Isaias makes landfall, Santa Rosa looks to begin recovery efforts

Isaias made landfall near Destin around 8:30 p.m. Friday as a Category 2 hurricane with 105 mph winds, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm weakened from its peak strength as a Category 3 storm, with 125 mph winds in the hours leading up to landfall.

The storm also tracked more to the east, putting Santa Rosa County on the western side, away from the worst winds, but not out of harm’s way.

“We are far away from done,” Public Safety Director Tom Lloyd said in an interview following landfall.

Lloyd said 911 dispatchers are taking calls about downed power lines and trees, homes struck by trees, and homes with roof losses. Some calls have involved collapsed homes, he said.

“Our number one concern is life safety,” he added.

Conditions, as of 9 p.m., are still too dangerous to send responders out, even to 911 calls. Once winds subside, responders will check on residents who called for help but could not be reached.

After sunrise, if conditions allow, non-emergency crews will begin road clearing work. Damage assessments also cannot begin until daylight. He asked residents to be patient.

Damage reports are countywide, from Navarre to Whiting Field and beyond. Many calls have come from the western part of the county, which includes the Pace and Floridatown communities. Lloyd said damage reports are consistent with a Category 2 hurricane.

Lloyd said few calls to 911 have involved storm surge. He attributes that to north winds on the storm’s western side and to residents who followed evacuation orders.

County officials have not given the all-clear. Lloyd said it is best for residents to wait until daylight to begin venturing out from their homes.

Lloyd said food and supply distribution is a top priority, but that depends on first assessing the county safely and on whether stores can reopen. Residents in hard-hit areas who cannot travel will get what they need, he said. Some residents still have power, and infrastructure remains intact in some parts of the county.

Ultimately, he credited the hard work of the county’s public safety department and other county workers and partners for getting them through the first night of a long road to recovery.

“I cannot be more pound of the team that’s in the EOC,” he said.

By late Friday night, county crews had begun the process of clearing roads. An initial assessment around the county’s emergency operations center was a mess of downed trees and power lines, along with a ruptured natural gas lines according to County Administrator Brad Baker.

Crews have started to cut trees and clear paths around critical infrastructure, Baker said. Five more crews are expected to come online overnight, with more at daylight.

Baker said that six National Guard units are in the county to help clear roads, Baker said. The county is coordinating with Florida Power & Light because many trees are tangled in power lines and must be shut off before crews can remove them.

A county crew made it to Navarre Beach and found that storm surge did not breach the berm, at least on the east end of the island, Baker said. The road was intact with some sand and water on it.

Debris contractors will meet with county officials by 10 a.m. Saturday to begin long-term recovery, Baker said.

Points of distribution are on standby and are being coordinated with state partners, but the county will wait and see which grocery stores can reopen, he added. He said residents are expected to have a stock of food.

“If your house is fine, try to help somebody in your community,” Baker said.

County officials are also expected to meet with Santa Rosa County School District officials Saturday morning.