Hurricane Updates and Information 

The majority of water rescues are for motorists stranded in standing water. Turn around, don’t drown! It is not possible to see if the road is compromised under standing water. Deep washouts are possible and not visible to drivers.Residents on Blackwater River, Coldwater Creek and Pond Creek should make preparations and plans (that include pets) to move to higher ground quickly if needed and on short notice. Rivers and creeks rise at different levels at different times. Have a plan and be ready to leave. Be especially vigilant at night.

Emergency Communications is sending WEAs (wireless emergency alerts) to cell phones in flood warning areas as water levels rise. If you receive an alert, get to higher ground immediately. All residents near rivers and creeks should stay aware of rising water.

Fuel is in short supply locally. Residents are encourage to limit driving to both conserve fuel and so as not to impede on rescue and recovery operations.

Navarre Beach Utility continues to make repairs of minor storm damages and is ready for Gulf Power to restore power to the island. The waste water treatment plant is operating on generator power.

Navarre Park sustained damage and is closed until further notice.

Beach restrooms remain closed while minor damages are repaired.

Santa Rosa County remains under a curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. until lifted. Workers may still travel to and from their place of employment outside of those hours.

Access to the beach will be closed to all except for residents, verified guests and workers/business owners – much the same as earlier this year at the onset of COVID.

From 12:01 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wed., Sept. 16, responders made over 50 rescues took 484 9-1-1 calls and 510 calls in the citizen information center.

Public works crews have begun clearing roads and will continue to do so.

The beach remains closed and no lifeguards are on duty due to dangerous surf conditions. Navarre Beach live web cam – www.navarrebeachlife.com/live-hd-1080-zoom-cam.

The Citizens Information Line is open, call 850-983-INFO (4636) for questions.

The new Pace Patriot/Tiberon pond that is under construction still lacks critical infrastructure elements and will not function as designed. It has exceeded its capacity. There is concern that the pond may breach the berm which will cause a serious and dangerous situation. Please stay aware if driving in the vicinity. We will continue to monitor the pond until the stormwater recedes to the maximum designed elevation

Those interested in donating should visit SAFER Santa Rosa (www.facebook.com/safersantarosa) or mail a check to SAFER, 4499 Pine Forest Road, Milton, FL 32583. There is no call for in-kind donations.

Damage

Report damage via our Citizen DamageReport (https://bit.ly/2Rnogx8).

Take photos – before you start cleaning up after a disaster, take photos of all storm-related damages to your home – including taking photos of the water line from flood waters on the outside of your home before you begin pressure washing.

Make a list – during the cleaning process, take note of lost or damaged items and gather any original receipts for these items.

Call your insurance agent – after gathering necessary documentation, call your insurance company to submit a claim.

State and FEMA teams will arrive by Saturday to start assessments. More information will be posted as soon as it is available.

The next full release will be Fri., Sept. 18.

Debris

Central Landfill is open for business as usual.

Santa Rosa County is working with a debris removal contractor to begin picking up debris. Pickup dates are not available yet. To help removal go as smoothly as possible, separate your debris as follows:

– normal household trash

– vegetative debris (do not bag debris)

– construction/demolition debris

– appliances/white goods

– electronics

– household hazardous debris

Place debris beside the roadway, not in the roadway and not on a fire hydrant. Do not block drainage ditches. Use caution to avoid covering any irrigation (sprinkler) systems.

Shelter

Milton Community Center, 5629 Byrom St. in Milton (map), remains open as a pet-friendly shelter. 

Road Closures

Public works crews continue monitoring for riverine flooding and will barricade flooded roads and bridges as needed. 

Do not drive around or move any barricades. Turn around – don’t drown!

See road closures: www.santarosa.fl.gov/293/Current-Road-Bridge-Closures.

Report road issues (flooding, debris) at www.santarosa.fl.gov/FormCenter/Public-Works-7/Citizen-Work-Request-48.

Bridges

Three Mile Bridge remains closed at this time and will not reopen soon. 

Garcon Point Bridge (S.R. 281) is open limited to two-axle vehicles. Emergency service vehicles, including ambulances and fire trucks, are permitted to cross the bridge as well as sport utility vehicles, pick-up trucks, and private vehicles towing single or double axle trailers. Trucks need to continue to follow the truck detour routes. Tolls are suspended through Fri., Sept. 18.

Eastbound U.S. 98 from Pier Road to Palmetto Street is closed due to flooding.

Westbound U.S. 98 at Woodland Park Lane is closed due to flooding.

In Okaloosa County, flooding along the Shoal River is expected to require the closure of the Highway 85 bridges south of Crestview in the next two hours.

If you need to get north or south over the Highway 85 bridges, now is the time to do so. It is likely that the bridges will be closed for at least 16 hours to allow water to recede and for safety inspections to be completed. 

Bridges will reopen as any necessary inspections are made.

