Florida Sheriff Gives Morbid Instructions to Those Who Didn’t Evacuate Ahead of Helene Landfall
Hurricane Helene struck Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane, prompting emergency messages from local authorities. The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office urged residents who stayed behind to write their personal information on their bodies for identification in case of severe impacts due to flooding and storm surges, which were expected to reach 18-20 feet. The sheriff expressed concern about the unprecedented nature of the storm surge, stating that many residents had never experienced such a threat. As the storm transitioned into a tropical storm, it caused significant flooding in Georgia and the Carolinas, resulting in evacuations. Reports indicate at least two fatalities in Florida and seven in total across the Southeast. Crews in Citrus County conducted over 100 water rescues due to the 10-foot storm surge. The sheriff’s warnings and information requests aimed to prioritize the hardest-hit areas for rescue and recovery efforts.
One Florida sheriff’s office tried to give those wanting to ride out the arrival of Hurricane Helene some very stark instructions.
Helene slammed into Florida’s Big Bend region late Thursday as a Category 4 hurricane. It has since been downgraded to a tropical storm as it inundates parts of Georgia and the Carolinas, where residents were warned to evacuate.
As the storm was bearing down on Florida Thursday, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office’s Division of Emergency Management issued a sober message on Facebook.
“If you or someone you know chose not to evacuate, PLEASE write your, Name, birthday and important information on your arm or leg in A PERMANENT MARKER so that you can be identified and family notified,” the post said.
The National Hurricane Center is now forecasting an “unsurvivable storm surge” of up to 20 feet from Hurricane Helene for the Big Bend of Florida. THIS is what that looks like… pic.twitter.com/acbUG3ceSb
— Nahel Belgherze (@WxNB_) September 25, 2024
The post also warned those who left not to hurry back.
“Returning prematurely poses significant risks due to expected heavy flooding and other hazards. Many roads will be impassable, and there may be downed power lines, fallen trees, and other dangerous conditions,” the post said.
The post also asked for residents to provide information so the office could prioritize areas hit the hardest.
A poster using the name Tyler White reacted to the post by noting, “This has to be the most scariest post I’ve ever read, prayers for everybody up there from Plant City.”
Sheriff Wayne Padgett said the warning came with the expectation that the county would be “in the dead center of” the storm, according to NBC.
“I don’t like telling people that, but it is going on,” Padgett said.
“They’re calling for 18- or 20-foot storm surge. We’ve never had a storm surge like this in this county,” he added. “You can kind of hide from the wind, but you can’t hide from that water.”
“I’ve lived here my whole life, and I’ve never been worried about a storm. I am worried about this storm,” Padgett said.
After the storm hit, the tide gauge at the Steinhatchee River in Taylor County rose 11.4 feet in a little over an hour, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.
At least two people in Florida and seven overall in the Southeast were reported killed from the effects of the storm, according to CNN.
Citrus County, Florida, crews conducted more than 100 water rescues, in the county north of Tampa, Sheriff Mike Prendergast said, noting the storm surge was about 10 feet.
“This is all storm surge,” he said. “It’s a little bit more than what we saw during Hurricane Idalia back in 2023, about 13 months ago. In fact, I think we’re going to have about 10 feet or so of storm surge when the National Weather Service gets out and does their survey.”
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