Hurricane Irma: Collier County residents urged to evacuate

Collier County schools will close Thursday and Friday, and all residents who are able to leave have been urged to get out of the state ahead of Hurricane Irma.

Collier County commissioners plan to meet at noon Wednesday to declare a state of emergency and decide whether to enforce mandatory evacuations.

If the storm, one of the most powerful ever recorded in the Atlantic, continues moving toward Florida, it will get more difficult to leave the state, said Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk.

"If we start seeing major populations evacuate in the east, traffic will only increase," Rambosk said. "The communities at the end of the line are going to have the most difficult time. We're at the end of the line."

Part of the danger is the size of the storm. At 300 miles wide, it's large enough to cover much of the Florida peninsula, said Dan Summers, director of the bureau of emergency services.

Whether the storm hits the Naples area directly or tracks to the east coast or center of the state, major damage and flooding likely would hit the area, Summers said.

"All our scenarios in terms of evacuations are quite worrisome," he said.

The county hasn't yet opened emergency shelters or activated its emergency operations center, a protected hub where emergency responders can coordinate rescue efforts around the clock. Decisions to open those will be made Wednesday.

Storm surges could reach as high as 8 feet in Naples Bay and up to 23 feet in the Chokoloskee area, Summers said.

Looking at Tuesday afternoon models, county officials expected that storm could hit the Florida coast Sunday with Category 4 strength.

"We can't emphasize enough how serious this storm is," Summers said. "Our philosophy is to hide from the wind but run from the water. The storm surge could be significant and quite damaging."

All school events and sports games over the weekend will be rescheduled, said Collier Schools Superintendent Kamela Patton.

Many of the schools might be opened as hurricane shelters, she said.

Summers and the county will begin deciding Wednesday which shelters to open and when.

Residents with special needs can start registering for shelters and other assistance. To register, see https://snr.floridadisaster.org or call 800-374-9689. 

While homes residents of Southwest Florida were stockpiling water, food and supplies ahead of Hurricane Irma, fire districts were preparing for the worst. 

The Greater Naples Fire District is making sure all of its staffing and equipment will be in place as it coordinates with local and state emergency responders.

Because the district operates out of older stations that weren't built to withstand hurricanes as strong as Irma is projected to be, fire officials will be ready to move staff and equipment to local hospitals, county buildings or other facilities if the need arises, fire Chief Kingman Schuldt said.

"We have partnerships here, and we'll fight our way through," Schuldt said. "Our plan to is to be locked and loaded and fully capable by Friday."

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More:Sheriff Rambosk: "Do not wait" to leave before Hurricane Irma

Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency Monday in advance of what could be the most powerful storm to hit the state in years.

No mandatory evacuations had been issued as of early Tuesday evening.

However, residents should be packed and ready to leave if Hurricane Irma continues to barrel its way toward Collier County as a strong storm, said Jamie Cunningham, fire chief of the North Collier Fire & Rescue District.

"If you haven't yet, get those packs together with enough medicine, water, food and clothes to last at least 72 hours if and when the evacuation is ordered," Cunningham said.

North Collier fire has a new station designed to withstand a Category 4 hurricane. The district will move much of its heavy equipment and staff to the station on Livingston Road if needed.  

If evacuations are ordered for parts of the county, the fire stations in those areas also will be evacuated, Cunningham said.

"Don't depend on emergency services in those areas if you're told to evacuate," he said.

Every home should start preparing to be without power, water, services or help for 72 hours after the storm hits, according to a county statement.