Monroe County Emergency Management’s Joint Information Center Updates

  • LAST UPDATED: Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, 4 p.m.
  • NEXT UPDATE: As Needed, and 10 a.m. Thursday: All updates can be found at www.monroecounty-fl.gov/JIC

The Monroe County Emergency Management Joint Information Center (JIC) uses information gathered from Monroe County, Florida Keys municipalities, National Weather Service Key West, and community partners.

Monroe County Emergency Management is coordinating with the National Weather Service Key West to advise residents on specific details of Hurricane Helene’s impacts on the Florida Keys. Monroe County and its partners activated the Monroe County Joint Information Center this morning.

Latest Updates

  • Monroe County Government offices will be closed on Thursday. Staff will be working remotely where available.
  • Monroe County schools will be closed on Thursday.
  • Airports are open, but check with airlines for changes and cancelations before your departure.
  • Waste Management in Key West and the Lower Keys will not be doing collection on Thursday. Thursday’s collections will be run on Friday, and Friday’s collections will be run on Saturday.
  • Marathon Garbage Service (Marathon) and Keys Sanitary Service (Key Largo) will collect as normal, but it may be delayed.
  • Islamorada: No garbage service on Thursday. Regular schedule will resume on Friday.
  • Florida State Parks in Monroe County are closed Wednesday and Thursday.
  • Utilities are standing by to respond to any outages, if any.
  • ALL PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE COMPLETE BY SUNSET TONIGHT.

National Weather Service Key West Update

The Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for all of the Florida Keys, from Ocean Reef to Key West, as well as the Dry Tortugas.

A Coastal Flood Warning for saltwater flooding remains in effect for all of the Florida Keys.

Compete all preparations by sunset this evening for potential:

  • Storm Surge flooding, with saltwater flooding of 1 to 3 feet above ground level at the lowest elevations and shoreline. Flooding may extend over streets and low-elevation properties a few blocks from the shoreline and occur most likely late tonight through Thursday evening.
  • Tropical storm force sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph, accompanied by frequent thundery squalls with damaging wind gusts of 55 to 65 mph and an isolated tornado or two. These winds may arrive in the Lower Keys as early as late this afternoon, but most likely arrive beginning in Key West late this evening, and spreading throughout the remainder of the Florida Keys during the early morning hours Thursday. These wind conditions are forecast to continue throughout the day Thursday.
  • Hurricane Helene is forecast to further strengthen and increase in forward speed, reaching the Big Bend coast of Florida late Thursday as a major hurricane.  Helene is expected to be a large tropical cyclone with storm surge, wind and rainfall impacts extending far to the east of its center.
  • Florida Keys residents and visitors should stay off the road unless necessary due to windy and squally conditions.

National Weather Service Key West Briefings

For tourism updates, visit www.fla-keys.com. To get emergency information about the storm, sign up for Alert!Monroe at www.monroecountyem.com.

Airports

The airports are open, but check airlines for delays or cancelations.

Government Office Closures

  • Monroe County government: Offices closed on Thursday. Staff working remotely where available.
    • All Code Compliance cases scheduled for Sept. 26 will be continued to Oct. 24, 2024, at 9 a.m. at the Marathon Government Center. For questions, contact your code inspector or call 305.289.2810 (Marathon) or 305.453.8806 (Key Largo)
    • Monroe County Emergency Management is at a level 2: partial activation.
    • Cudjoe Key Transfer Station Closed on Thursday; Layton & Key Largo Transfer Stations will be open for regular service.
    • Monroe County Public Libraries: Closed on Thursday
  • City of Key West: None at this time.
  • City of Layton: Working remotely on Thursday. In-person offices will be closed.
  • Village of Islamorada: Offices will be open on Thursday.
    •  All Village parks will be closed.
    • Boat ramps will remain open.
  • Florida Dept. of Health in Monroe County: Closed on Thursday.
  • 16th Judicial Circuit: Closed on Thursday (www.keyscourts.net)

Bus Services

Key West Transit/Lower Key Shuttle/Conch Connect

  • The City of Key West’s Lower Keys Shuttle will suspend service on Thursday.
  • Key West Transit service will suspend service on Thursday.
  • Monroe County’s Conch Connect will suspend service on Thursday.

JGT Route 301/302 Upper Keys

  • Normal operations at this time, but will stop when sustained winds reach 35 mph.

Evacuation Order

  • There are no evacuation orders in place for residents or visitors.
  • Those who live on boats, RVs, campers, or in mobile homes: please seek safe shelter with friends or family on Wednesday evening into Thursday.

Garbage Service

  • Waste Management in Key West and the Lower Keys will not be doing collection on Thursday. Thursday’s collections will be run on Friday, and Friday’s collections will be run on Saturday.
    • Cudjoe Key Transfer Station will be closed on Thursday.
  • Marathon Garbage Service (Middle Keys) and Key Sanitary Service (Upper Keys) will collect as normal, but they may be delayed.
    • Long Key and Key Largo transfer stations will be open.
  • Village of Islamorada: No garbage service on Thursday. Regular schedule will resume on Friday.

Garbage Service Providers

  • Lower Keys & Key West – Waste Management of Florida (Key West to 7-Mile Bridge) 305-296-8297 (www.wmfloridastorm.com)
  • Middle Keys – Marathon Garbage Service (7-Mile Bridge to MM 72.5) 305-743-5165 (marathongarbageservice.com)
  • Islamorada – Island Disposal (MM 72.5-91)305-393-3300
  • Upper Keys – Keys Sanitary Service (MM 91-102) 305-451-2025 (keyssanitaryservice.com)

Hospitals and Trauma Star

Sand Bags

  • The County does not supply residents with sandbags. With our type of flooding issues, sandbags have proven insufficient in the past.
  • The City of Key West is providing sand at Boog Powell Court, the ballfields off 14th Street. Members of the community concerned about possible flooding are urged to help themselves, but they must provide their own bags. Shovels are at the site, but you must fill your own bags.

Schools

Monroe County School District schools will be closed on Thursday.

Monroe County School District

Any changes can be found on the school board’s website and social media.

College of the Florida Keys

The college’s three campuses (Key West, Middle Keys and Upper Keys) will be closed and all classes will be canceled on Thursday.

Shelter Locations

The City of Key West wants to alert our liveaboard community that the John Jones Navigation Center (formerly KOTS) is available as shelter during Tropical Storm Helene. As conditions worsen on Wednesday, transit in Key West Harbor will be limited.

No other shelters are expected to open.

State Parks

State parks are closed in Monroe County on Wednesday and Thursday.

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