OCALA, FL (352today.com) – A return to normalcy may be days, weeks or months away for some people, but the impact of Hurricane Helene is being addressed.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Division of Emergency Management remained at a Level 2 as of the morning of Sept. 27, 2024.

Marion County Emergency Management Director Preston Bowlin says that Level 2 means that not every decision maker on the Emergency Operations Board is involved in the storm cleanup efforts – which means that Marion County wasn’t hit as badly as some of the other counties.

Bowlin shares that some of his team members are going to Lafayette and Suwannee counties for recovery efforts Sept. 27 and 28, as those counties suffered the brunt of Helene.

The Emergency Operations Center will continue to monitor the aftermath of Hurricane Helene with efforts currently underway to remove debris, clear roadways, and restore utilities.

The Marion County Property Appraiser’s office is out in the field assessing damage and will continue to do so in the coming days.

Jimmy Cowan, property appraiser for Marion County, says that some residents just don’t know where to report information.  To make it easy, Cowan sent out a screen capture from the property appraiser’s website with his own handwritten message of, “click here,” to show exactly where to report property damage.

Jimmy Cowan, Marion County Property Appraiser, shows where storm damage should be reported for county residents. Courtesy: Jimmy Cowan, Marion County Property Appraiser

The West Port high School shelter, the county’s special needs shelter, is in the process of demobilizing. The MCSO Division of Emergency Management is working to return residents to their homes or, in the event further assistance is needed, to the Department of Health.

All Marion County government offices and services will resume their normal hours of operation beginning Monday, Sept. 30, 2024.

As Marion County recovers from the wrath of Hurricane Helene, MCSO’s Division of Emergency Management is doing their part to see that the community returns to normalcy after the storm. Courtesy: Ben Baugh/352today
The MCSO’s Division of Emergency Management is working to remove debris, clear roadways and restore utilities. Courtesy: Ben Baugh/352today
MCSO’s Division of Emergency Managment has been working diligently to monitor the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and return conditions to normalcy. Courtesy: Ben Baugh/352today

Take precautions while recovery efforts continue:

  • If a downed line is near water – even a small puddle – keep well away.
  • Be careful not to stand under damaged tree limbs or power lines. Tree limbs can become weakened during a storm but not fall until several hours or days later. The same can be true for damaged power lines or poles.
  • Don’t drive or walk over downed power lines.
  • If a wire falls on a vehicle, passengers should stay inside the vehicle until help arrives.
  • Downed power lines that come in contact with a vehicle create a dangerous situation. Do not touch the vehicle. Call (352) 732-9111 immediately to report it.
  • Do not drive or walk through standing water. There is no way to know what dangers are hidden beneath the surface.

MCSO has a number of tarps available for those in need, but supplies are limited. Marion County residents can pick them up at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, located at 2232 NE Jacksonville Road in Ocala.