toll suspension on the Garcon Point Bridge, pursuant to Executive Order 20-225. The extended suspension is in effect until 6 a.m. Friday, October 23, 2020.
- Out-of-town Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key property owners should wait to check on their properties due to limited access, power and water. Very few stores or retail establishments are open. Law enforcement is patrolling the areas.
Florida Department of Health in Escambia County
- Carbon Monoxide dangers: http://www.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2020/09/091520-carbon-monoxide-dangers.pr.html
- Frequently Asked Questions- Carbon Monoxide
- Health risks after a storm
- Health Advisory and Flood Information Sheet
- As Gulf Coast Counties work to recover from Hurricane Sally, the Florida Department of Health (DOH) is urging residents to not consume water under a boil water notice. At this time, water in Gulf Coast Counties may be unsafe for drinking and without electricity, residents are unable to boil water to decontaminate. Further, due to the storm, the overall sanitary conditions have been significantly impacted.
- As the Florida counties impacted by Hurricane Sally continue to clean up, the Florida Department of Health reminds everyone to do their part in preventing mosquito breeding and mosquito-borne illness. All Florida residents and visitors are asked to Drain and Cover to help keep our families and neighbors safe
- The Florida Department of Health in Escambia County (FDOH-Escambia) is continuing specimen collection for COVID-19 offered to Florida residents. The primary focus is virus testing from swab samples to help identify those who are COVID positive and that need contact tracing. This effort is part of the continuing public health surveillance and monitoring for COVID-19 that is occurring across the state.
Gulf Power
- For the latest outage map and to report an outage visit https://map.gulfpower.com/ and 800-487-6937. News releases are at https://www.gulfpowernews.com/.
- Gulf Power has safely restored service to essentially all of its customers who were affected by Hurricane Sally, completing restoration ahead of original estimates.
- Customers who still do not have power should first check their breakers. If this is not the issue, they should report the outage on the Gulf Power App, online at GulfPower.com or using the automated system at 1-800-GU-POWER (800-487-6937).
Escambia River Electric Cooperative, Inc.
- Power restoration to the EREC membership following Hurricane Sally is now complete. Every member able to receive electricity has had their power restored. We thank our membership for their patience and tremendous show of support as our line crews worked to restore power as safely and quickly as possible. We thank our fellow cooperatives who sent their line crews to assist us in our time of need to rebuild our battered system. We are proud to be a part of the cooperative family. Together, we are cooperative strong.
Governor's Press Office
(COVID-19 news) Today, Governor Ron DeSantis issuedExecutive Order 20-244, moving all of Florida’s 67 counties into Phase 3.
Executive Order 20-244 does the following:
Removes state-level restrictions on businesses, such as restaurants.
Provides that no COVID-19 emergency ordinance may prevent an individual from working or operating a business, giving Floridians and business owners needed certainty and the ability to provide for themselves and their families.
Provides that restaurants may not be limited by a COVID-19 emergency order by any local government to less than 50% of their indoor capacity. If a restaurant is limited to less than 100% of its indoor capacity, such COVID-19 emergency order must satisfy the following:
- Quantify the economic impact of each limitation or requirements on those restaurants; and
- Explain why each limitation or requirement is necessary for public health.
- Suspends all outstanding fines and penalties, and the collection of such moving forward, applied against individuals related to COVID-19.
- Governor Ron DeSantis announced the approval of a major disaster declaration for Hurricane Sally from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The declaration can be foundhere.
- The declaration includes public assistance for all categories in Escambia County and public assistance Category B (emergency protective measures) for Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington counties. The Florida Division of Emergency Management remains in close contact with FEMA to help additional counties receive the declaration for full public assistance.
- FDEM is continuing to conduct damage assessments in the 12 counties that did not receive all categories of Public Assistance. The Division is also conducting damage assessments at individual residences and businesses and will continue to work with FEMA to apply for Individual Assistance.
- Yesterday, Governor DeSantis activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan program through the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to support small businesses impacted by Hurricane Sally. More information can be foundhere.
- For more information on Hurricane Sally and available resources, visitfloridadisaster.org/info.
- On Sept. 23, Governor Ron DeSantis activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan program to support small businesses impacted by Hurricane Sally. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity administers the Emergency Bridge Loan program that provides short-term, zero-interest loans to small businesses that experienced physical damage or economic injury during Hurricane Sally. The application period opened today and runs through November 14, 2020, or until the available funds are expended.
- DEO administers the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan program in partnership with the Florida Small Business Development Centers Network and Florida First Capital Finance Corporation to provide cash flow to businesses damaged by a disaster. The short-term, zero-interest loans help bridge the gap between the time damage is incurred and when long-term funding is secured, including Small Business Administration or commercially available loans, insurance claims or other resources. Up to $5 million has been allocated for the program.
- Small business owners with two to 100 employees located in Escambia, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties affected by Hurricane Sally can apply for short-term loans up to $50,000, or in special cases $100,000, if warranted by the needs of the business.
- DEO is currently surveying businesses in the affected counties through the Florida Business Damage Assessment Survey. To access the survey, please visitwww.FloridaDisaster.biz and select “Hurricane Sally” from the drop down menu. Response to the damage assessment is not an application for the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan.
- To apply or to learn more about the eligibility requirements for the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan, visitwww.FloridaJobs.org/EBL
- For questions regarding the Emergency Bridge Loan program, contact DEO at 833-832-4494 or emailEmergencyBridgeLoan@deo.myflorida.com
NAS Pensacola
- Damage assessment continues onboard NAS Pensacola following the hurricane and more information will be provided in the near future.
- NAS Pensacola opened an Emergency Family Assistance Center (EFAC) at noon on Monday, September 21, at the Corry Chapel. Afterwards, the EFAC will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday to assist those impacted by Hurricane Sally.
- Representatives from Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society, Red Cross, Legal, Housing, Balfour Beatty, Chapel, Fleet and Family Support Center, and others can assist with emergency case management needs to augment services provided by NFAAS case managers. For more information, please call the FFSC at 850-452-5990 or the Corry Chapel at 850-452-6376. Face coverings are required.

