| The Marion County Board of County Commissioners declared a state of local emergency on Monday, Sept. 26, in anticipation of the potential for severe weather resulting from Hurricane Ian. This local state of emergency is issued under the provisions provided by Florida Statutes and follows Governor Ron DeSantis’ declaration of emergency for all 67 counties in Florida.
A declaration of a local state of emergency provides the framework for coordination between agencies, as outlined in the county’s comprehensive emergency management plan. Marion County Emergency Management, a division of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, provides overall coordination of county response in emergency situations. Emergency Management has activated the citizens information line, 352-369-7500, as a resource for the most up-to-date information.
Residents are encouraged to prepare this week in anticipation of a major hurricane impact. Here are some things Marion County residents are recommended to do:
- Sign up for Alert Marion at www.AlertMarion.com to receive emergency notifications via phone, email or text message.
- Know your flood risk and learn about flood insurance at www.marionfl.org/flooding.
- Stay tuned for weather updates through weather alert radios, local media outlets, the county website (www.marionfl.org) and county social media accounts.
- Review additional tips and planning tools at www.marionso.com/emergency-management.
- Review disaster plans for your family, business, and property.
- Get your survival kit and important papers ready. Purchase any items you will need to complete your survival kit now to avoid long lines and limited supplies. A checklist can be found online at www.marionso.com/hurricane-preparedness.
When planning to evacuate, residents are advised to consider evacuating short distance (tens of miles, not hundreds of miles) to avoid the impacts of potential storm surge, significant rainfall flooding, and unsafe structures (mobile homes). Consider staying in safer structures that have window and door protection for hurricanes.
The state has also suspended the “refill too soon” restriction for prescription medication. Residents should also obtain a list of their medications from their pharmacists.
With the inclusion of Marion County in the declaration of a state of emergency, residents are protected by the state’s price gouging law. Anyone who suspects price gouging can report it to the Attorney General’s hotline at 866-9-NO-SCAM.
If your plans are to evacuate out of the area, please be aware of the uncertainty of the track of Hurricane Ian and that all of Florida is presently in the threat area. When evacuating, people should safely use real-time traffic apps on their smart phones, such as Florida 511, to find the best route if roads become congested.
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