San Marco residents are frustrated as heavy rains and flooding continue to be an issue.

Hurricane season can be stressful for millions of Americans living in coastal areas, as powerful winds and heavy rain can cause widespread damage, cut power for days or weeks and otherwise upend people’s lives.

There is still a very visible reminder of that storm at Memorial Park in the Five Points neighborhood. Barriers and caution tape are up along the waterfront after waves broke up several balustrades.

The city said work will soon begin to repair the damaged concrete balustrades at Memorial Park.

Natural disasters are common in Florida and with hurricane season approaching, it’s a good time to stock up on the supplies you might need.

Wednesday marks the Red Cross of Northeast Florida's 10th annual Giving Day, which encourages local communities to support the organization’s humanitarian efforts.

Climate change is costing all of us more money as more extreme weather events hit the country, according to the National Climate assessment.

St. Johns County and the company contracted to work on beach restoration projects following Hurricanes Irma and Matthew have agreed to a settlement after there was a dispute over costs.

We’re more than two months into hurricane season and local agencies are making sure communities in high-flood zone areas are prepared.

News4JAX and the American Red Cross are teaming up on Tuesday to host a phone bank for anyone who wants to donate to Hurricane Ian victims.

Everyone remembers the images of devastating flooding in Northeast Florida, including in the Riverside and Avondale area, during Hurricane Irma in 2017.

While the track of Ian is good news for Duval County residents, Mayor Lenny Curry said Thursday afternoon that Jacksonville shouldn’t ease up in precautions just yet.

Clay County officials are warning of potential flooding countywide. That includes perpetually flooded areas like Black Creek as well as small street flooding because of concerns that the ground is already heavily saturated.

After declaring a state of emergency for Duval County ahead of Hurricane Ian, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry announced Wednesday morning that based on the Category 4 storm’s current trajectory, he would NOT be issuing mandatory evacuation orders for the county.

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry declared a state of emergency for Duval County and the activation of the Emergency Operations Center, effective at noon Wednesday, as Category 3 Hurricane Ian tracks toward Florida.

Some homeowners in the Southshore neighborhood are gearing up to prepare for the possible impact of tropical depression 9, which is projected to strengthen and hit Florida as early as Tuesday.

On Friday, News4JAX stopped in on the most vulnerable areas where people were keeping a close watch.

Clay County is working to eliminate major damage issues during catastrophic storms like what the county dealt with in 2017 following Hurricane Irma.

The pier reopened Wednesday with a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and Jacksonville Beach Mayor Christine Hoffman.

The Jacksonville Beach Pier is set to reopen Wednesday at 10 a.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The Jacksonville Beach Pier is set to reopen in the next few weeks after a lengthy construction project.

Those who wanted to catch the sunrise on the beach near Mickler’s Landing got the perfect parking spot Saturday for the first time in months.

A Florida man has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for lying about damage caused by Hurricane Irma in order to receive disaster relief money.

Flood maps are changing because of the way the climate is changing, and due to strong storms continuously hitting the same areas.

To protect your home ahead of a major storm, Sean Way, with We Insure Group, joined “The Morning Show” on Sunday to answer questions about flood insurance.

Heavy rainfall typically leaves parts of Ken Knight Drive in Northwest Jacksonville flooded, and Tropical Storm Elsa is expected to bring rain to the area.

With Tropical Storm Elsa looming in the Atlantic, News4Jax turned to experts for tips on how to properly secure boats ahead of a storm.

Some people living in St. Johns County are taking matters into their own hands to save their homes. To help, St. Johns County Commissioners approved a $34 million FEMA enhancement project for extra protection to 20 miles of homes and businesses on Tuesday.

Climate news is about to become more local and comprehensive as the station is partnering with other news outlets on a Covering Climate Collaborative.