The National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

The National Park Service has mobilized the Eastern Incident Management Team to Gulf Islands National Seashore in response to the effects of Hurricane Sally. Responders began arriving at the park on Monday and immediately set to work addressing critical needs to assess damage, stabilize facilities, and begin the process or restoring visitor access. A total of 38 National Park Service employees from 22 parks and programs have responded to the national seashore to assist in these efforts.
As a critical roadway for the community, the national seashore’s top priority is to clear and provide some access along J. Earle Bowden Way (Hwy 399 between Pensacola Beach and Navarre Beach). An initial assessment of the road indicates significant damage along sections of the road and portions of Fort Pickens Road. Efforts to clear both roads have been hampered by ongoing weather which has saturated sand and flooded roadways again. Despite these challenges, significant progress has been made since last weekend when work began.

Pensacola Area Chamber Of Commerce

Operations at the Pensacola fuel terminal are fully staffed and operating but still not fully effective due to some long loading terminal lines, some road traffic and bridge closures.

For businesses having issues with insurance claims, visitPrepareFL.com for information or call the CFO Helpline at 1-877-693-5236. To report price gouging, call the Attorney General's Price Gouging Hotline at 1-866-966-7226.

If you have received damage to your homes, businesses or properties due to Hurricane Sally, we encourage you to send any pictures of damage to news@pensacolachamber.com and leave your name and address.

FloridaDisaster.Biz Open/Close Status: https://www.floridadisaster.biz/BusinessOpenCloseStatus

For more information about assignment of benefits, Go to Preparefl.com or call 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236). Make sure you read and understand anything in writing before you sign any document. You may potentially be signing away certain rights with decisions by insurance companies.

Pensacola State College

Pensacola State College will resume normal operations on Monday, Sept. 28, which will include face-to-face and virtual classes.
All buildings will be open on the Milton campus, South Santa Rosa Center and Century Center.
The Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts (Building 15) and the theater in Ashmore Auditorium (Building 8) on the Pensacola campus are closed. The WSRE Studio sustained substantial roof damage. However, WSRE programming is still on the air. The Jean and Paul Amos Performance Studio also is closed.
All buildings on the Warrington campus will be open with the exception of the large lecture hall in Building 3000 (the Auditorium) and Building 3300 (Public Safety and Testing).
The PSC Downtown Center will be closed between four to six months for repairs.

