BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
As of press time Tuesday night, Tropical Storm Nicole was moving toward Florida and forecast to become a hurricane before making landfall.
The best prediction placed the storm moving through the area beginning Wednesday night through Thursday. Tropical storm force winds and heavy rainfall are expected during the potentially prolonged event.
Union County School District announced schools would be closed Thursday and Friday. Clay schools announced closures for Thursday. Bradford was waiting until Wednesday morning decide the closure schedule.
Local authorities were urning the public to be prepared. Bradford County Emergence Management Director Brad Witt sent out the following:
“Please ensure that you have adequate supplies on hand. While no evacuation orders are in effect for Bradford, we encourage residents to plan out ahead of time where you may evacuate to and your route to get there, if you feel that you may need to do so. Storm shelter openings will be announced via public messaging, should they become available.”
Self-serve sandbag sites at the Bradford County Fire Rescue stations in Sampson City and Heilbronn Springs will remain open as long as the weather permits for those concerned about potential flooding. Sand and bags are provided, but you need to bring your own shovel.
Braford’s Citizen Information Line at the Emergency Operations Center will open for calls at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning. Please call 904-966-6300 if you have questions or need information about storm response activities. Emergency services should still be requested through the Combined Dispatch Center at 904-966-6161 or by dialing 911 for emergencies.
Tropical storm warnings are in effect across the state, as well as some hurricane watches as of press time. Bradford, Clay and Alachua were all under tropical storm warnings. Some residents were evacuated from barrier islands, low-lying areas and mobile homes in south Florida. Storm surges are expected on both coasts. Two to 3 inches or rain are predicted in the Jacksonville area.
