Officials in Broward County have declared the severity of Hurricane Irma's emergency operation activation to a Level 3 -- monitoring and assessment).
If the storm continues on its current path, Broward County's Emergency Operations Center will move to a Level 2 (partial) activation at 3 p.m. Tuesday and a Level 1 (full) activation Thursday morning.
Mayor Barbara Sharief announced in a news conference Tuesday morning, "Our emergency hotline is open and taking calls from residents. We anticipate the hotline will go to 24/7 operations beginning at 8 a.m. Wednesday."
You can also reach the emergency hotline at 311 or 954-831-4000.
In the meantime, Broward County is urging residents to finalize Hurricane plans and preparations:
- Those in evacuations zones should determine where to evacuate
- Broward County is working with counties to the north and south to coordinate evacuations, as necessary
- Stock up on emergency supplies, including fuel and food supplies
- Check supplies of important medications
- Plan for any special needs members of your family, including children, elderly and pets
- Please do not trim trees or vegetation at this time
- Items left curbside as the storm approaches can become harmful projectiles in high winds.
For airport and port travelers:
- Broward County's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades are operating normally at this time
- Passengers should contact their airline or cruise line for information on departures and arrivals.
- Three petroleum ships are in port with another two waiting off-shore.
- The Port's 12 petroleum tenants provide gas and other petroleum products to 12 Florida counties and four international airports. Broward County is not aware of any fuel shortages at this time
Residents are encouraged to stay informed via social media. Follow Broward County on:
For details on all of these services, visit Broward.org/Hurricane.