TAYLOR COUNTY, Fla. – As Hurricane Helene bears down on the Big Bend of Florida, one county has a sobering message for residents who are choosing to ride out the storm.
In a social media post, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office - Division of Emergency Management encouraged residents to write their names, birthdays, and important information on an arm or leg in a permanent marker so that they can “be identified and family notified.”
In addition, residents are also asked to provide information so search and rescue teams can prioritize locations.
A mandatory evacuation order has been issued for all residents of Taylor County due to the ongoing hurricane and rapidly worsening conditions. News 6′s Erik Sandoval is in the county and he says so far it looks as if residents are heeding the warnings.
Helene is expected to make landfall in the Florida Big Bend region Thursday evening. After landfall, Helene is expected to turn northwestward and slow down over the Tennessee Valley on Friday and Saturday.