ORLANDO, Fla. – A Florida man has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for lying about damage caused by Hurricane Irma. Steven Rembert, 49, of Orange County, was sentenced Monday in Orlando federal court, according to court records. He pleaded guilty in December to disaster assistance fraud. In September 2017, Rembert falsified records concerning his primary residence when submitting an application for assistance to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to an indictment. Hurricane Irma struck Florida in September 2017, causing about $50 billion in damage throughout the state.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Nearly four years after Hurricane Irma and five years after Hurricane Matthew, Congress has allocated $500,000 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin a study of erosion along North Ponte Vedra Beach. Over the last decade, the St. Johns County coastline has been eaten away by those two hurricanes as well as other passing storms and nor’easters. David Ruderman with the Jacksonville District of the Army Corps said they now have the money to start a coastal storm risk management study. “I think it’s about a 2½-mile stretch.”AdThe coastal survey could take up to three years to complete and won’t cost any more than $3 million -- that cost to be split between the Jacksonville District and St. Johns County. Once the cost agreement is signed by both St. Johns County and the Army Corps, the study will get underway.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A $5 million plan to buy out homes in one of Jacksonville’s most flood-prone areas is one step closure to becoming a reality. During Hurricane Irma three years ago, heavy rains overflowed the Ribault River, which overflowed into many homes along Ken Knight Drive, located off Moncrief Road in Northwest Jacksonville. Some of those homes and apartments in the Ribault neighborhood are still left badly damaged from severe flooding. “I stay by the river,” said Angela Bush, who lives on Ken Knight Drive. “To me, it’s not worth it to try and sell it out for what they’re trying to buy it for,” said Aaron Sumart, who lives on Ken Knight Drive.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s been three years since Hurricane Irma caused destruction in our area and the Jacksonville Zoo is still feeling the effects. Its' docks were destroyed in the storm, but its' now submitted plans to rebuild. Did you know Jax Zoo was the only zoo in the country that had an admission gate on the water? The Jacksonville Zoo told News4Jax it’s about a $1 million project and it could take a few more years to rebuild the docks. “That was a heartbreaking storm for us,” said Tony Vecchio, Jacksonville Zoo Executive Director.

TAMPA, Fla. – The aftereffects of 2017′s Hurricane Irma appear to have killed more than 400 senior residents of Florida nursing homes, a new university study shows. Their study examined health data for 62,000 patients at 640 Florida nursing homes obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, according to the Tampa Bay Times. "Nursing homes need to really pay attention to these people when they’re in the process of reacting to a hurricane,” said co-author Lindsay Peterson, a research assistant professor of aging studies at USF. After Irma, the Florida required nursing homes and assisted-living facilities to install generators to keep residents cool in case of a storm. Nursing homes need generators that can allow cooling of residents in their rooms, not spot coolers that were used at Hollywood Hills.

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – Jacksonville Beach’s most iconic and visited landmark is closer to reopening, but it’s a slow, painstaking process that’s expected to take at least another year and a half. Construction has resumed on the Jacksonville Beach Fishier Pier, which sustained extensive damage and lost a quarter of its length during Hurricanes Matthew and Irma in 2016 and 2017, respectively. RELATED: Why did construction on Jacksonville Beach Pier stop? | Jacksonville Beach Pier construction to start in fall | Rebuilding of Jacksonville Beach Pier set to begin in NovemberThe new parts of the pier are supposed to be bigger and more durable, which is no small feat, according to the contractors, who gave News4Jax a tour of their progress. While the pier project is funded by Jacksonville taxpayers, an insurance policy is helping defray some of the cost.

