MANATEE COUNTY — Manatee County has declared a Local State of Emergency (LSE) in advance of Tropical Storm Helene, which is forecast to become Hurricane Helene on Wednesday.
Tuesday afternoon, the Manatee School District announced that area schools will be closed on both Wednesday and Thursday (Sept. 25 and 26) to accommodate shelter openings. All after-school activities and athletic practices/events will also be suspended for Wednesday and Thursday. The Teacher and Paraprofessional Hiring Event scheduled for Thursday at the Manatee Technical College has been postponed.
School District officials will wait to assess the storm's impacts after it has passed before announcing whether schools and activities will resume on Friday. Sept. 27.
Following the announcement of school closures, Manatee County Emergency Management officials issued an evacuation order for those living in Level A Evacuation zones and anyone in mobile or manufactured homes. Click here to read additional details of the orders and shelter openings.
County officials are encouraging all area residents to prepare for the storm’s impacts, including taking steps to protect property against possible flooding. As of Tuesday evening, the county had 14 sandbag locations open and available to residents. Locations can be found at mymanatee.org/sandbags.
With Hurricane Helene anticipated to impact the area just months after damaging rain inundation caused by Storm Debbie, Manatee County issued a press release Monday informing residents that the maintenance work on the Lake Manatee Dam had been completed, all three of the primary spillway’s mechanical gates are currently operational in advance of Helene, and the earthen gates (plugs) have been restored to normal levels.
Crews have also lowered the lake level in advance of Helene’s potential rainfall to accommodate additional capacity at the reservoir. According to officials, the lake’s level was recorded as 36.9 feet as of 8 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 24.
In a press release on Tuesday, Manatee County Director of Public Safety Jodi Fiske offered that crews with the county’s Utilities and Public Works Departments are working throughout the county to clear debris from water flow/drainage areas. Officials ask that residents phone Manatee County 3-1-1 to report drainage issues, backups, or concerns.
Trash collection for county service customers will continue through Tuesday and Wednesday (Sept. 24 and 25). However, due to the impending storm, trash collection service for Thursday is canceled this week. Thursday pickups will be shifted to Friday, and Friday pickups will be moved to Saturday. The Lena Road Landfill will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 26.
Manatee County Parks and Preserves will be closed beginning Wednesday evening. Beaches and pools will close beginning Tuesday, Sept. 24, and will remain closed until further notice.
G.T. Bray Park will close at noon on Wednesday to allow for staging of emergency responders.
Manatee County library branches will be closed Thursday along with all other county facilities.
Trolley and Transit service will end at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25. There will be no Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) fixed-route service on Thursday. The Gulf Island Ferry Service has been suspended through the weekend.
Manatee County’s Animal Welfare Division is seeking animal fosters to care for shelter animals in their homes during the weather event. Those interested can email taunia.ireland@mymanatee.org or stop by the Palmetto shelter, which will be open from noon to 6 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday (Sept. 24 and 25).
A BOCC Land Use meeting scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 26, has been canceled. The meeting will be re-advertised and held at a later date.
Other closings and postponements may be announced as the storm moves closer to our area. Residents should follow local news and weather broadcasts, as well as the Manatee County Government and the Manatee School District's social media pages for ongoing updates.
Follow official storm information from Manatee County Government at mymanatee.org/storm.
Manatee County residents can register to receive emergency updates, including evacuation notices, weather warnings, hazardous traffic or road conditions, and more, by visiting Alert Manatee. Residents who register can opt to receive the notifications by phone call, text, or email.
For the latest updates to Helene’s forecast track, watches and warnings, and anticipated impacts to our area, visit www.nhc.noaa.gov or the Tampa Bay NWS at www.weather.gov/tbw/
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