PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. - Mandatory evacuations are now in place in parts of Palm Beach County, and emergency officials have opened up nearly a dozen shelters.
Mandatory evacuations are now in place in parts of Palm Beach County, and emergency officials have opened up nearly a dozen shelters.
“This is home for us now, so it’s terrifying to see what’s going on,” said Kristin Dauss, who has lived in Florida for the past decade.
Dauss and her family spent Sunday boarding up the windows and doors at her mom’s home inside Briny Beeezes in Ocean Ridge as Hurricane Dorian leaves the community on edge.
“It’s changed course and we don’t really know where to go or what to do, so we’re just preparing for the worst,” Dauss said.
Briny Breezes is under the mandatory evacuation. Betty Murray has lived there for 22 years.
“Even if it does bypass us we’ll still be a lot safer if we move out,” Murray said.
Palm Beach County ordered evacuations for homes in Zone A and Zone B effective at 1 p.m.
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Zone A includes mobile homes, sub-standard housing and low-lying areas prone to water intrusion. Zone B generally includes the barrier islands, land areas north and south of the Jupiter Inlet, and other surge-vulnerable areas south along the Intracranial Waterway to the Broward County.
Rafael Gonzalez also spent Sunday scrambling to protect his porch at the Bluegrass Mobile Home Park in West Palm Beach.
“It’s a lot of wind, a lot of rain and damage,” said Gonzalez, who has been through hurricanes before.
Nine shelters have opened across Palm Beach County.
- Forest Hill High School - 6901 Parker Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL 33405
- Atlantic Community High Schoo - 2455 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33445
- Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Elem. School,1501 Avenue U, Riviera Beach
- Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Elem. School,1501 Avenue U, Riviera Beach
- Lakeshore Middle School, 425 W Canal St N, Belle Glade
- Pahokee Middle School, 850 Larrimore Rd, Pahokee
- Palm Beach Gardens High School, 4245 Holly Dr., Palm Beach Gardens
- Palm Beach Central High School, 8499 Forest Hill Blvd, Wellington
- Park Vista High School, 7900 Jog Rd, Lake Worth
The special needs shelter is located at 9067 Southern Boulevard, West Palm Beach.
The pet-friendly shelter is located at 6000 Northtree Boulevard, Lake Worth.
Murray had her bag packed and is planning to stay with her granddaughter.
“We’ve always been very lucky, but this year we’re not going to get away with it, so just keep our fingers crossed,” Murray said.
If you are evacuating and not going to a shelter, officials recommend staying in the county and not heading further north.