‘Stay in place’: Flagler County residents urged to not make more work for emergency response teams after Milton

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – Hurricane Milton slammed into Flagler County overnight, bringing high winds and heavy rain that left streets across the county flooded and impassable.

The city of Bunnell asked residents to stay in place and not try to explore the effects Milton left behind.

“Emergency Management and Emergency Responders already have their hands full. Do not add to the work they are already doing for all residents in the City and County,” officials said.

Flagler County Emergency Management said that its call center phone number had been restored at 9:45 a.m. after an outage. Those needing assistance or those who have questions can call 386-313-4200 for help.

Many streets, both state roadways and local roadways, in the core area of Bunnell flooded overnight, making them impassible and hazardous. Many roads were in the process of being closed down Thursday morning.

“If you do encounter water over a road, DO NOT try drive through flooded streets. DO NOT drive around barricades closing a street down. Turn around! Don’t drown!” city officials said.

More than 50,000 customers were without power as of 3:20 p.m., according to FPL.

Emergency Response Teams worked through the night to clear downed trees across the county.

In Flagler Beach, our crew spotted damage and debris along 5th Street as StormTrack 4 was pummeled with wind, rain and sand.

Water warning

Officials from the city of Bunnell and the city of Palm Coast put out an emergency alert Wednesday night, asking all households and businesses to conserve water.

The recent weather, plus the rains from Hurricane Milton have put a significant strain on the sewer system, lift stations and Wastewater Plant, Bunnell officials explained.

“To help the canal systems maintain flow, slow down flooding and assist the operations at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, WE NEED YOUR HELP," they said in their message.

Palm Coast officials also urged their residents to limit water usage as much as possible because the wastewater systems are experiencing significant pressure due to the heavy rainfall.

Residents are asked to conserve water by avoiding doing laundry, limiting showers, not running the dishwasher and flushing only when necessary.

“Every drop we can keep out of the sewer system helps!!!” officials said.

Road closure

State Road 100 West was closed late Wednesday night from Woodland Street to Deen Road because of flooding at the base of the overpass in Bunnell. It’s expected to remain closed until Milton passes.

Click here to read the full list of roads closed in Flagler County.

The following are the current changes to daily Bunnell city operations due to Hurricane Milton:

• City Offices will be closed all day Thursday; the City will reopen once safe and/or any power is restored
• All City parks will remain closed until they can be inspected and are safe to open
• Please make sure you secure any solid waste or recycling carts in a safe place; do not leave them on the roadside
• GRAND RESERVE RESIDENTIAL pick-up on Thursday is CANCELED
• BULK PICK UP for FRIDAY is CANCELED
• YARD WASTE pick-up may start as soon as FRIDAY (if safe to operate). Solid Waste trucks may also be working over the weekend to start YARD WASTE pick up. Yard Waste and other debris needs to be kept separate; DO NOT combine these piles and DO NOT place piles near obstructions like cars, power poles, mailboxes, etc. or under obstructions like power lines or cable lines.
• Please try to limit water usage. While the Wastewater Treatment Plant is being manned 24 hours a day, with the anticipated rainfall, there will be a lot of demand on the plant. Limiting water usage that goes down a drain to essential uses only will greatly help avoid issues later.

To obtain the most current information on the City, continue to monitor the Unified Messaging coming from the Flagler County Emergency Operations Center.

The City website and Facebook page are being updated whenever possible.

Flagler County shelter

Flagler County officials opened a public Hurricane Evacuation Shelter at 8 a.m. Wednesday in conjunction with a mandatory evacuation order.

Residents seeking shelter can go to Rymfire Elementary School at 1425 Rymfire Dr. in Palm Coast.

This pet-friendly shelter will serve as both a general population and a special medical needs shelter.

Dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents and turtles are the allowed pets. There is a four-pet maximum. Pet owners should bring current vaccination records and supplies, including crates/cages, and medications.

Individuals with special medical needs, including those who require assistance with daily living, depend on electricity for oxygen support, or have medical conditions that limit their ability to care for themselves, should take note: it’s important for a family member or caregiver to accompany them to the shelter for proper assistance.

