Sheriff: Prepare for flooding and potential evacuation; inmates are helping fill sandbags

"Even if we do not get a direct hit from the hurricane, this is very likely to be a flooding event for Flagler County," Sheriff Rick Staly said.


  • By
  • | 4:24 p.m. August 30, 2019
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly addresses the community in a video update Friday, Aug. 30.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly addresses the community in a video update Friday, Aug. 30.
  • Palm Coast Observer
  • News
  • Share

Sheriff Rick Staly released a community alert video Friday afternoon, Aug. 30. View it at https://youtu.be/TPx6h3OpxQk. The transcript is as follows:

I'm Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly, with today's update on Hurricane Dorian. So, Hurricane Dorian has slowed down. The good news for that is it gives you an extra day to prepare for Dorian's arrival; the bad news is that when hurricanes slow down, they stay over warmer water and they get bigger and more dangerous. 

Dorian is now predicted to make landfall at a Category 4.

Now, we are still in the cone, which means that we could still be a direct hit, although right now it is looking like it is going to come in somewhere between Vero Beach and West Palm Beach.

But that could change in the next hour. So don't let up your preparation.

One thing we’re pretty sure of with a slow-moving hurricane: It is now predicted that Flagler County will receive 20 inches of rain between today and next Friday. 

That means that even if we do not get a direct hit from the hurricane, this is very likely to be a flooding event for Flagler County.

It also looks like the county is going to order mandatory evacuation for zones A and B and F. So A and B is basically Old Kings Road, north and south, east to the Atlantic Ocean.

And Zone F is Daytona North, Crescent Lake area and Dead Lake area. That is likely to occur Sunday, possibly Monday, so stay tuned for updates, because this really depends on Hurricane Dorian, which clearly has a mind of its own and is very unpredictable.

I also want to remind you that our inmate work crew is still helping to fill sandbags. Tomorrow, Saturday, they will start about 8:30 a.m until roughly 1 p.m., depending on weather, at the Mala Compra site and at the water tower in Bunnell. 

We're also going to start at Hidden Trails, but if there's still no one coming Hidden Trails, like our experience has been the last two days, we're going to move those inmates into other locations. 

So far, in three days, we have filled about 15,000 sandbags.

So a sandbag operation will still be available. They like doing this and helping the community; it's giving back for maybe some of their transgression in the past.

But also know that we've had some residents try to tip the inmates or bring them energy drinks, even give them a cigarette; that is not allowed, and our deputies will not allow it. We appreciate your thoughtfulness, but none of that can be allowed with our inmates. So, thank you for that, the inmates are there to help you, and let's work together as a community to prepare for this storm.

 

Latest News

×

Your free article limit has been reached this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited digital access to our award-winning local news.