Peoples Water Service Company of Florida

Peoples Water Service Company of Florida, Inc. has rescinded/canceled the system wide Precautionary Boil Water Notice after receiving confirmation that of the samples collected and tested indicated No presence of harmful bacteria. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact (850) 791-4127

The Santa Rosa Island Authority

The Santa Rosa Island Authority regular scheduled committee meeting for Wednesday, Sept. 23, has been postponed to Wednesday, Sept. 30.
All lanes of Garcon Point Bridge are now open.
The Pensacola Beach Annual Pass Sales Office located at the Santa Rosa Island Authority is now open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

West Florida Public Libraries

All libraries areOPENfor normal operating hours. For a list of library branches and hours, please visithttps://mywfpl.com/visit/locations
Curbside pickup of materials resumes Monday, Sept. 28. Please continue to check our website at MyWFPL.com for a future opening date.
The Library Board of Governance has canceled their meeting to be held at the Pensacola Library for this coming Monday and rescheduled it for Oct. 12 at 4 p.m. at the Pensacola Library.

The American Red Cross

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sally, the American Red Cross has worked closely with partners to support emergency housing efforts, and provide food, water, relief supplies, emotional support and health services to people in need. Thanks to our generous donors, the Red Cross is now starting a new effort to get emergency financial assistance into the hands of Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi residents whose homes were severely impacted by Sally.
Over 5,000 homes have been assessed for damage, and we have found about 40 homes destroyed and 750 homes with major damage. Most of these homes are in Perdido Key and the downtown Pensacola area.
Beginning Monday, September 28, at 9 a.m. CST, households whose homes are destroyed or sustained major damage from Hurricane Sally may contact the American Red Cross by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS,and selecting option 4 to speak to a dedicated call agent to complete an application for financial assistance. Assistance lines are open Monday through Sunday from 7:30 a.m.- 10 p.m. CST. The deadline to apply for emergency assistance is Sunday, Oct. 11 at 10 p.m. CST.
Eligibility
The Red Cross is providing $450 to households whose homes were confirmed to have been destroyed or sustained major damage from Hurricane Sally. To be eligible for immediate financial assistance, households must meet all of the following requirements:
• Applicant’s pre-disaster primary residence (renter or homeowner) is located in a confirmed disaster-impacted geographic area.
• Applicant is the head of household and is not listed as a household member on any other Red Cross assistance application.
• Applicant’s primary residence suffered major damage or was destroyed.
o Major damage is indicated by significant structural damage to a residence that requires extensive repairs. This may include substantial failure of the roof, walls or foundation, or a water line above 18 inches.
o A residence that is destroyed is one that is a total loss or with damage so extensive that repair is not feasible.
• Applicant’s identity and proof of residence details can be verified.

BRACE- Be Ready Alliance

1,125 Helping Hands volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints went right to work cleaning up homes in Alabama and Florida on the heels of Hurricane Sally. The first weekend of disaster relief efforts saw 553 work orders (1 order = 1 home) and completed over 14,518 work-hours. More than 3,000 volunteers from Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Alabama and Georgia will be working again this weekend, making an even more significant impact.
Work orders are generated through the Crisis CleanUp Hotline within hours following the storm.Those needing help with cleanup at their homes can call the hotline at 800-451-1954 and be put on a list. This enables volunteers from many relief organizations to know where they were needed. Services are offered free of charge. The hotline will remain open through October 9, 2020.

United Way

For people living outside the northwest Florida area seeking information on resources for friends and family members post Hurricane Sally may access the direct dial number to reach 211 Northwest Florida - regardless of where they live!
They can either dial the toll free number of 855-420-8689 or visitwww.211.org and enter the city and state for the area they are seeking information on.

UWF

UWF is continuing to assess damage from Hurricane Sally. A licensed drone operator will be on the Pensacola campus Saturday, Sept. 26, gathering aerial footage of buildings, nature trails and other UWF facilities.
The University is reopened; however, it is advised to take caution when traveling to UWF locations. The nature trails on UWF’s Pensacola Campus remain closed due to debris.
For more information, visit the University’s Weather Frequently Asked Questions at www.uwf.edu/weatherFAQ.

