THE CITY OF WESTON

~ HURRICANE IRMA ~ COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION #12 September 13, 2017 - 1:00 PM CITY OF WESTON UPDATES   The City of Weston is NOT under a Boil Water Notice.   CITY OFFICES: City of Weston administrative offices have resumed normal hours of operation.   City Hall: Open for Business 954-385-2000 Public Works: Currently, the phones at our Public Works facility are not working, please call City Hall at 954-385-2000.   CITY PARKS: All passive parks are OPEN. That list includes: Gator Run, Eagle Point, Indian Trace, Peace Mound, Heron, Country Isles, Windmill Ranch, Town Center Park, Library Park, and Emerald Estates Park.   It is recommended to use caution in playground areas until the playground sunshades are re-installed. The playground equipment and safety surfacing may become hot. Be sure that children wear shoes at all times.   Our large parks are CLOSED today: Weston Regional Park, Tequesta Trace Park and Vista Park   The Weston Tennis Center is CLOSED today.   The Weston YMCA Family Center is CLOSED today and will remain closed until further notice.   CYCLISTS, JOGGERS, RUNNERS AND PEDESTRIANS: Bike lanes and sidewalks are filled with debris.  You are encouraged not to bike or cycle on roadways for your safety as you may be forced into traffic due to the debris.  Use extreme caution on roads and sidewalks as debris continues to be cleared daily.   GARBAGE AND RECYCLING SERVICE: Regularly scheduled garbage and recycling collection service began on Tuesday, September 12, 2017. Recycling service is behind schedule.  If you did not receive service, leave your cart out. Trucks have limited access to certain communities due to low hanging power lines and roadway debris.    STANDING WATER / LOCALIZED FLOODING: The City's stormwater pumps remain fully operational. Weston's swales and lakes were designed for rainwater retention to hold water as it drains into the stormwater system. Check your nearest catch basin to make sure it is clear to ensure for proper drainage.   DO NOT allow children to play in standing water. It may be electrically charged due to downed power lines or may be contaminated.   TREES DOWN blocking roadways:   Do NOT call Fire Stations or Police Department to report downed trees. Although the City has done a citywide assessment, you may report downed trees by calling City Hall at 954-385-2000. The City of Weston Public Works Department phone lines are currently down.   Crews continue to remove trees that are blocking both public and private roadways.   TREES DOWN on private property: The City will not perform disaster debris removal from private rights-of-ways, within gated communities, and from private properties, except in the event that rescue vehicles will be significantly hindered from rendering emergency services to life and property should the debris be allowed to remain in place absent City relocation unless it is blocking the road.   The City of Weston has submitted a request for assistance based upon the post-disaster emergency management process that FEMA has in place. The City is also exploring additional options to assist in the removal of the additional vegetation and storm debris. Broward County's Temporary Debris site for disposal of storm debris will not open until Friday evening; therefore, debris cannot be disposed of by waste haulers until that time.   BROWARD AREA UPDATES: Visit Broward.org/Hurricane for countywide cancellations and closures, or call the Broward County Hurricane Hotline at 3-1-1 or 954-831-4000, from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm daily.   AIRPORT: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport reopens today. Passengers are advised to contact their airlines for updates.   BUSINESS DAMAGES / ASSISTANCE: If your business suffered a loss as a result of Hurricane Irma, you may be eligible for a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan of up to $2 million to meet necessary financial obligations - expenses the business would have paid if the disaster had not occurred. The online SBA Disaster Loan application can be accessed at: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.     IF ACTIVATED by the state, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance will work in cooperation with the Small Business Development Center to assist in the administration of the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program. Bridge Loans are short-term, interest-free working capital loans that are intended to "bridge the gap" between the time a major catastrophe hits and when a business has secured longer term recovery resources. Small Business Administration loans are also available for larger amounts and longer terms. For more information, please visit Floridadisasterloan.org for details.   GAS: Port Everglades is open and gas is begin delivered to local area gas stations. Stations with power or back-up generators will be online as soon as they receive delivery. The following are smartphone apps that are useful tools to locate the nearest working gas station: Gas Buddy and Waze.   HOUSING ASSISTANCE: For details on post-storm assistance from FEMA, click here or visit disasterassistance.gov. The FEMA Individuals and Households Program (IHP) has also been activated to assist individuals that sustain major damage to their home.  Click here for details.   LIBRARY: The Weston Branch Library is open today from 10 AM - 6 PM with limited services. Late fees, as well as fines for holds not picked up, will be waived through Friday, September 15 for all Broward County Library locations. Visit Broward.org/Library for details.   PHONE/INTERNET SERVICE: Cell phone towers may be down or overloaded. Make essential calls only to prevent overloading the regional phone system until lines are fully restored. Your home phone, internet and cable service may also be down. Contact your service provider for updates on service restoration.   POWER OUTAGES: Power outages are widespread throughout Florida. Power may be out for an extended period of time. FPL is working to restore power as soon as possible; however, it will take time due to the widespread outages and large number of customers impacted. They have crews working around the clock to restore power. The City has no control over power restoration. FPL anticipates all Broward customers to be restored by Sunday, September 17th.  Check FPL.com/storm for details.   Call 9-1-1 to report dangerous downed power lines.   If your power is out for more than four hours, check food in your refrigerator and freezer for contamination. When in doubt, throw it out!   PROPERTY DAMAGE: Report damage to your home online with the Broward County Home Damage Assessment tool at Broward.org/Hurricane.   Are you a business owner?  Click here to take the Irma Damage Assessment Survey at the Florida Virtual Business Emergency Operations Center (FLBVEOC)   TRAFFIC SIGNALS: Treat all intersections with inoperable traffic signals as 4-way stops. Work is being done to restore signals as soon as possible. Be cautious and be courteous. Being first is not worth risking your life.   SCHOOLS: All Broward County Public Schools remain closed through Friday, September 15th. BCPS staff continues to assess school campuses to determine when it will be possible to reopen schools. At this time, many school campuses are without power.   The District's goal is to reopen schools on Monday, September 18, 2017, pending the restoration of power. BCPS will continue to keep families and employees updated with the latest information regarding BCPS operations, as it becomes available.   BCPS continues to provide updates via a variety of communication channels, including the District website (BrowardSchools.com), robocalls, social media (Twitter @BrowardSchools and on Facebook (Facebook.com/BrowardSchools), the free BCPS mobile app, BECON-TV and local media. The District also continues to update its Information Hotline at 754-321-0321. Tips for After the Storm:   Generator Safety Do NOT use while it is raining to avoid electrocution.  Operate on a dry surface under a canopy-like structure, if possible.  Do not touch with wet hands. Only use outdoors and away from open windows. Turn off before refueling and let cool. Standing Water Do not allow children to play in standing water.  Water can be electrically charged due to downed power lines and can be contaminated. Post-storm Dangers Treat all power lines as live.  Immediately report sparking or downed power lines to 911. If your power is out for an extended period, check food in your refrigerator and freezer for contamination.  When in doubt, throw it out! Trees  on your property may have dangling limbs. Assess damage to prevent injuries from debris that may fall later. Use caution when removing shutters.  Most fatal accidents happen before and after the storm's arrival.    Returning Home If you evacuated from your home, the American Red Cross offers the following tips to follow when you return, visit:  American Red Cross - After the Storm Reconnect with Loved Ones It may be difficult for you to reach loved ones, especially if they were in the areas that were heavily impacted.  Phone reception is spotty as well.  Check the following site, as well as social media sites, to help reconnect with loved ones as conditions improve.  American Red Cross Safe and Well website