Whether you just moved somewhere that gets threatened by hurricanes often or you’re just an avid weather-follower, of course you want to be in the know.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – City officials are proposing a $5 million buyout program for one of the most flood-prone areas of Jacksonville. During Hurricane Irma three years ago, heavy rains caused the Ribault River to overflow into many homes along Ken Knight Drive, located off Moncrief Road in Northwest Jacksonville, and residents said floodwaters brought snakes into homes and alligators floating down the street. Louise Allen was born and raised on Ken Knight Drive — long before homes were built next to the Ribault River. (Louise Allen)City leaders want to put an end to this problem by offering to buy the homes along the floodplain of Ken Knight Drive. Rhode Melton, who rents a small home several doors down, asked: “What will they do with us?”For the last three years, Melton has rented the home next to the Ribault River along Ken Knight Drive.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Three Florida emergency management staff members have been sent to Mississippi to help set up shelters that comply with coronavirus health regulations, as the region experienced Tropical Storm Marco on Monday and awaits Hurricane Laura. The Florida Division of Emergency Management said in a tweet that the assistance returns help provided during Hurricane Michael in 2018 and Hurricane Irma in 2017. The Division is happy to return the favor and values continued partnerships between state emergency response teams. https://t.co/ywnSyzsxze FL Division of Emergency Management (@FLSERT) August 25, 2020Division spokesman Jason Mahon said the people deployed have expertise in planning and sheltering. pic.twitter.com/d1TvAY05rv FL Division of Emergency Management (@FLSERT) August 24, 2020Gov.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The community is rallying behind a black-owned wholesale food store in Northeast Florida that’s been recovering from hardships, including legal issues. The MainStreet Wholesale Grocery Supply has been a staple in Jacksonville’s Urban Core for decades. In addition to a legal battle, the food store has been repairing damage from Hurricane Irma. “Since this has been here for 65 years in this community, the black community, we wanted it to stay," Charlemagne said. The wholesale food store said it is the only black-owned business of its kind in Northeast Florida.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A federal judge has ruled the dredging of the St. Johns River by the Army Corps of Engineers can continue and rejected claims made in a lawsuit filed by the St. Johns Riverkeeper. The Riverkeeper asked the judge to order the Army Corps to do a supplemental environmental impact study. The judge said high water levels even more severe than Irma were included in the Army Corps’ modeling. "Decades of dredging the St. Johns has already resulted in higher water levels and storm surge in our river, accelerating and intensifying the impacts of sea level rise and climate change. The burden of proof weighs heavy and law provides wide latitude to the Army Corps in these type of legal matters.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Florida woman has pleaded guilty to lying about damage caused by Hurricane Irma. Deannajo White, 39, pleaded guilty in Jacksonville federal court Friday to one count of disaster assistance fraud, according to court records. White made an application for disaster assistance benefits to the Federal Emergency Management Agency over the internet in September 2017, according to court documents. She claimed that a tree fell through the roof of her Branford home during Hurricane Irma, forcing her to stay in a nearby rental property. Law enforcement agents said White repeatedly lied to them during an August 2019 interview about her disaster assistance application.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The state Office of Public Counsel, which represents consumers in utility issues, has dismissed a challenge to a Florida Power & Light plan to use federal tax savings to cover costs of restoring electricity after 2017's Hurricane Irma. The appeal came after the state Public Service Commission signed off on the FPL plan. The dispute stemmed from damage caused by Hurricane Irma, which forced FPL to spend about $1.3 billion to restore electricity and rebuild systems. The utility decided to tap a reserve to cover Irma restoration costs and then replenish the reserve with savings from the tax overhaul, avoiding the need to tack extra charges onto consumers' bills. The Public Service Commission, however, pointed to a 2017 base-rate settlement agreement that included the reserve to help FPL manage fluctuations in costs and revenues.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - More than two years after Hurricane Irma left parts of Jacksonville underwater, FEMA is reimbursing JEA to the tune of almost $3 million for costs racked up by the publicly owned utility. The $2,933,281 sum is meant to help offset the costs of power restoration and repairs, emergency pumping at wastewater lift stations and emergency generator replacement, among other things. Irma, billed by forecasters as one of the most expensive hurricanes in U.S. history, cost Jacksonville more than $80 million, according to city estimates. The reimbursement for JEA, along with $5.2 million previously awarded for emergency protective services and $1.7 million for dune restoration, is authorizes under FEMA's public assistance grants. The grant program is intended to help cover hurricane-related expenses, such as debris removal, extra emergency services, and repair costs for damage to buildings and infrastructure.

CNNJACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A Jacksonville man was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for providing false information to the Federal Emergency Management Agency in order to receive disaster assistance, the office of U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announced Wednesday. Lepoleon Spikes, 47, was also ordered to pay more than $57,789 in restitution after pleading guilty to wire fraud. According to federal prosecutors, Spikes submitted applications to receive disaster aid from FEMA after Tropical Storm Debby in 2012, Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Irma in 2017. He falsely claimed that his house in Jacksonville was damaged, causing him to relocate, prosecutors said. The case is part of the Disaster Fraud Task Force, created in September 2017.

News4Jax teamed up with the American Red Cross and Treemendous BBQ on Wednesday to feed those impacted by Hurricane Irma at the Solomon Calhoun Community Center in West Augustine. #FirstCoastSTRONG (Photos: Jerry McGovern/WJXT)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A Senate Democrat is again proposing that Florida draw up a plan for a strategic fuel reserve to help deal with hurricanes and other disasters. Sen. Gary Farmer, D-Fort Lauderdale, filed a proposal (SB 264) on Thursday that calls for creating a task force that would come up with a fuel-reserve plan by April 30, 2021. The possibility of creating such a reserve drew attention after Hurricane Irma forced massive evacuations in 2017, causing runs on gas stations. He filed similar bills for the 2018 and 2019 sessions, but the proposal has been questioned by the petroleum industry. A House select committee in 2018 did not include a reserve proposal in a post-Hurricane Irma legislative package.

