MONROE COUNTY, FL — With the storm track of Category 5 Hurricane Irma still headed for the Florida Keys, Monroe County will be issuing a mandatory visitor evacuation expected to begin at sunrise on Wednesday. An evacuation for residents also will be issued. The time has yet to be determined.

However, tourists and residents are encouraged to start evacuation plans now and the earlier people leave the Keys the less traffic they are likely to encounter.

“If ever there was a storm to take seriously in the Keys, this is it,” Monroe County Emergency Management Director Martin Senterfitt said. “The sooner people leave, the better.”

Now is a good time for tourists and residents to fill their tanks with fuel and complete their evacuation plans. There will be no shelters in Monroe County. Information about out-of-town shelters is in the works.

Monroe County is closing all of its government offices and County parks on Wednesday, Sept. 6. Essential County employees, emergency management and Fire Rescue personnel will be at work. The Monroe County Emergency Operation Center is opening at noon today.

Visitors with near-term plans to travel to the Keys must postpone them until the storm passes and an infrastructure assessment can be completed. Details will be available on fla-keys.com

The Monroe County School District said at the 9 a.m. Monroe County emergency management briefing that all schools will be closed Wednesday. Monroe County’s three hospitals – the Lower Keys Medical Center in Key West, Fishermen’s Hospital in Marathon and Mariners Hospital in Tavernier – have begun plans to evacuate their patients. Monroe County’s Health Department also is closing Wednesday.

While law enforcement operations will obviously continue in Monroe County, administrative offices will be closed starting on Wednesday, said Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay,

Today is the last day to sign up for the Monroe County Special Needs Registry. For more information or to register online, go to: www.fl-monroecounty.civicplus. com/index.aspx?=148 or call 305-292-4591.

People with special needs may bring their pets. Pets also must be registered. If it is necessary to evacuate to the out-of-county special needs shelter at Florida International University in Miami, pets will be taken to a separate shelter with a 24/7 caretaker.

More information to come…