River flooding is still expected. River bridges that typically flood include:

   Deaton Bridge/Deaton Bridge Road

   Wagner Bridge/East Fork Coldwater Creek/Spring Hill Road

   Red Rock Bridge/Juniper Creek/Red Rock Road

   Juniper Creek Bridge/Indian Ford Road

   West Fork Big Coldwater Creek Bridge/Walling Road

   Turkey Creek Bridge/Amos Cabaniss Road

For state and federal road closures (I-10, 87, 89, 90, 98, Avalon Blvd.), see www.FL511.com.

Safety

If you do not have to be on the road, stay off the road, especially at night when it is more difficult to see water over the road. Turn around, don’t drown.

Do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water. If it is safe to do so, turn off the electricity to prevent electric shock.

Avoid wading in floodwater, which can be contaminated and contain dangerous debris. Underground or downed power lines can also electrically charge the water. 

Use a generator or other gasoline-powered machinery ONLY outdoors and away from windows. Always have a battery-powered carbon monoxide detector when using a generator.

County Offices

All county offices including the libraries, will open on Fri., Sept. 18.

Emergency Management remains activated at a Level II for Hurricane Sally.

County COVID Testing

COVID testing is planned to be resumed Fri., Sept. 18 at Milton Community Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

General Preparedness Information

Stay informed! Sign up for emergency alerts at www.AlertSantaRosa.com. 

For current weather events, visit www.weather.gov/mob. 

For information on preparing for disasters, visit www.santarosa.fl.gov/emergency.

Water

Boil water notice for the following streets due to possible leaks in the Bagdad Garcon Point Water System:

– Mary Kitchens Road South to Avalon Blvd

– From Avalon Sanchez Ct. South to Garcon Point Road

– For questions, call (850-623-8508).

A precautionary boil water notice has been issued for the following streets in Pace:   

– Kentwood Street 

– Lancer Street 

– Bayview Park 

– Vivian Court 

– Ashmore Lane 

– Twisted Pine Court 

– Twisted Oak Court 

Residents are advised to boil all water used for cooking, drinking, making ice, brushing teeth or washing dishes. A rolling boil of one minute is sufficient. Bottled water may be used as an alternative. Tap water can also be disinfected by adding eight drops of unscented household bleach to each gallon of water, then mixing the water and allowing it to stand for a minimum of 30 minutes. 

Bacteriological samples will be collected and the advisory will be lifted as soon as possible. Precautionary boil water notices are issued as a part of standard protocol following any loss of water pressure, whether as a result of planned maintenance activities or unscheduled repairs. 

Waste Haulers

ECUA will service as many customers as roads will allow today, Thurs., Sept. 17. ECUA will only be collecting regular trash, not recycling or yard waste. If a road is blocked with debris, they will make a note and check back at a later time.

ECUA’s recycling facility sustained damage during the hurricane and has temporarily suspended the acceptance of recyclables. Recycling pickup will be suspended until the facility is re-opened.

Waste Pro will not collect in the south end today due to flooded roads and the closure of the Garcon Point Bridge. Collections will resume Fri., Sept. 18.

Waste Pro will collect recycling and regular trash with the same vehicle due to the suspension of recycling processing at ECUA. Residents who choose to hold recycling for pickup when ECUA’s recycling facility is operational should not set their recycling cans out for pickup.

Santa Rosa County School District

Per the Santa Rosa County School District, all Santa Rosa County public schools will remain closed the remainder of the week.

City of Milton

We are still in an active recovery situation – PLEASE STAY HOME IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. Sightseeing will only impede first responders and those working to restore services to our community. 

Riverwalk Street remains closed due to flooding at this time. 

With the exception of Riverwalk Street, all streets within the City limits are open and passible. However, many traffic lights remain out. Treat inoperative or flashing traffic lights as four-way stops. 

When safe, place any storm debris on the right-of-way for collection. An emergency debris hauler, under contract to the city, will be working in the community beginning Monday, September 21. When placing debris on the right-of-way, please stay clear of overhead powerlines, power poles, guide wires, mailboxes, driveways, parked vehicles, and other structures. The debris hauler will be utilizing automated equipment for collection. 

All residential trash collection routes will be run today, Thursday, September 17. Following completion, Sanitation Services will resume their normal collection schedule. 

City crews have restored all municipal services. For issues with natural gas, water, or sewer, call (850) 983-5400. If no answer, please leave a message. 

City Hall is open for business. 

All city parks remain closed.

The City Council Committee of the Whole meeting scheduled for Thursday, September 17 has been rescheduled. The meeting will occur immediately following the second budget hearing to be held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22.  

Suspension of cut-offs for non-payment of city utilities has been extended until September 30. 

The Milton Community Center remains open as an emergency evacuation shelter and is closed for regularly scheduled activities. Space is available. 

The city has placed cover weights over manholes in areas subject to flooding. These weights can substantially damage a vehicle and should be avoided. 

The city will constantly monitor the situation to determine if further action is needed. For up to date information, visit the city’s Facebook page @MiltonFlorida or the city’s website: www.miltonfl.org.