Days ahead of a much-anticipated storm, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry issued a mandatory evacuation order for zones A and B. The Towers of Jacksonville along the St. Johns River in San Marco is in evacuation zone A. So, we ended up staying," said Rhonda Riggins, who lives at Towers of Jacksonville. Staff went door to door of all the residents to inform them of the mandatory evacuation and the steps that were being taken to prepare for the hurricane. "An elevator technician had to respond to get the elevator fully operational," the report noted.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - As residents in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia are settling down following Hurricane Dorian, others are remembering Hurricane Irma and its destruction. Wednesday marks two years since Irma tore through the First Coast and Golden Isles, leaving millions of dollars in damage in its wake. READ MORE: The Flood and Fury of Hurricane IrmaSome people were impacted in ways they have yet to fully recover from. The effects of Irma were felt in St. Johns County as well where some neighborhoods were underwater for weeks following the storm. The Category 4 hurricane broadsided Cudjoe Key, Florida, on Sept. 10 and churned north across the entire peninsula.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla - Among the neighborhoods that saw the most significant effects of Hurricane Dorian was Davis Shores on Anastasia Island in St. Johns County. Davis Shores was devastated by flooding during Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Irma. As Dorian swept the coast Wednesday, many streets in Davis Shores were underwater. Jill Nicolino and her son, Caz, were cleaning up and gutting their two story home. Most people describe their brush with Dorian as fortunate, but for those who were affected, the headache is just beginning.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Evacuation orders were still in effect for much of Florida's east coast as Hurricane Dorian slowly began to take a more northerly track, yet traffic across the state remained relatively clear. In 2017, traffic was miles long and flowing at a snail's pace on westbound Interstate 10 as 6 million Floridians tried to escape Hurricane Irma's path. On Tuesday, as Hurricane Dorian inched up the state offshore, traffic was clear. During Hurricane Irma, the rest stop that the Capitol News Service visited was essentially converted to a makeshift RV park full of evacuees. While the threat of Dorian appears to be lessening, the governor continues to urge Floridians to heed evacuation orders.

CRESCENT BEACH, Fla. - A Crescent Beach community that was devastated by Hurricane Irma once again has a watchful eye on the Atlantic Ocean, as Hurricane Dorian continues on a path toward Florida. Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Using the power of prayer, a congregation gathered Thursday evening at the Jacksonville Beach Pier to keep Dorian away from Jacksonville, and tell the storm to "calm down." "We're coming out here as group of believers like we did 2 years ago for Hurricane Irma," Mary Paker said. News4Jax was there in 2017 when the group gathered at the same time, in the same place as it did on Thursday night. "We were overcome by social media response and what others do in their own town and beaches." Meteorologists are pretty sure Hurricane Dorian will be a major storm when it hits Florida around Labor Day, but they don't yet know exactly where it will strike.

CRESCENT BEACH, Fla. - A Crescent Beach community that was devastated by Hurricane Irma once again has a watchful eye on the Atlantic Ocean, as Hurricane Dorian continues on a path toward Florida. In 2017, an EF-2 tornado that touched down during Irma ripped off roofs and the sides of about a dozen condos and five buildings at the Summerhouse Beach and Racquet Club. They just finished up repairs this year, and many are hoping they won't be faced with another disaster. Barry said it's nerve-wracking knowing that Dorian is on its way and she's doing all she can to prepare. Despite the risk of facing another storm, many people at the complex acknowledged it's a risk they take when owning oceanfront property in Florida.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - While it might be too late to make changes to your insurance policy ahead of Hurricane Dorian, there are some steps to consider taking after the storm to make the process of reporting damage seamless, should that be necessary. Being ready to make a claim with your insurance as soon as the storm passes is what will make a difference. As soon as a storm passes, damage can be assessed. You will have individuals the day after the storm hits knocking on your door, asking you to sign documents or pleading to have cash to do services. If you have homeowners insurance, make sure they are your first call to make a claim, as you pay them every month in preparation for a disaster.

