FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: John Wilson or David
Santer, Lee County Emergency Management
(941) 477-3600
UPDATE #1: TROPICAL DEPRESSION #8
FORT MYERS, Fla. (September 12, 2001) – The Lee
County Emergency Operations Center held a 2 p.m. conference call today with
local fire districts, cities and emergency operations agencies to discuss
Tropical Depression #8. Below is a summary of the conference call:
- Local conference calls will be held daily at 2
p.m. to discuss the threat and response of the storm.
- The weather service indicates that the
Tropical Depression still is unorganized and being kept off the coast by a
weather system from the east. However, it could produce up to 3 inches of
rain daily for the next two days, primarily in the afternoons. While this
system currently is tracking more northerly and westerly, it could produce
local rainfall through Saturday.
- This could produce localized flooding and
coastal flooding. High tides could run from a half-foot to foot higher.
- The fire departments are being asked to
monitor potential flooding and flooding in their areas if significant
rainfall is experienced.
- The EOC will continue to monitor the
situation.
- Lee County remains under a flood watch.
- At Tuesday’s Board of County Commissioners
meeting, the Board gave Chairman Doug St. Cerny the power to declare a State
of Local Emergency if or when conditions warrant it.
- In regards to the terrorist attacks on New
York City and Washington, D.C., local response today has been to give out
information on organizations residents can contact if they want to help the
victims of this tragedy.
Another update will be released after 2 p.m.
Thursday unless conditions change.