INFORMATION FROM THE CITY OF WESTON Details and resources available at Westonfl.org/Hurricane  City of Weston updates will be posted at www.westonfl.org/HappeningNow.aspx.  Follow the City of Weston on Twitter at @CityofWeston for ongoing updates and set an audible alert for our Alert account at @WestonFLAlert.  Register to receive CodeRED emergency notifications from the City of Weston at WestonFL.org/Residents/Hurricane/CodeRed.aspx.

954-385-2000 Westonfl.org

Philip Levine MAYOR OFFICE OF THE MIAMI BEACH MAYOR

Dear Friends & Neighbors,

We understand that many residents and businesses in Miami Beach are still without power. Hurricane Irma has crippled Miami-Dade County and the State of Florida's electrical grid. Florida Power & Light has brought in crews from around the country to help get Florida back on its feet. The good news for Miami Beach is that all FPL substations are operational. This is crucial for a faster recovery.

FPL has deployed 24 hour staff in our Emergency Operations Center to assist with quickly getting Miami Beach's power restored. Public Works and FPL are working together in the field conducting damage assessments and beginning the restoration process. Critical infrastructure such as hospitals and the police and fire stations are being prioritized. 

Although we do not control FPL and their operations, I promise you that I will use the full force of my office to continue to put pressure on FPL to get our community's power restored so we can return to normalcy. My office will be monitoring power outages closely until power is fully restored. 

 

A number of intersections have traffic signals that are not working properly.  For your safety, please treat these intersections as a four-way stop and use caution. 

Our community, working together, will continue to work day and night until Miami Beach is fully restored. 

