Martin County EOC #5

[BPJR051]

LATEST MARTIN COUNTY SITUATION REPORT

1) If residents have any questions, please call Rumor Control at 287-1652
2) President George Bush has declared Martin Couty as a Federal Disaster Area, which will enable finacial assistance for the recovery.
3) There is a curfew in place for Martin County and Hutchinson Island from 8 PM – 7 AM. The Town of Jupiter Island has a 24 hour curfew in place.
4) Residents are advised to stay off of all roadways unless necessary to allow for emergency vehicles to assist with the recovery.
5) The Stuart Causeway/Ernest Lyons Bridge and the Jensen Beach Casueway are closed to vehicular traffic. The Jensen Beach Causeway will be open to EMERGENCY VEHICLES ONLY in the westbound lane. The Ernest Lyons Bridge has sustained damage and is expected to begin to be repaired tomorrow by the Florida Department of Transportation.
6) Indian River Drive has been washed out in certain areas, and is impassable from Skyline Drive to Conchy Joe’s.
7) Due to traffic signals not functioning, all motorists are advised to treat every intersection as a 4-way stop.
8) The American Red Cross has sent out damage assessment teams, we have not received reports yet from these teams.
9) Currently all customers of South Martin Regional Utilities, Martin County Utilities, and City of Stuart are NOT under a boil water notice.
10) The Martin County Health Department is encouraging residents to throw out any spoiled food and remember to wash their hands regularly to pervent any food borne illness.
11) All Martin County Health Department employees are requested to report to the Special Needs Shelter, located at the Challenger School, on Willoughby Blvd. immediately to provide assistace to residents of the shelter.
12) Household garbage and solid waste and recycling will be collected together beginning Tuesday, September 7. Yard waste will not be collected this week.
13) Martin Memorial hospital, North Campus has sustained water damage, and does not currently have water or elevators working in the north tower. As a result, transfer of patients at the North Campus to the South Campus is currenly underway.
14) Search and rescue countywide is underway. No injuries or deaths have been reported to date.
15) Water main breaks and low pressure compaints have been reported, assessment and repair crews have been dispatched from Martin County Utilities.
16) Food and distribution sites previously listed have not been opened as of yet. If residents would like to volunteer to help with supply distribution, please call 287-1652.
17) The Storm Shelters will be closing this evening and all residents still needing shelter will be moved to the recovery shelters, which will be at Martin County High School in Stuart and Indiantown Middle School in Indiantown.
18) Nextel communication has been difficult as 123 towers in the south Florida region are now down.

[TampaBayBee]

again-your posts are very, very valuable to displaced Stuart residents.

[borderPatrol2329]

I have not seen this mentioned, but, in my opinion, no one except those whose prime residences are in the affected area(s) should be there until the situation is stabilized. It is understandable that those with property, or loved ones in the area will want to go there. This is a very bad idea. The people who live there are in need right now. If you want to help, contact the Red Cross, or some other relief agency. DO NOT JUST GO THERE. By going there you could just be adding to their burden. As for concerns over checking and securing property, you would be unable to do anything at this point. The barrier Islands are off limits at this time. Many roads are impassable, there is no electricity, and no water in many places. There will be few if any stores open for supplies, and these supplies should be for the people live there year around. Outsiders will only make security, rescue and recovery operations that much harder for the Police and the National Guard. Try to be patient. Contact your property associations, or City Hall if you must, but stay away.

[TampaBayBee]

I have not seen this mentioned, but, in my opinion, no one except those whose prime residences are in the affected area(s) should be there until the situation is stabilized. It is understandable that those with property, or loved ones in the area will want to go there. This is a very bad idea. The people who live there are in need right now. If you want to help, contact the Red Cross, or some other relief agency. DO NOT JUST GO THERE. By going there you could just be adding to their burden. As for concerns over checking and securing property, you would be unable to do anything at this point. The barrier Islands are off limits at this time. Many roads are impassable, there is no electricity, and no water in many places. There will be few if any stores open for supplies, and these supplies should be for the people live there year around. Outsiders will only make security, rescue and recovery operations that much harder for the Police and the National Guard. Try to be patient. Contact your property associations, or City Hall if you must, but stay away.

I surely hope your message was not directed in response to my post. Save your patronizing words for looters and snowbirds. We need these updates to 1. alleviate anxiety for the evacuees, and 2. to know when it will be safe for evacuees to return. Updates from Martin Co. have been slim in the mainstream media--even in Florida. It is ironic that a Canadian would assume our interest is morbid curiosity.

[SootyTern]

I didn't interpret BorderPratrol's addition as patronizing-just a reality check. I have good friends in Stuart that I haven't heard from yet and I can understand both the impulse to drive up there and try to help them without knowing anything, and also the reality that it would be a useless waste of time at this point because it is probably a mess up there.

[borderPatrol2329]

My message was not directed at you at all, and I am very sorry if you feel offended by it in some way. I am unsure of why you felt it was directed at you? These updates have been a godsend. I am also very fond of this area and its people. Despite being Canadian, I have a number of friends that live in the area. I am concerned for their well being. My patronizing words, as you refer to them, were directed mostly at Snowbirds.