Volusia County Community Information Specialist Kate Sark
The first storm of 2021 forecast to impact Volusia County has made its way through the area leaving little more than a few inches of rain in its wake.
As with many storms, there was a high level of uncertainty in Elsa’s path as the storm passed over Cuba and towards the state of Florida. And while Elsa’s landfall as a tropical storm in the Big Bend region earlier today spared the county any major impacts, the threat was an opportunity to ensure preparedness plans were in place and up to snuff.
“We’re relieved that our county was spared this time around, but we welcomed the chance to connect with both our partners and the community to put our plans into action,” said Helene Wetherington, director for Volusia County Emergency Management. “The uncertainty of a storm’s path and impact always demands a high level of preparation, coordination and communication. We’re grateful that the community stayed alert and engaged and feel confident that, should we be faced with a major hurricane, Volusia County is ready to react.”
There are no local reports of damage, flooding or power outages from the storm.
Residents should continue to stay weather aware, as July through September tend to see the most hurricane activity. Individuals who have not done so already should prepare a hurricane plan and disaster kit. Learn more at www.ready.gov/plan.
To stay informed on the latest emergency information in Volusia County year-round, residents are encouraged to:
· Download the Volusia County emergency preparedness app at volusia.org/emergency-app. The app features social media posts, push notifications and news blogs. The app’s map feature contains information like weather radar, emergency shelter information, evacuation zones and evacuation routes for Volusia County.
· Follow Volusia County Emergency Management on Facebook and Twitter.
· Sign up with CodeRed to receive emergency telephone or email notifications by visiting Volusia.org/emergency and clicking on the “get connected” button in the right menu.
— Volusia County Community Information Specialist Kate Sark
