Titusville prepares for Wilma

In preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Wilma, the Titusville Emergency Operations Center would like to make a few announcements.

1. The Emergency Operation Center will be upgrading from a monitoring level to a level two activation. A level two activation is a partial activation of the Cities Emergency Operations Center - This is limited agency activation. All primary, or lead, Emergency Support Functions are notified. Office of Emergency Management personnel and necessary Emergency Support Functions will staff the Cities Emergency Operations Center, as of 11:00 AM Sunday.

2. Hotline- The established Hurricane HOTLINE for the City of Titusville EOC will be 321-264-4024. This line will start being staffed as of 11:00 AM Sunday.

3. Shelters - There will be three shelters opening in Titusville on Sunday at 10 am.

a. Red Cross Shelters
i. Imperial Estates Elementary School, 5525 Kathy Drive, South Titusville
b. Special Needs Shelters (Assisted Care AC/Enhanced Care EC)
i. Oak Park Elementary-AC, 3395 Dairy Road, Titusville
ii. Parrish Medical Center-EC, 951 N Washington Ave, Titusville

4. Mandatory Evacuation - The Brevard County Board of County Commissioners has declared a mandatory evacuation, effective at 10 a.m. Sunday of all mobile homes and manufactured housing in the county. We do not anticipate an evacuation of the barrier islands.

5. Closings - Brevard County public schools, the Brevard Campus of the University of Central Florida, Brevard Community College, all county government offices and YMCA will be closed Monday, October 24, based on current wind and weather forecasts.

Palm Bay under state of emergency

The City of Palm Bay is under a local State of Emergency as signed and declared by Mayor John Mazziotti. The threat of Hurricane Wilma is being monitored and residents should be prepared to take necessary precautions for probable impacts from this storm.

LOCAL IMPACTS:
The forecast track continues to push Hurricane Wilma towards the West Coast of Florida and exiting the East Coast . The City of Palm Bay is currently under a Hurricane Watch that covers the entire East Coast of Florida from Titusville south. Tropical storm force winds and some hurricane force wind gusts could be felt in Palm Bay and surrounding areas as early as Monday morning.

MANDATORY EVACUATION:
Beginning at 10 a.m. Sunday, residents living in manufactured and mobile homes are under a mandatory evacuation order by Brevard County Palm Bay Police will be enforcing this order to affected residents in the City.

CITY OFFICES CLOSED TO PUBLIC
All City offices will be closed to the public on Monday and all recreational programs cancelled. All scheduled board meetings and council meetings are cancelled.

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER/CITY EMPLOYEES
Palm Bay’s Emergency Operations Center will be under partial activation beginning Monday morning at 5 a.m.. All non-essential City employees are NOT to report to work on Monday. All Code-1 City employees are to report in as designated by their supervisors. City employees may contact 321-409-6363 for continuous updates.

Brevard public schools cancel Monday classes

The Brevard County school district decided today to cancel Monday classes for all public schools.

Here is the release from the school system:

Viera - Based on the latest forecast of Hurricane Wilma currently moving in the Gulf of Mexico and expecting to make landfall in South Florida, Brevard Public Schools will be closed on Monday, October 24th. All activities associated with the public schools, including after school care programs and athletic activities, are canceled as well.

The following schools will be opened at 10 a.m. on Sunday, October 23rd for sheltering:

General Population Shelters:
Bayside High School, 1901 DeGroodt, Palm Bay
Eau Gallie High School, 1400 Commodore Blvd, Melbourne
Manatee Elementary School, 3425 Solerno Blvd, Viera
Imperial Estates Elementary School, 5525 Kathy Drive, Titusville
South Mainland Community Center, 3700 Allen Avenue, Micco

The district’s Public Information Hotline (321) 633-1000, ext. 797 will be updated as well as the Web site.

Latest from Brevard County Emergency Management

Saturday, 4 p.m.

Mandatory Evacuation
The Brevard County Board of County Commissioners has declared a mandatory evacuation, effective at 10 a.m. Sunday, October 23, of all mobile homes and manufactured housing in the county. We do not anticipate an evacuation of the barrier islands.

Closings
Brevard County public schools, the Brevard Campus of the University of Central Florida, Brevard Community College, all county government offices and YMCA will be closed Monday, October 24, based on current wind and weather forecasts.

Shelters
Shelters will open at 10 a.m. on Sunday, October 23. Residents are reminded not to arrive at any shelter prior to 10 a.m.

General population shelters are as follows:

Imperial Estates Elementary School, 5525 Kathy Drive, Titusville
Manatee Elementary School, 3425 Solerno Blvd, Viera
Eau Gallie High School, 1400 Commodore Blvd, Melbourne
Bayside High School, 1901 DeGroodt, Palm Bay
South Mainland Community Center, 3700 Allen Avenue, Micco

Residents who evacuate to shelters are reminded to bring any needed medications and/or medical equipment, bedding, personal hygiene items, and three days worth of food with them.

For updated information in Brevard County, call 211.

Saturday, 11 a.m.

Special Needs
People living in manufactured or mobile homes who are registered with Brevard County’s Special Needs program, will be notified today that special needs shelters will open at 10 a.m. on Sunday and that normal transportation methods will be put in place, beginning at 9 a.m. on Sunday.

Those who have their own transportation are cautioned not to arrive before 10 a.m. when the special needs shelters open.

Residents who evacuate to special needs shelters are reminded to bring any needed medications and/or medical equipment, bedding, personal hygiene items, and three days worth of food with them.

To join the Special Needs Registry, call (321) 637-4088 or 637-6661.

General Population
Based on the current forecast, we are planning to open shelters for residents of mobile homes and manufactured housing. We anticipate evacuation of mobile homes and manufactured housing areas Sunday, and a decision on the exact location of shelters will be made later today.

We do not anticipate an evacuation of the barrier islands.

Residents who evacuate to shelters are reminded to bring any needed medications and/or medical equipment, bedding, personal hygiene items, and three days worth of food with them.

For updated information in Brevard County, call 211.

What's canceled in Brevard

Uncertainty about the weather this weekend prompted organizers and officials to call off a number of events. Among the events called off by Friday night were:

ComeUnity’s SoulFest at Provost Park likely will be rescheduled in early 2006.

Paws in the Park has been rescheduled for Nov. 19. Call 255-4400 or 636-3343, ext. 204 for details.

Titusville Fire and Emergency Services has canceled a Sunday memorial service for fallen firefighters. A rescheduled date has not been decided. The event will honor the 117 U.S. firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2004.

Palm Bay’s 6th annual Night Out was canceled. The event, planned for tonight, is scheduled to return in 2006.

Classes at Keiser College will be closed Monday in Orlando and Melbourne. The Daytona Beach campus is scheduled to open as usual.

A golf tournament today at Aquarina in Melbourne Beach and dog wash Sunday to benefit the Central Brevard Humane Society have been postponed. The tournament was rescheduled for Nov. 5; the dog wash for Nov. 20. For information, call 636-3343.

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To notify the public of a canceled weekend event, please contact Florida Today’s community desk at Community@flatoday.net or leave a message at 242-3567.

Indian River County shelters

SEBASTIAN - Indian River County's emergency services expects to open five of its primary shelters during Hurricane Wilma, but officials Friday morning couldn't say when they would open.

Shelters in schools for this storm will be:

Liberty Magnet, 8955 85th St., Sebastian-special needs

Sebastian River Middle, 9400 County Road 512, Sebastian

Fellsmere Elementary, 50 N. Cypress St., Fellsmere

Oslo Middle, 480 20th Ave. SW, Vero Beach

Freshman Learning Center, 1507 19th St., Vero Beach.