BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Hundreds waited for sandbags at Mitchell Ellington Park Tuesday in a line much longer than Monday’s line as Brevard County’s tropical storm watch was upgraded to a tropical storm warning.
Residents like Janet Arnold said the seven or eight inches of rain that flooded Merritt Island neighborhoods just two weeks ago is a recent reminder to prepare ahead of the next storm.
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“We live on the river so we just want to be prepared for any flooding,” Arnold said. “The water is already very high so it’s already at our seawall.”
The line for sandbags at Mitchell Ellington Park in north Merritt Island extends beyond the entrance of the park to Hall Road. @BrevardEOC update on #HurricaneIan preparations expected this afternoon at 2:30. @news6wkmg pic.twitter.com/29PTojtO4m
— James Sparvero (@JamesSparvero) September 27, 2022
On Tuesday afternoon, Sheriff Wayne Ivey spoke during the county’s emergency preparedness update.
“Just be ready,” the sheriff said. “This is one that we’re all going to ride out together.”
Emergency management staff and public information officers are starting to be called to their stations at the Emergency Operations Center in Rockledge.
The county says jail inmates have filled tens of thousands of sandbags the last few days at the county’s four distribution locations that were open through Tuesday.
Emergency operations director John Scott commented on recent bad weather while presenting the forecast for Hurricane Ian.
“We know we’ve already seen a lot of rain and unfortunately, Ian looks like he’s going to bring some more rain with us,” Scott said.
Brevard Public Schools said classes are canceled Wednesday and Thursday, with a decision about classes Friday to be made later.
The county said three shelters will open at 10 a.m. Wednesday including:
- Walter Butler Community Center, 4201 N Cocoa Blvd, Cocoa, FL 32927
- Wickham Park Community Center, 2815 Leisure Way, Melbourne, FL 32935
- Max K. Rodes Community Center, 3410 Flanagan Ave West Melbourne, FL 32904
The county said the shelters will also be pet-friendly.
Click here to see what impacts Brevard County may see from Hurricane Ian.
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