The shelter will also accommodate residents who are from an area under an evacuation order and have no other place to go

RELATED | County-by-county: Northeast Florida begins preparations ahead of Milton

A Mandatory Evacuation Order has been issued for the following areas:

• Residents living in Mobile Homes and RV’s Countywide
• The following Coastal / Island Communities
  • The entire island from the St Johns County Line to the Volusia County Line
  • Marineland through Flagler Beach
• Mainland Communities
  • Only the following communities South of SR-100 (Moody Blvd)
    • Neighborhoods off John Anderson Hwy
    • Neighborhoods off Palm Dr
    • Bulow RV Park & Homes, off Old Kings Rd
    • Polo Club West / Sweetbottom Plantation properties along Lexington Court / Ashland Way and that back up to the Bulow Creek
  • Only the following communities between SR-100 (Moody Blvd) and Palm Coast Pkwy
    • Neighborhoods off Lambert Ave
    • In Marina Del Palm the properties along the Intracoastal Waterway / basin
    • In Palm Coast Plantation:
      • Properties off South / North Riverwalk Drive
  • Only the following communities North of Palm Coast Pkwy
    • Properties within Princess Place
• Properties in Flagler Estates and off of Methvin Road
• Properties off of Strickland Road, including those on Shedd Ln, Natalies Ln, Dylan Trl, Boice Ln, Lola Ln, Wasick Ln, and Carter Trl
• Properties directly bordering Crescent Lake and the following neighborhoods in the Dead Lake area: Bull Creek Campground, Park Place Ave, Canham St, Cheryl Elaine Dr, Leissa Ct, Johnny Ct, and Matt Ct.

MORE | State asks Floridians to avoid creating more debris ahead of Hurricane Milton

Residents are encouraged to like and follow FlaglerEOC on social media for the latest updates.

City of Palm Coast

The following closures, cancellations, and changes to services are in effect:

• City Facilities Closed: Palm Coast City Hall, Community Center, Palm Harbor Golf Club, Southern Recreation Center, Palm Coast Aquatics Center, all parks, trails, and sports fields will be closed on Thursday, October 10.
• Garbage Collection Canceled: Garbage collection is canceled for Thursday, October 10. Residents should place their trash out on the next scheduled pickup day.

Important Information for Residents:

• For any questions regarding City services like water, sewer, streets, or drainage, residents can contact Palm Coast Connect at palmcoast.gov/connect or call Customer Service at 386-986-2360.
• If you have a PEP tank and experience a power outage, limit water usage to avoid overflows or backups. More information on PEP tanks during a storm can be found at PEP tank storm info.

For the latest updates on Hurricane Milton from Flagler County Emergency Management, visit Flagler Emergency. The Flagler County Emergency Operations Center’s 24-hour call center is available at 386-313-4200 and will remain open until the storm passes.

The City of Palm Coast remains focused on keeping residents safe and informed during this weather event. Throughout the storm, your city will be providing residents with the most up-to-date information available through various means, including:

• PalmCoast.gov - Palmcoast.gov is in Emergency Mode for the duration of the storm and will provide you with information on Emergency Preparedness, sandbag locations, evacuation zones, trash schedules, PEP tank information, easy access to Palm Coast Connect, and more.
• Palm Coast Connect - Palm Coast Connect will be the hub for all City service responses during the storm. Visit palmcoast.gov/connect or call 386-986-2360 to speak to a representative.
• ALERTFlagler – ALERTFlagler is a FREE service that will allow you to receive critical information quickly in various emergencies, including severe weather alerts. Creating an account is easy and can be done by visiting flaglercounty.gov/alertflagler.
• Social Media - Your City is ready and able to communicate with you across many social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Nextdoor, and Twitter. We encourage you to connect with us on those platforms now so you have access to updates during the storm.

Stay informed with the latest news and information from the City of Palm Coast by following us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. You can sign up for weekly updates by visiting www.palmcoastgov.com/government/city-manager/week-in-review.