City of St. Petersburg, FL

10/07/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/07/2024 18:05

Update #3: City Urges Residents to Heed Evacuation Order and Prepare for Hurricane Milton

Update #3: City of St. Petersburg Urges Residents to Heed Evacuation Order and Prepare for Hurricane Milton

Oct. 7, 2024 - Mayor Kenneth T. Welch and the City of St. Petersburg held a press conference this evening to address the community about the imminent threat of Hurricane Milton, currently a Category 5 storm expected to impact Florida's west coast. Key updates from the briefing include:

Situation Update:

  • Weather: Currently forecasted to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane, Milton poses a greater threat than Hurricane Helene, with higher wind speeds and a potential storm surge of 10-15 feet.

  • Evacuation Orders: Mandatory evacuations have been issued by Pinellas County for all residents in evacuation zones A, B and C and ALL mobile homes, effective immediately, today, Monday, Oct. 7. We urge all residents to heed these evacuation orders.

  • Shelters:

    • A pet-friendly shelter has opened at Gibbs High School for evacuating St. Pete residents.

    • Residents planning to stay at a shelter should bring their own supplies, including food, water, and any personal items.

    • Residents with special needs or need transportation help to a shelter should call the County Information Line at 727-464-4333.

Important Information for Residents:

Sewer Treatment Facilities:

  • Anticipated storm surge levels could necessitate the shutdown of the Northeast and Southwest Sewer Treatment Facilities. If the facilities are shut down, residents may be unable to use plumbing, including toilets, showers, and laundry.

  • Restoration of these services could take more than 24 hours post-storm, depending on the severity of impacts.

  • Check which sewer treatment plant serves your home or business, here: https://csp.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=d6d372efa98b44df87a2f9be6272a81e

Toll Suspension: To assist with evacuations, tolls are suspended from October 7 to October 14 at Noon on major roadways, including:

  • Suncoast Parkway

  • I-4 Connector

  • Selmon Expressway

  • Veterans Expressway

  • Gateway Expressway

  • 275 Express

  • Pinellas Bayway

  • Sunshine Skyway Bridge

Helene Debris Collection:

  • The City has opened a debris management site at 1953 72nd St. N for storm debris drop-offs related to Hurricane Helene recovery. The site will be open from 7:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

  • Residents are encouraged to secure any loose debris ahead of Hurricane Milton to minimize further damage.

  • Proof of residency (driver's license or water bill) is required at the debris site. Staff will not be able to assist with unloading.

  • We have activated a program to pay individual hauling businesses to pick up debris. It will be limited to 100 trucks at $200 a load to the Raytheon site. Anyone interested in helping should email [email protected].

Trash & Recycling for Tuesday, Oct. 7: All residential trash & recycling is scheduled for business as usual on Tuesday, Oct. 7. Brush sites are open until inclement weather begins.

Information and Guidance for Residents / Businesses:

  • If you live in a mandatory evacuation zone, evacuate! In the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, you 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.

  • Note, the evacuation order is for businesses too, not just residents. St. Pete Police is informing restaurants/bars/stores now that they must close for business tomorrow. Enforcement begins in the morning (Tuesday).

  • Finish preparing your homes and consider elevating things in case of storm surge or flooding.

  • Check on your neighbors

  • 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, visit www.stpete.org/hurricane.