Sarasota Expands Evacuations Ahead Of Irma

SARASOTA, FL — As Hurricane Irma continues on a collision course with Florida, the threat to Sarasota County has climbed. With that in mind, the county issued a mandatory evacuation order for some residents. It is also asking some residents to leave voluntarily. In addition, the county has suspended bus service and closed down drawbridges.

The mandatory evacuation order affects residents who live in Zone A, on barrier islands (Longboat, Lido, Siesta, Casey and Manasota Keys and the Island of Venice), and those in mobile homes. Residents are asked to evacuate by 8 p.m. Saturday. On Saturday afternoon, the county issued a voluntary evacuation for people who live in Zone B. To look up evacuation zone by address, visit the county’s website.

“Residents who live in these areas are advised to heed this order and take action if they haven’t already,” Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief Ed McCrane said in a statement. “The county is under a local state of emergency, and our goal is to ensure the safety of our citizens who are most at risk.” (For more hurricane news or local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from sarasota Patch, and click here to find your local Florida Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Analysis: There's No Way Around Irma's Wrath For Florida

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The county has opened eight shelters to serve evacuees:

• Atwater Elementary School, 4701 Huntsville Ave., North Port
• Woodland Middle School (pet friendly), 2700 Panacea Blvd., North Port
• Booker High School, 3201 N Orange Ave., Sarasota
• Brookside Middle School (pet friendly), 3636 S. Shade Ave., Sarasota
• Southside Elementary, 1901 Webber St., Sarasota
• Phillippi Shores Elementary, 4747 S Tamiami Trl., Sarasota
• North Port High (pet friendly), 6400 W. Price Blvd., North Port
• Heron Creek Middle (pet friendly), 6501 W. Price Blvd., North Port

There are also two shelters open to help residents with special needs who have registered in advance. SCAT bus service also stopped running on Saturday with the exception of helping with evacuations. These routes will be offered until 6 p.m. Sept. 9:

• Route 1 Fruitville/Downtown
• Route 2 Cocoanut/Old Bradenton/SRQ Airport
• Route 3 Sarasota Springs/Pinecraft/Downtown...
• Route 6 Beneva/Sarasota Square Mall
• Route 7 Downtown/Newtown/N.Orange/N.E. Plaza
• Route 8 Downtown/N.Orange/U.S. 301/Tallevast
• Route 9 Venice/Jacaranda/North Port
• Route 12 Downtown/N.Lockwood Ridge/University
• Route 14 Southgate Mall/Bee Ridge
• Route 15 Gulf Gate/Cattlemen/University/ SRQ Airport
• Route 17 Downtown/Jacaranda/Venice
• Route 99 Downtown/SRQ Airport/Bradenton

Fares are suspended during the evacuation. Drawbridges in the county are also operating in their lockdown positions until further notice.

• See also: Hurricane Irma Weakens, But Still 'Extreme' Threat To Tampa Bay Area

By 8 a.m. Saturday, Irma had downgraded to a Category 4 storm after making landfall in Cuba. Still packing maximum sustained winds of 130 mph, the storm had forced hurricane warnings to go up along much of Florida’s west coast, from the tip to Chassahowitzka in Citrus County. Storm surge warnings were also in place from Volusia and Brevard counties on the east side of the state around the peninsula to Chassahowitzka. Warnings mean that hurricane and storm surge conditions are expected within the warning area within 36 hours.

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