Tropical Storm Elsa Update for St. Pete Beach

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Current Forecast:

  • St. Pete Beach should expect rain and storm surge from Tuesday afternoon until Wednesday morning
  • Pinellas County is opening 2 voluntary evacuation centers- locations TBA.

City Facilities:

  • All City facilities including City Hall, Public Works, Library and Community Center, and FreeBee service will be closing Tuesday at 1pm.  City staff will work from home as applicable.
  • Summer camp is cancelled for Tuesday, July 6th, 2021.
  • The current projection is that we will have the all clear Wednesday morning.  Any changes to the Wednesday schedule will be communicated as needed.

Action Items

  • Construction sites have been addressed and contractors are continuing to move materials to avoid any issues due to wind/flooding.
  • The flags throughout the city will be taken down Tuesday morning in preparation for the storm.
  • Members of the Community Development team will be in the field on Wednesday to assess damages.

Sand Bags

  • Many residents have utilized the self serve option for sand bag distribution.  The hours will remain in place 
    •  Monday, July 5th, 2021: 12pm- 3pm 
    • Tuesday, July 6th, 2021: 7am-8pm
  • It is advised individuals with property in low lying areas utilize sand bags for flooding due to rain.  

Safety Messaging

  • We need to make plans to stay home Tuesday afternoon through evening due to flooding.  Traveling during stormy conditions are not advised for several reason including but not limited to:
    • There will be trees, electrical wires and other dangers on the roads. 
    • Emergency crews will be dispatched as soon as conditions are safe to begin clearing major roads of debris and open up routes to reach hospitals, fire stations, police stations and other critical facilities. 
    • Be patient and stay home until it is safe to travel.
    • Traffic lights may be out even if power has been restored. Treat all intersections and locations where there is usually a traffic light as an all-way stop sign. 
    • Roads may still be littered with debris
    • Many routes may be flooded. NEVER drive through standing water. Remember: Turn around. Don’t drown. 
    • Once officials say you can drive, you should still be very careful. 

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