UPDATE #2: City Provides Preparation Updates for Milton as Helene Recovery Continues

UPDATE #2: City of St. Petersburg Provides Preparation Updates for Hurricane Milton as Hurricane Helene Recovery Continues

Oct. 6, 2024 - The City of St. Petersburg has staged resources and is preparing for Hurricane Milton while continuing Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. Mayor Kenneth T. Welch provided an update on City storm preparations at the Pinellas County Hurricane Milton press conference. The Mayor's remarks are available here.

Situation Update:

• Timing: Weather impacts of high winds and rainfall will begin Tuesday evening and continue into early Wednesday morning.

• Storm Surge: The current forecast calls for higher storm surge than Hurricane Helene with up to 10 feet of storm surge.

• Evacuations: As of Sunday afternoon, Pinellas County has issued mandatory evacuations for all residential healthcare facilities within Zones A, B and C. Voluntary evacuations for residents in Zones A, B and C are encouraged in advance of possible mandatory orders on Monday. Pinellas County has suggested a voluntary evacuation for Zone D. If you think you need to evacuate, you do not have to wait for a mandatory evacuation order. Evacuate now if you are able to do so. Check your evacuation zone at kyz.pinellas.gov. Evacuation often only needs to be tens of miles, not hundreds of miles, to get to a safe zone.

City Operations / Important Closures:

• City sanitation services (Residential, Commercial, Recycling) will operate as normal on Monday, Oct. 7, and Tuesday, Oct. 8.

• All City facilities will be closed to the public, including Parks & Recreation programming and Sunken Gardens, Monday, Oct. 7, through Wednesday, Oct. 9, until further notice.

• Pinellas County schools will be closed Monday, Oct. 7 through Wednesday, Oct. 9.

• All City Council Meetings and Committee Meetings are cancelled for Thursday, Oct. 10.

• Remote Permitting Sites are now closed in preparation for Hurricane Milton. The sites will reopen after damage assessment. Homeowners needing to file permits with the City can still do so at the main permitting office located at the Municipal Services Center at One 4th St. N. City offices will be closed Monday, Oct. 7 through Wednesday, Oct. 9, until further notice.

Special Needs Residents:

• Shelters and other preparation resources are available to residents with Special Needs.

• Residents who need assistance evacuating or are power dependent should call the Pinellas County Information Center at 727-464-4333.

Shelters:

Pinellas County will soon open shelters for residents. Details and shelter locations will be available here: pinellas.gov/emergency-information/public-shelters.

Parking:

The City will be offering FREE parking at the South Core parking garage (101 1st Ave. S) on a space-available basis for those who need to elevate their vehicles in advance of the storm. The entrance is accessible from 1st Ave. S between 1st and 2nd Streets. The garage will allow free entry beginning at 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 7, and stay open until full or 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8, whichever comes first. In order to park for free, vehicles will need to be retrieved by Noon, Saturday, Oct. 12.

Information and Guidance for St. Pete Residents:

• Residents in mandatory evacuation zones should evacuate. In the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, residents may lose power, water, or sewer services, and these resources may not be available until days after landfall. First responders may not be able to get to you until after the storm passes if you do not evacuate.

• If you think you need to evacuate, you do not have to wait for a mandatory evacuation order. Evacuate now if you are able to do so. Check your evacuation zone, here: kyz.pinellas.gov

• Residents should begin preparing their homes and consider elevating things in case of storm surge or flooding.

• Residents should begin conserving water use leading up to Hurricane Milton.

• Sign up for Alert Pinellas at stpete.org/hurricane and download the Ready Pinellas app in the App Store or Google Play store for real-time storm updates.

• Monitor local news media, National Weather Service, disaster.pinellas.gov, Facebook @StPeteFL, X @StPeteFL and IG @StPeteFL. Check for updates at least every 6-12 hours as storm forecasts and guidance can change quickly.

• For more information, please visit stpete.org/hurricane.

Hurricane Helene Debris Collection:

• The City opened a debris management site (DMS) on Oct. 6 for residents and private haulers to dispose of construction and demolition storm debris. This DMS site is located at 1953 72nd St. N. Hours are 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. or until weather conditions no longer permit safe operation.

• Residents should bring their driver's license or water bill. If you hired a private hauler, please have them fill out this form ahead of time.

• Hazardous materials will not be accepted. Please store hazardous material in a safe location until after the storm.

• Be prepared to separate debris yourself. Staff is unable to assist with unloading.

• If you have a truck, please consider helping your neighbor haul debris to the debris management collection site. As Milton continues to develop, the City is encouraging everyone to secure as much storm debris as possible.

• Anyone can take storm debris to the Pinellas County Solid Waste Disposal Facility (3095 114th Ave. N) via the 34th Street Gate.

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