Ron DeSantis wants the White House to increase federal reimbursements from 75 percent to 90 percent for on-going recovery work following Hurricane Irma, which pummeled Florida nearly two years ago. That 90 percent cost share will represent about $150 million in relief for communities affected by Hurricane Irma, DeSantis said. We have some of the smaller municipalities that have debris costs that outstripped their entire operating budget.DeSantis requested the increase in a letter to President Donald Trump on Monday, saying affected communities needed more support. With your approval of this request, you will provide much needed security and financial relief at both the state and local levels of government, DeSantis wrote. News Service of Florida

CNNJACKSONVILLE, Fla. - FEMA announced Tuesday it will be reimbursing over $17.5 million to communities across Florida, including Nassau County, for expenses related to Hurricane Irma. According to a news release, $2.4 million will be reimbursed to Nassau County for debris removal as a result of Irma. FEMA will also be reimbursing an additional $1.7 million to Nassau County for the South Amelia Island Stabilization as a result of Hurricane Matthew. Home buyout program extendedIn addition, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced an extension of the application deadline for its Hurricane Irma voluntary home buyout program. Local governments in communities impacted by the storm now have until Oct. 1 to apply for grant funding through the Rebuild Florida Voluntary Home Buyout Program.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The City of Jacksonville will get more than $5.2 million for Hurricane Irma expenses. The money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will reimburse the city for debris removal costs and other repairs to buildings, roads and utilities. FEMA will reimburse $3.1 million to Clay County for debris removal costs. FEMA has also approved $1.1 million for the Florida Department of Transportation to defray the costs of debris removal from Irma under the federal agency's Public Assistance Program. Those funds will reimburse for costs of the collection, reduction, disposal and site management of debris following the September 2017 storm.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Utility regulators on Tuesday signed-off on a $1.3 billion agreement involving Florida Power & Lights costs for restoring electricity after Hurricane Irma plowed through the state in 2017. The Florida Public Service Commission approved the settlement between FPL, the state Office of Public Counsel and the Florida Industrial Power Users Group. The agreement finalizes the costs, which will be covered by the utilitys savings from a 2017 federal tax overhaul. The storm that were dealing with, Irma, was a tremendous impact to your customers, throughout your service area, said Commissioner Donald Polmann. State Public Counsel J.R. Kelly said high costs are expected as utility crews come in as customers demand quick restoration of power.

The 400-mile-wide Hurricane Irma pummels Florida from the Keys and up the Atlantic coast with winds up to 130 mph. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida Department of Health will receive $11.8 million to help prepare the health-care system to respond to medical surge events, such as hurricanes. The funding will come through the federal Hospital Preparedness Program and is directed to what are known as regional health care coalitions. The coalitions are groups of health-care and response organizations that work together to prepare and respond to surge events. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association predicted a near-normal season with nine to 15 named systems, of which four to eight could become hurricanes.

Even a weak storm, much less a hurricane, can knock out power for days at a time. That makes owning and maintaining a generator a way of life in some neighborhoods, particularly in Northeast Florida.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - We've learned so many lessons from Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Irma about how to prepare when the storms head our way. News4Jax looked at what items were in demand at Ace stores in the days leading up to and after Hurricane Irma struck Florida. Pool Care ItemsPool chlorine, pool salt, and pool shock were top sellers locally after Hurricane Irma. For most of us, the answer was no - because some local Ace Hardware locations almost sold out of rakes in the days after Irma. Tarps and plastic sheetingAfter hurricane Irma, many roofs were damaged, either from high wind gusts or limbs, trees, and other debris falling on them.

We've learned so many lessons from Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Irma about how to prepare when the storms head our way. Most Floridians know the drill and already have plenty of the essentials on hand, but there are a number of items you may need that don’t necessarily come to mind at the store.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – We've learned so many lessons from Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Irma about how to prepare when the storms head our way. News4Jax looked at what items were in demand at Ace stores in the days leading up to and after Hurricane Irma struck Florida. Pool Care ItemsPool chlorine, pool salt, and pool shock were top sellers locally after Hurricane Irma. For most of us, the answer was no - because some local Ace Hardware locations almost sold out of rakes in the days after Irma. Tarps and plastic sheetingAfter hurricane Irma, many roofs were damaged, either from high wind gusts or limbs, trees, and other debris falling on them.

Emergency rules normally have a 90-day shelf life, but Florida law allows them to be extended under certain circumstances, including when permanent rules meant to replace them are awaiting legislative ratification. Before the permanent rules were drafted, three statewide associations representing long-term care providers successfully challenged the emergency rules in state administrative court arguing, among other things, that an emergency didn't exist. Administrative Law Judge Gar Chisenhall agreed and on Oct. 27 struck down the emergency rules. The Scott administration appealed Chisenhall's order and maintained that the emergency rules remained in effect during the appellate process. That led to additional legal battling, though the Scott administration has continued to claim the invalidated rules remain in effect and that they will be enforced.

