CEDAR KEY, FL (352today.com) – Cedar Key Fire Rescue (CKFR) is stressing the importance of evacuating the island immediately.
CKFR shares on its Facebook page that there are no shelters available, and you will not have access to food, water, or sewage. Power outages are likely, and it may take days to restore service.
More importantly, CKFR says that the storm surge poses a serious threat to life and should not be ignored. The National Hurricane Center predicts a storm surge of 10 to 15 feet for the island, and a mandatory evacuation order has been issued.
Emergency services, including fire, EMS, and police, will not be able to respond for an extended time, according to CKFR, adding that ambulances will be stationed at least 30 miles away and will not operate once winds reach tropical storm levels.
“If you choose to stay and things change for the bad, you are putting your first responder’s life in danger unnecessarily,” states the department in its post. “We have family of our own that we would like to return to after this is all over with. PLEASE EVACUATE!!!”