WCF SECTION SPECIAL BULLETIN #18-5: 2000 EDT – 10/09/18
HURRICANE MICHAEL GETTING CLOSER TO THE PANHANDLE. WCF SECTION ARES TO REMAIN AT LEVEL 3 ACTIVATION.
As of 2000 EDT on Tuesday 10/09/18, Hurricane Michael is located about 255 miles south of of Panama City, Florida in the Florida Panhandle. Hurricane Michael maximum sustained winds have increased to 120 miles per hour and is headed north at 12 miles per hour. Hurricane Michael is forecast to continue its track toward the north and make landfall in the western panhandle of Florida on Wednesday afternoon. The Florida peninsula at this time can expect some near Tropical Storm force winds near the coast in the northern counties of the West Central Florida Section. All of the West Central Florida Section can expect periods of rain squalls as the storm moves north over the Gulf of Mexico overnight and on Wednesday. At the present time, the only warning that is in effect for the West Central Florida Section is a Storm Surge Warning for Pasco County. At the present time, the watches that are in effect for the West Central Florida Section is a Tropical Storm Watch for Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough Counties and a Storm Surge Watch for Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Manatee Counties.
As of 2000 this evening, West Central Florida Section ARES will remain at a Level 3 activation. Level 3 activation is a standby mode, due to the activation of ARES/ACS, in one or more counties of the West Central Florida Section. At this time, Pasco County ARES is partially activated, Hillsborough ARES/RACES anticipates partial or full activation, and Sarasota County ACS have had requests from their primary served agencies to stand by for a potential activation. Ben Henley KI4IGX, our Section Emergency Coordinator, is coordinating a series of regular conference calls with the Emergency Coordinators in the West Central Florida Section and the Section leadership of all three ARRL Florida Sections for mutual aid support if requested.
All ARES, ACS, and CERT teams in the West Central Florida Section are requested to check their equipment and supplies in case of the need for deployment. Ben Henley KI4IGX, our Section Emergency Coordinator, reminds all ARES/ACS personnel, particularly in the coastal counties to stay in contact with your ARES/ACS leadership and DO NOT self activate or self deploy. Request for mutual aid from the counties impacted, particularly in the Northern Florida Section, must go through the proper channels in order for volunteers to be cleared to go to that disaster area.
The next WCF Section Special Bulletin will be issued at this time tomorrow unless the situation warrants a bulletin sooner.