The National Weather Service in Mobile told county officials to expect two more hours of high winds, heavy rain, and lightning as the eyewall nears, said Public Safety Director Tom Lloyd to a group of reporters at the Santa Rosa County Emergency Operations Center Friday night.
“The people that are calling now are experiencing true emergencies,” Lloyd said, adding that the 911 calls are not information requests. The county’s citizen information line is busy at a steady pace, he said.
Lloyd said residents who are in the county’s high wind warning should treat it like a tornado warning, as they should shelter in an interior room away from windows.
As for power outages, 55,921 residents are without power. That equates to 57% of the county’s residents.
Lloyd said residents in the western part of the county, including Milton and Pace, should not assume the worst is over even if they appear to be outside the eyewall.
“We are not out of it yet,” Lloyd said. “Stay put, stay safe.”