Thank you for your patience,

Mayor Philip Levine 

Huracan Irma en Weston

CITY OF WESTON

THE CITY OF WESTON SEPTEMBER 9, 2017

~ HURRICANE IRMA ~ COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION #6 (September 9, 2017 - 10:00AM)  Hurricane Irma has begun to impact our State.  Direct landfall is now expected to be in SW Florida however significant impacts will be experienced in Broward. Tropical Storm Force winds (39 - 73 mph) are expected to begin today at 2PM through Monday morning.   Hurricane force winds (74 mph or higher) are expected early Sunday morning through Sunday night across most of southern Florida. Impact in Broward is anticipated as High. Tornadoes are possible in advance of the arrival of Tropical Storm force winds. Storm impacts to the South Florida region include destructive winds, extensive property damage, isolated tornadoes, and flooding due to rain and life-threatening storm surge.   The rainfall threat to the region has been increased to up to 20".  Weston has and continues to lower its lake levels. A Flood Watch is in effect in Broward County. Power outages are already being experienced in Miami-Dade and Broward.  Downed trees are a major source of power outages. It is important to remain indoors throughout the duration of the storm and monitor local media for storm updates.  DO NOT LET YOUR GUARD DOWN! Hurricane Irma has the potential for devastating winds and life threatening coastal storm surge. Current maximum sustained winds are 155 mph, with higher wind gusts and the potential for tornadoes.  As of the 8:30 AM advisory today, Hurricane force winds extend 60 miles from the center (or eye) of the storm, and Tropical Storm force winds extend outward to 185 miles from the center; however, the storm may grow larger prior to landfall anticipated for SW Florida.   City of Weston Information City Facility Hours of Operation: Offices will be closed on Monday, September 11th.   The Weston Emergency Operations Center (EOC) opened at 8AM on Friday, September 8 and all calls have been transferred to the EOC.  The Weston Community Center and Weston Tennis Center are closed until further notice. All City Parks are closed until further notice. Status of City Services: Garbage:There will be no collection on Saturday.  Emergency Services - Police and Fire throughout Broward: Cannot respond once sustained winds reach 40 miles per hour.  Stormwater Management/Preparation:  The City's lakes continue to discharge into the South Florida Water Management District canals (the C-11 canal and the New River canal).  This is where all of Weston's waters are discharged into.  The following is an active link that shows Weston's current lake levels at monitoring points throughout the City:  City of Weston Current Lake Levels . This video explains how lake levels are lowered in Weston as part of our Stormwater management system. Broward County Public Schools All Broward County Public Schools are closed through Mon., Sept. 11th.  U.S. Mail has been suspended  Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport is closed. Information from Broward County: SHELTERS: Shelters in Weston were full as of Saturday morning but openings may come available.  You must bring all supplies, including food and bedding, air mattress or sleeping bag or cot.  Weston Shelters: Falcon Cove Middle School is, 4251 Bonaventure Blvd., is at capacity.  The Everglades Elementary, 2900 Bonaventure Boulevard, is at capacity.  FOR FURTHER UPDATES FOR SHELTERS, PLEASE SEE THE BROWARD COUNTY SHELTER WEB PAGE Visit Broward.org/Hurricane for countywide cancellations and closures, or call the Broward County Hurricane Hotline at 3-1-1 or 954-831-4000.  DAMAGE: Review the Broward County Home Damage Assessment tool at Broward.org/Hurricane before the storm's arrival and report any damage to your property following the storm.   UPDATES: Stay tuned to local media for ongoing updates from Broward County. Recommended Storm Preparation Residents should stay tuned to local media for storm information.   Tap water is FREE and safe to drink.  Fill the bathtub, pots, pitchers, containers with tap water to ensure an additional supply water during and after the storm. Power Outages - FPL will be aware of outages, however you can call 1-800-4-OUTAGE to report downed power lines.  Power outages may be for an extended period of time.  Record your FPL account number in a safe location.  Call 9-1-1 for any dangerous downed power lines.  TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING POWER NOW: Set Freezer and Refrigerator to a lower setting. Freeze some bottles or zip lock bags of water to use to keep food cold. Wash and dry all of your laundry. Fill pots, containers and bathtubs with tap water.  You can use for plants or pets later if not needed. Replace batteries in flashlights to ensure they are ready to go. Make sure all electronics are fully charged, including backup chargers.  Limit how often you use them.  Also, turn on Power Saving feature to conserve battery after power is out.  BE SAFE!

INFORMATION FROM THE CITY OF WESTON Details and resources available at Westonfl.org/Hurricane  City of Weston updates will be posted at www.westonfl.org/HappeningNow.aspx.  Follow the City of Weston on Twitter at @CityofWeston for ongoing updates and set an audible alert for our Alert account at @WestonFLAlert.  Register to receive CodeRED emergency notifications from the City of Weston at WestonFL.org/Residents/Hurricane/CodeRed.aspx. Para informacíon en español, visite huracanes.fiu.edu.

954-385-2000 Westonfl.org