Rick Scott described as “unfathomable.”The moratorium on admissions, issued by the state Agency for Health Care Administration, came after The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills was evacuated earlier in the day. U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., also called on the federal Department of Health and Human Services to get involved in investigating the deaths. Carballo's statement and the moratorium provided more details about what happened at the Hollywood nursing home leading up to the deaths Wednesday. The statement said the nursing home contacted Florida Power & Light and followed up about when repairs would be made. The Florida Health Care Association, a nursing-home industry group, said Wednesday morning that about 150 of nearly 700 nursing facilities in the state did not have electricity fully restored.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla – City leaders and non-profits kick started Florida's First Coast Relief Fund on Wednesday to help with disaster resistance. A number of organizations are on board and contributing, such as the Jacksonville Jaguars, Florida Blue, United Way Northeast Florida, the Jesse Ball duPont Fund Trustees and many more. While Curry said he is proud of the work that has already started, he said there is still much more to do. Donating to the relief fund is very simple. You can donate directly to United Way Northeast Florida here.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – One of the side effects of Hurricane Irma's arrival in Florida is its impact on wildlife. Perhaps nothing illustrates that better than a still photograph taken by Michael Sechler, which shows a manatee stranded near Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Winds carried by Irma caused waters in that area to recede completely, leaving the manatee and another one beached on a muddy patch of grass surrounded by shallow puddles. "Went out to the bay and saw two objects out where the water receded, so we took off our shoes and walked out through the shells to find two beached manatees," Sechler wrote. Sechler says the manatees were rescued about two hours after he posted that photo on social media.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Hundreds of people who planned to spend the weekend sheltering in the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront downtown are having to make other plans after management began evacuating the hotel on Friday. The hotel had waived it's 50-pound limit on pets for those evacuating the storm, and several planned to stay. The Dalton Agency released a statement from Luis Aloma, general manager, Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront:The safety and security of guests and associates is a top priority at Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront. At this time, due to a mandatory evacuation, the hotel is assisting with guest evacuation and has ceased normal hotel operations. The Jacksonville Landing, which is next to the Hyatt on the Northbank, has canceled all outdoor activities for Saturday and will close completely on Sunday and Monday.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A hurricane warning extended north up Florida's east coast up to the Florida-Georgia border, including the city of Jacksonville and its beaches. Curry urged people not to look at the path of Hurricane Irma shifting farther west and think Jacksonville is out of danger. City leaders announced mandatory evacuations for parts of Jacksonville on Friday and opened more than a dozen shelters for those seeking refuge from Hurricane Irma. Stay off the beaches, stay inside, stay safe," said public affairs officer Bill Austin. Where to take shelterThe general population can seek shelter at the following locations:Landmark Middle School - 101 Kernan Blvd.

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – At least two hospitals located in evacuation zones, Baptist Beaches and Baptist Nassau, began moving patients and staff on Friday. Patients from Baptist Beaches were being relocated to Baptist South. Baptist Nassau evacuees were taken to Baptist Downtown. A spokesman for the hospital told News4Jax that they made the declaration of mandatory evacuations in Jacksonville Beach and Nassau County and that the decision was made out of an abundance of caution. Anyone with a family member hospitalized at Baptist Beaches or Baptist Nassau who has not heard from the hospital should call 904-202-2000.

MAYPORT, Fla. – The U.S. Navy will be sending ships from Naval Station Mayport out to sea ahead of Hurricane Irma. It's the biggest sortie of ships from Mayport ahead of a hurricane since 1999. In September of that year, the carrier JFK and 12 other ships left the base ahead of Hurricane Floyd. At sea is a better place for them to be," said Steve Millican, emergency manager for Naval Station Mayport. Plans are also in the works at Naval Station Mayport to make sure that all personnel and base resources are safe as Irma approaches.

MIAMI – Ever since Hurricane Irma became a serious issue for those in Florida, a lot of talk and misinformation has been spread about a popular app that can supposedly allow communication without cell or WiFi service. Zello is a free voice app that is currently No. The Zello app operates as a walkie talkie-like service. The app allows people to connect with one another without phone numbers. However, incorrect information is being spread that says Zello can work without internet through cell data or WiFi, Local10.com reports.