Okeechobee County Advisory on Hurricane Ian

As of Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022 at 2 p.m. Okeechobee County has these important updates:

• Okeechobee County Emergency Management Officials are responding to reports of damage from Hurricane Ian. The Emergency Operations Center is currently at Activation Level 2: Partial Activation.

• Residents are asked to stay off the roads while damage assessments are conducted.

• Power is out throughout the county including many businesses and some traffic lights. All inoperable traffic lights should be treated as a four way stop. (Some businesses have opened, using generators. (Publix, Winn Dixie and Home Depot are open.)

• ALL County and City parks including Flagler Parks are CLOSED to the public. Damage and safety assessments are still being conducted to all facilities including playgrounds.

• Raulerson Hospital is no longer on lockdown as of 9 a.m. this morning.

• City and county personnel are continuing to work to clear roadways.

• The mandatory curfew for Okeechobee County has been lifted.

• The Special Needs shelter at the Department of Health is open. The General Population and Pet Friendly shelter has closed after all residents voluntarily left.

• The Information Line at the Emergency Operations Center will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. by calling 863-824-6888.

• For continued updates follow us on: Facebook: Okeechobee Emergency-Management or Okeechobee County Government; Okeechobee County Website: www.co.okeechobee.fl.us