Schools close, shelters open in Jacksonville as Hurricane Idalia threatens Florida

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Duval County schools will be closed for three days and shelters will open at 12 p.m. Tuesday as Jacksonville prepares for the impact of Hurricane Idalia, Mayor Donna Deegan said.

Deegan declared a local state of emergency and said residents of Northeast Florida should prepare for hurricane-strength conditions.

All Jacksonville city buildings will close for nonessential personnel on Tuesday and Wednesday and all Duval County Public Schools will close Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. No decision has been made for Friday, the district said.

The 630-CITY (2489) phoneline will begin operating 24 hours a day, starting at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

“There is the potential for substantial flooding in vulnerable neighborhoods along the St. Johns River and along the Atlantic coast. We anticipate the risk of high rip currents as well throughout the week so this is absolutely no time to be in the water over the next couple of days,” Deegan said during a news conference with city officials. “We also forecast strong sustained tropical-storm-force winds and hurricane-force gusts with up to a three-foot storm surge.”

Current forecasts show the potential for inland hurricane-strength wind gusts in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georiga on Wednesday with the elevated possibility of tornadoes.

So far, no evacuations have been ordered by the city, but people who live in low-lying areas that are prone to flooding are encouraged to consider seeking shelter.

For people who can’t stay in their homes, Jacksonville shelters will open at noon Tuesday.

The six shelters will be at:

• Chimney Lakes Elementary

• LaVilla Middle School

• Ocean Way Elementary

• Landmark Middle School

• Atlantic Coast High School

• The Legends Center

Chimney Lakes and Landmark will be pet-friendly shelters and Atlantic Coast High School can accommodate those with special needs.

JTA will be offering free transportation to shelters starting at 12 p.m. Tuesday. All other routes are suspended Wednesday. There are two ways to use the JTA service for shelters:

1. Take any JTA bus marked “Evacuation Shuttle” on a regular JTA bus route before the announced cut-off time.

2. Go to any one of the specially-designated public pick-up locations:

• Fletcher High School, 700 Seagate Ave., Neptune Beach, FL 32266

• Mayport Middle School, 2600 Mayport Road, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233

• Baldwin Middle-High School, 291 Mill St., West Baldwin, FL 32234

• Jacksonville Beach Elementary 315 South 10th St., Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250

JEA crews were out on Monday trimming trees getting ready for possible high winds and the city was also preparing flood pumps and other measures to help during the storm. JEA suspended shutoffs due to nonpayment starting Monday, Aug. 28.

For a list of what to bring and what not to bring to a shelter, click here.

It’s also important to know your evacuation zone, just in case. Evacuation zones can be viewed at http://www.coj.net/departments/fire-and-rescue/emergency-preparedness/get-prepared/evacuation-zones.aspx or on the JaxReady mobile app.

Sandbags

Sandbags are not provided by the city. Jacksonville is a geographically diverse city, covering 840 square miles. The city’s stormwater needs and population size are different from neighboring counties.

Residents who believe sandbags are a necessity should consult with their local hardware store. In addition to sandbags, the city does not provide batteries, flashlights, radios, ice, first aid kits or canned goods. These are personal preparedness items that citizens are encouraged to acquire based on their anticipated needs.

Government offices

All nonessential government offices will close Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Jacksonville Public Library will close Tuesday and Wednesday. Due dates will be extended and no late fines will be incurred.

Hanna Park, Huguenot Park, and the campgrounds will close Tuesday and Wednesday. Assessments will be conducted Thursday regarding reopening.

City of Jacksonville Community Centers and Senior Centers (outside of those being used for emergency shelters) will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Duval County Courthouse and offices will be closed from Tuesday through Thursday.

All Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office buildings will be closed to the public Tuesday – Wednesday and are expected to re-open at the regularly scheduled times on Thursday.

Exception – The Department of Corrections is canceling the following services Wednesday and Thursday:

• In-person Public Notary Services

• On-site Video Visitation

These services will resume Friday, Sept. 1, unless deemed otherwise.

Bridges

All bridges are open. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) works closely with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol to monitor wind conditions at area bridges. If winds exceed specified levels, FDOT will work with law enforcement to close affected bridges. Any bridge closures will be communicated via local media channels, social media, the City website (www.COJ.net) and the JaxReady mobile app.

Garbage, recycling

Curbside garbage, recycling, bulk and yard waste collections and household hazardous waste will be suspended Wednesday.

Schedules will return to normal Thursday.

For those whose scheduled collection day is Wednesday, a make-up collection will take place Saturday, Sept. 2.

For more answers to Frequently Asked Questions, click here.

Baldwin

For the Baldwin area, Town Hall and the Baldwin Market will be closed Wednesday.

The Senior Center will be closed Wednesday and Thursday.

Garbage and Recycle will be picked up on Friday.

NAS Jax

Naval Air Station Jacksonville will be closed to non-essential personnel beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, Aug. 31.

The Visitor Control Center (Pass and ID office) will remain open until 4 p.m. Turesday. Yorktown (Main) Gate will be the only gate open on Wednesday.

Only mission essential personnel will have access to the station on Wednesday until the installation returns to normal operations.

All Naval Hospital Jacksonville outpatient clinics/services (including immunizations, pharmacies, lab, radiology), Naval Branch Health Clinic Jacksonville, and Naval Branch Health Clinic Kings Bay & Mayport are closed Wednesday due to Hurricane Idalia.

The estimated reopening time will be 10 a.m. Thursday, however, this could be later depending on the level of damage the base receives.

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/NASJacksonville/.