By Sabrina Robertson, Nassau County Manager’s Office
Published in The County Insider
9/3/19 @ 8:45 p.m.
While Board of County Commissioners’ offices are closed to the general public for day-to-day business, it doesn’t mean that BOCC staff is not hard at work. Since Dorian was identified as a potential threat to Nassau County, BOCC staff has been working around the clock preparing for potential impacts and coordinating efforts to provide sheltering and transportation for residents in need.
Many members of our staff are working at the Emergency Operations Center filling critical positions in the Finance and Operations Section to ensure we have supplies needed to respond to emergencies. Other essential staff are in the field making ongoing preparations to ensure safety of the residents and protection of public property.
Below are some activities that have been taking place:
Public Works, Facilities and Parks & Recreation
- Working at four locations distributing 51,000 sandbags to residents at no-charge
- Ensuring roadways are passable for emergency personnel and motorists
- Placing generators at all County locations and ensuring they are fueled
- Boarded up windows and doors at the Historic Courthouse, Yulee County Building and Fire Stations
- American Beach Community Center shutters installed
- James S. Page Governmental Complex window covers installed
- All County parks and beachfront parks airborne prevention completed
- Beach driving access points fortified with barrier sand with 120 loads of sand placed
- East/West County ditches and outfalls were cleaned to prepare for large amounts of rain
- Storm drains were cleared at trouble locations
- County facility roofs were inspected and gutters were checked
- All county equipment checked and topped with fuel to ensure they are ready to go immediately following the storm
- Fuel locations at Hillard and Yulee yard have been topped off
- Roads and Facility staff are now on A/B shift schedule until further notice.
- Final checks on all County beach boardwalks are currently being conducted.
Animal Services
- Loading vans with supplies and moving equipment to pet friendly shelters
- Relocating animals from the Humane Society on the island to the County facility on License Drive
- Coordinated with Happy Acres to hold large animals and livestock
- Still actively responding to calls for animals running at large and will pick up any loose animals immediately following the storm
- Staffing pet friendly shelters
Fire/Rescue
- Preparing stations for storm activity
- Stocking supplies for emergency responses
- Preparing for evacuation of Station 20 at American Beach, if needed
- Coordinating plans for emergency responses following storm
These are just highlights of some of the major preparations that have taken place that last few days. Employees will continue to work throughout the storm and will continue to respond to calls as long as it is deemed safe to do so. It is our privilege to serve the residents of this wonderful County. We trust that you will keep our employees in your thoughts and pray for their safety tonight and tomorrow. We look forward to returning to normal business on Friday.