Generator Safety Tips and Precautions

It is important that generators be operated properly. Do not operate gas generators indoors because of carbon monoxide. Please follow this link for more information and to learn the dangers of carbon monoxide. http://www.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2020/09/091520-carbon-monoxide-dangers.pr.html
Do not drive or walk through standing water. Power lines could be down and cause electrocution.
Do not attempt to move downed power lines. Please contact Gulf Power at 1-800-GU-POWER (1-800-487-6937)
Unless you are in a life-threatening situation, please shelter in place and do not venture out.

Chain Saw Safety

Become familiar with the recommended safe operational procedures before attempting to work with a chain saw.
Be sure that you are in top physical and mental condition when operating dangerous machinery. Medications and alcohol can cause you to be a hazard to yourself and others when working with chain saws.
Equip yourself with protective clothing and equipment including safety goggles, hearing protection, steel-toed shoes, hard hat, gloves, and close-fitting clothing.
Never make cuts with the saw between your legs; always cut with the saw to the outside of your legs.
Don’t stand on a log and saw between your feet.
Always stand to one side of the limb you are cutting; never straddle it.
Always keep in mind where the chain will go if it breaks; never position yourself or other people in line with the chain.
Keep the chain out of the dirt; debris will fly.

Storm Debris Burning

Burning large debris left from a hurricane can be dangerous. Many residents open windows to get air circulation in their homes due to power outages, and burning large trees and limbs as well as other debris, creates large amounts of smoke which can travel into homes.
Burning insulation and roofing creates very toxic smoke.
Burning large trees and limbs and branches can also create sparks that go airborne and land on your home.
Burn laws are still in place before, during, and after a hurricane. Know your local burn ordinance.
Children should never be allowed to burn debris and should leave any type of burning to an adult.

Submitting A Flood Insurance Claim Tips

Take Photos: Before you start cleaning up after a disaster, take photos of all storm-related damages to your home.
Make A List: During the cleaning process, take note of lost or damaged items and gather any original receipts for these items.
Call Your Insurance Agent: After gathering necessary documentation, call your insurance company to submit a claim.

Report Price Gouging

Report fraud by calling the Price Gouging Hotline at 866-9 - NO-SCAM (866-966-7226. Visit www.MyFloridaLegal.com to find consumer tips or to file a complaint.

Helpful Links and Contacts

Outages:

Gulf Power: 1-800-GU-POWER (1-800-487-6937)
Escambia River Electric Cooperative: 1-877-OUT-EREC (1-877-688-3732)
ECUA General Customer Service: (850) 476-0480

Law Enforcement: All emergencies: 911

Escambia County Sheriff’s Office: 850-436-9630
Florida Highway Patrol: 850-484-5000
Pensacola Police Department: 850-435-1900

Utilities

AT&T: 888-757-6500
Central Water Works (Century): 850-256-3849
Central Water Works Sunshine State One Call (call before you dig): 811
Emerald Coast Utilities Authority: 850-476-0480is working again
Escambia River Electric - Co-op outages: 877-687-3732
Escambia River Electric - Gulf Power outages: 800-487-6937
Escambia River Electric - ESP Gas: 850-474-5307
Gonzalez Utilities: 850-968-5434
Farm Hill Utilities (Cantonment): 850-968-2573
Gulf Power outages: 800-487-6937
Molino Utilities: 850-587-5538
Pensacola Energy: 850-474-5300
Peoples Water: 850-455-8552
Town of Century (water/natural gas): 850-256-3208

How You Can Help

United Way of West Florida (UWWF) will open a relief fund for those affected by Hurricane Sally.
UWWF will accept financial contributions to the fund to provide support to these households and victims of Hurricane Sally.
BRACE strongly encourages Cash, Confirm, and Connect through cash donations the affected can receive the aid they need.
At this time, there are no needed items for those impacted by Hurricane Sally. ESF 15 encourages cash donations to UWWF.
You can help aid in the recovery by donating to UWWF’s Hurricane Sally Relief Fund. Text 850RELIEF to 41444 or visit www.uwwf.org/850RELIEF.

Full Schedule

Latest Stories

Events