Another CERT Update from Polk County Commissioners Re Manufactured Homes and Flood Prone Areas

Map attached that shows areas prone to flooding

Mandatory evacuation of manufactured homes and flood-prone areas

Bartow, Fla. (September 9, 2017) —  Polk County public shelters are now open. Residents requiring assistance for transportation to special needs shelters have begun moving into their shelters. Polk County’s Emergency Management division says now is the time to decide whether you should move to a shelter, or shelter in place.

Polk County residents who live in manufactured and mobile homes, or in areas of the county that historically are prone to flooding following heavy rains, should evacuate and take advantage of open shelters during Hurricane Irma. This mandatory evacuation includes people who live in manufactured and mobile homes, and areas of the county that are most vulnerable including:

·       Itchepackesassa Creek, bordered by Deeson Road, the County Line, Ariana Street and Chestnut Street;

·       Gator Creek, in extreme northwest Polk bordered by the County Line on the north and west, Marcum Road on the south and Highway 33 on the east;

·       Lake Lowery’s northwest side of the lake;

·       Saddlebag Lake, and

·       River Ranch.

You should only decide to shelter in place if you live in a secure structure that is not a mobile or manufactured home. When sheltering in place, you should:

·       Bring your pets indoors

·       Secure outdoor objects such as lawn furniture, garden decorations and anything else that could become a flying projectile

·       Be sure you and your family have a safe room in which to ride out the storm. This should be a room that is in the interior part of your home with no windows.

·       Get your survival kit out and ready. Be sure to pull out your weather radio so you can keep up with current weather conditions.

Public shelters now open are:

Name	Address		City
Auburndale High School		1 Bloodhound Trail		Auburndale
Bartow High School		1270 S. Broadway		Bartow
Davenport School of the Arts		4751 N CR 547		Davenport
Horizons Elementary		1700 Forest Lake Drive		Davenport
Lake Region High School		1995 Thunder Road		Eagle Lake
Haines City High School		2800 Hornet Drive		Haines City
Spook Hill Elementary		321 Dr. J.A. Wiltshire Ave., E.		Lake Wales
George Jenkins High School		6000 Lakeland Highlands		Lakeland
Phillip O’Brien Elementary		1255 E. Lime Street		Lakeland
R. Bruce Wagner Elementary		5500 Yates Road		Lakeland
Sleepy Hill Elementary		2285 Sleepy Hill Drive		Lakeland
Tenoroc High School		4905 Saddle Creek Rd.		Lakeland
Mulberry Middle School		500 Martin Luther King Ave.		Mulberry
Lake Marion Creek Middle		3055 Lk. Marion Creek Rd.		Poinciana
Donald Bronson Community Center		124 Bronson Trail		Polk City
Chain of Lakes Elementary		7001 CR 653		Winter Haven

Lake Region High School in Eagle Lake and Phillip O’Brien Elementary in Lakeland are pet-friendly facilities.