Off Roads-Curfew

The Sheriff’s Office would like to ask all citizens to limit vehicle traffic due to Hurricane Irma. Evacuees from our coastal counties may cause many of our roadways to be crowded. Our focus during the storm and immediately afterwards will be on rescue and lifesaving operations. Please do not call 911 unless there is a life-threatening emergency. Sheriff Noel Stephen has issued a 9:00 pm curfew starting tonight until the storm passes. This will be in order to prevent storm related injuries and deaths and to keep roadways open for emergency vehicles. As in the past we can expect red lights to be non-functioning at multiple intersections throughout the city and county. Please be mindful to treat these intersections as four way stops when the traffic control device is disabled or damaged unless temporary stop signs have been put in place. After the storm passes through there may be a lot of cleanup to get roadways back open. Please do not get out on the roadways unless it is an emergency until officials give the all clear as this will only slow down the process. Power companies will be at the ready to restore power as soon as it is safe for them to work. There may come a point during the storm in which is it unsafe for deputies/fire rescue to respond to calls. We would like to assure citizens if this happens deputies/fire rescue will begin responding to priority calls as soon as it is deemed safe. Thank you for your cooperation, understanding and patience.

Be safe. Michele Bell, PIO