Manatee County Braces for Helene

BRADENTON — Manatee County Emergency Management has initiated evacuations for residents and visitors in Level A and recommends that those in Level B areas also consider evacuating ahead of Hurricane Helene.
 
A potential storm surge of 5-8 feet is expected along coastal parts of the county, and inundation is expected in low-lying areas.
 
Public shelters are now open at Electa Arcotte Lee Middle School (4000 53rd Ave. W., Bradenton, FL 34210) and Buffalo Creek Middle School (7320 69th St. E., Palmetto, FL 34221) as well as a special needs shelter for those who have pre-registered. You can easily find the nearest evacuation shelter using the Waze app. Type 'help' in the search bar, and Waze will provide directions to the closest shelter.
 
Anticipating the need to temporarily suspend water service due to predicted storm surge levels of Hurricane Helene, the Manatee County Utilities Department may interrupt potable water service to the island cities of Anna Maria Island, Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach, and the Town of Longboat Key.  This precautionary measure is being implemented due to the anticipated high winds and potential storm surge, which could threaten the integrity of the water infrastructure.
 
The water main may be turned off to these communities as early as 6:00 PM today, Wednesday, September 25, 2024, unless storm surge predictions change drastically.  Manatee County Emergency Management will send an Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) to those who may be impacted by the disconnection.
 
By disabling the water main ahead of the storm, Manatee County Utilities aims to enhance the stability and resilience of the system during adverse weather conditions. Crews will continue to monitor the storm’s progress and updates will be provided if it is safe to keep the water service running. County crews will be ready to restore water service as soon as conditions allow.
 
Please stay updated by checking local news and our social media channels, as well as our website mymanatee.org/storm. Due to a vendor issue, the county website has been experiencing intermittent outages. If you experience any issues, please use this link: https://extreme-weather-dashboard-manateegis.hub.arcgis.com/ and bookmark it for up-to-date storm related information.