ORLANDO, Fla. — As Hurricane Dorian continues to strengthen, Central Florida-area and state governments are preparing their emergency operations centers, urging residents to have their hurricane preparations done as soon as possible.

And they're not the only ones preparing, we're monitoring preparations with residents, shops, theme parks and more.

As updates from our reporters come in, we will share them here.

Statewide

Florida Highway Patrol's Lt. Kim Montes said troopers will be working longer shifts — 12 hours on and 12 hours off — starting Saturday to accommodate requests from county emergency operations center across Florida due to Hurricane Dorian.

The state will evaluate requests from emergency operations centers and direct the FHP’s response. Troopers may be called upon to escort deliveries of food, fuel, or other supplies depending on the state’s direction.

Elsewhere, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved the early release of September food assistance benefits to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) users starting Saturday, August 31 at noon. — Greg Angel, Alicia Soller, Spectrum News

County and Local Governments

Brevard County

Brevard County has issued a mandatory evacuation order ahead of Hurricane Dorian. Officials say those living in the following areas should begin to evacuate on Sunday, September 1 at 8 a.m.:

  • The barrier islands, including areas from Kennedy Space Center south to the south beaches, and Merritt Island
  • Mobile homes or manufactured housing
  • Low-lying, flood-prone areas
  • Residents with special medical needs, such as electrical dependence

You can search if your home is in an evacuation zone here.

PALM BAY

In Palm Bay, the city declared a local state of emergency in anticipation of Dorian.

Maritza Irizarry, who lives in Palm Bay now, came to Central Florida from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. She's not taking any chances. With no power on the island for months she decided to move herself and her business to Palm Bay.

“We don’t want wait until the last minute, because we know how the hurricane could be, and we don’t want to take that chance,” Irizarry said.

With memories of Hurricane Maria, Irizzary and her family continue to get ready for what Dorian could bring. — Matt Fernandez, Spectrum News

City of Orlando

The city of Orlando has declared a state of emergency. the city will continue to pick up yard waste, but that will stop on Monday.

The city also is waiving parking fees for a limited time. LYNX Bus Service will shut down when winds reach 35 mph., and construction on I-4 will stop soon so storm preparations can begin.

OUC says they have already tripled resources for power restoration. The agency will start with critical infrastructures. 

The city is also advising the windows in high rises downtown need to be secured. 

Seminole County

Seminole County Emergency Operations Center is now open. According to the county, they are expecting power outages and curfews to be put in place.

All Seminole County Public Schools activities Friday night will go as planned. However, any school meetings, events, athletics, or other activities beginning Saturday will be canceled through Tuesday.

The county will not release the names and location of hurricane shelters until Sunday morning at the earliest.

Boaters in Sanford should also anticipate a loss in power. Flooding is expected to occur in parts of Seminole County as a result of Hurricane Dorian, but as of now there is no plan in place to relocate water to lakes, rivers, or retention ponds.

Homeowners in the eastern Seminole County community of Geneva are especially worried about Hurricane Dorian, specifically the flooding it could potentially bring.

River gauges show the St. Johns River at Lake Harney is only about two feet below flood stage.

Pam Sanders, who lives along Lake Harney, says the water is higher than it normally is — even for this time in the rainy season. She says it’s about an inch higher than the water level was before Hurricane Irma two years ago.

She’s now taking every precaution possible to guard her home against potential flooding from Dorian.  The storm is forecasted to potentially dump 10-20 inches of rain on the area. — Asher Wildman, Jeff Allen, Spectrum News

Volusia County

​Daytona Beach Shores is now under a voluntary evacuation, prompting many to get their homes ready for Hurricane Dorian's arrival immediately.

All over town, people were putting up shutters, filling up their generators, and cleaning up their yards. Some plan on getting on the road and heading away from Dorian and their homes.

However, others are preparing to hunker down for Dorian, as they have with many other storms.

“I don’t like being over on the other side of the bridge when the storms passes... " said Jemal Cotto​, who has ridden out seven other hurricanes in the Shores. 

The Dunlawton bridge will close once winds reach 39 miles per hour. After that, the bridge will not reopen until it is inspected and deemed safe. Should a mandatory evacuation be issued, the bridge will be manned by officers who will only allow residents and business owners over. — Nicole Griffin, Spectrum News

Running Out of Fuel 

Drivers are reporting gas stations are running out of fuel in Central Florida. 

State leaders say stations are still receiving gasoline shipments. Gov. DeSantis asked port terminals to stay open as long as possible so trucks can keep picking up gas. As long as Florida's ports stay open, tanker deliveries will continue.

Still, it was a challenge for many drivers to find gas in Central Florida.

"We’ve been to like five different gas stations. We have three miles until empty, and they’re all like out of gas," said Orlando resident Zarya Demonia. 

According to AAA, there is plenty of gas in the state, and the challenge is getting it from the terminals to the pump to meet this surge in demand ahead of Dorian. —  Cheryn Stone, Spectrum News

Central Florida Hispanic Community

Hispanic Federation, Farmworker Association of Florida, Hope CommUnity Center, the Florida Puerto Rican Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and more began to collect food and water for the thousands of people they serve. 

Anyone who calls the Hispanic Federation can learn about what services are available to them, the nearest shelters, along with getting connected to a specialist who can help with anxiety.

“There are some families, especially those who have come from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, who are presenting signs of PTSD, signs of anxiety, and we want to make sure they can call us,” said Yanidsi Velez, Florida Senior Director Hispanic Federation.

Velez said so far the nonprofit helped 2,000 people in the past two days.

Tikkun Olam Community Action Center and the Florida Puerto Rican Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will also provide toiletries, clothing, and adult diapers to those in need at its newest building on 2293 Aurora Road Melbourne. — Jesse Canales, Spectrum News

Contact information for the organizations:

  • Hispanic Federation Florida: (407) 270-0597
  • The Florida Puerto Rican Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: (321) 863-5165 
  • Farmworker Association of Florida: (407) 886-5151
  • Hope CommUnity Center: (407) 880-4673

Beware of Price Gouging

Price gouging is against the law during a state of emergency, which the governor declared Wednesday. Price gouging is charging for essential items heavily exceeding the average from the past 30 days.

Price gougers in Florida can be fined up to $1,000 per violation and as much as $25,000 for multiple violations within a 24-hour period.

The state attorney general has activated a special hotline to report violations: 1-866-9-NO-SCAM. 

Live Updates from our Reporters

HURRICANE RESOURCES
Storm Season 2021