MONROE COUNTY TO OPEN FOUR REFUGES OF LAST RESORT FOR HURRICANE IRMA
MONROE COUNTY, FL — Monroe County is opening four refuges of last resort due to the challenges of evacuating all Keys residents and the life-threatening winds and dangerous storm surge expected from Hurricane Irma.
The following refuges of last resort will open at 7 a.m. on Saturday. No services will be available at those sites. And, they only will be open until tropical storm force winds subside.
These refuges of last resort are only to provide a safe location to ride out the storm rather than to be stuck in a vehicle or structure that is unsafe. They will close again after the unsafe weather conditions have passed. They are not recovery shelters.
The refuges of last resort are:
Coral Shores HS; 89951 Overseas Hwy; Plantation Key FL 33036 (MM89.9 ocean side)
Marathon HS; 350 Sombrero Road; Marathon, FL 33050 (MM 50 ocean side)
Sugarloaf School; 225 Crane Blvd.; Sugarloaf Key, FL (MM 19 gulf side)
Key West HS; 2100 Flagler Ave.; Key West, FL 33040 (MM 2)
Should you decide to shelter in place, you may register your location with Monroe County. To register download the “Virtual Badge” app to your smartphone and complete the registration form.
On the iTunes App Store or Google Play store, search for “Virtual Badge.” Download the app and create an account. Once you have created an account, please register with the “Monroe County, FL” organization and “Monroe Resident” badge type. You will be taken through steps to register your information.
For specific badge registration instructions please view this video on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWhHrKCY6Rk
They have done this in the past and they, and residents in the know, knew they would do it if it seemed Irma was going to hit the Keys. Someone reported to me that 300 people were in Key West High School around noon Saturday.
The sheriff bussed 450 inmates in what looked like school busses to mainland correctional facilities, even though his jail is hurricane proof. He put his petting zoo animals in the jail. I bet plenty of people in Key West would have liked to spend Saturday night and Sunday night in his jail.
Before that, city transit buses started, on Thursday, after false reports they were doing it on Wednesday – (I called them, they said they were not doing it on Wednesday, but were thinking about doing it) – started bussing people for free to the hurricane shelter at Florida International University in Miami. I wonder if city transit will bus those people from FIU back to Key West for free? Even if they are homeless?
I look forward to learning if the KW city mayor and commissioners and Monroe County commissioners left the Keys. I heard it was on the radio this morning that KWcity manager Jim Scholl stayed in the new city hall in Key West. I heard it was on the radio this morning that KW police and fire and rescue stayed in Beachside Marriott and were having breakfast there this morning.
I just hope power gets restored fast as Fantasy Fest is just 5 weeks away and without it many will go under. And note that many will refuse to leave next time after Ramsey broke his promise.
I feel bad about my remark about if KW ever got hit again. It could been wiped out in about 15 miles further south.