TAYLOR COUNTY, Fla. – Taylor County in the Florida Panhandle is under a mandatory evacuation as Hurricane Helene heads for landfall in the Big Bend.
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Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis and Senator Rick Scott gave updates on Hurricane Helene Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
They reiterated that people in the Big Bend area need to evacuate.
A captain at the Perry Fire Department said the town has been through hurricane after hurricane and it’s wearing people down.
Officials were boarding up some windows downtown and advising that people leave.
Fire Captain Ben Meacham said once winds hit 35 miles per hour emergency crews will shut down and will ride out the storm. That means if you stay and call 911 he said you are not only at risk but are now putting emergency crews at risk.
“Our little town is strong,” said Meacham said.
In Keaton Beach, Robert Law and his family are taking the mandatory evacuation seriously. Many of the homes sit right on the water and could be at serious risk of being hit by the storm surge, which could be up to 15 feet.
The Law family is ready.
“You put everything up where it can not float off and your long furniture where the wind can blow it off or can’t float off,” Law said. “Just ask everyone to pray for us.”