St. Lucie County - Tuesday November 8, 2022: he City of Fort Pierce is closely monitoring Tropical Storm Nicole. St. Lucie County is currently under a Hurricane Watch, Storm Surge Warning, and Flood Warning.
Storm surges could raise water levels by 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels, and as much as 5 feet in specific areas. Rainfall is expected to total 3-4” is most areas with 7—8” possible. Saint Lucie County Emergency Operations Center will begin a full activation this morning. St. Lucie County Emergency Operations Center operates at a Level 1 (full) activation.
Closures
City of Fort Pierce offices will be closed to the public, Wednesday, Nov. 9, and Thursday, Nov. 10, and will remain closed on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, in observance of Veterans Day.
St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners’ offices, including libraries and attractions, will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 9, and Thursday, Nov. 10. Additionally, county offices are closed Friday, Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day. All public schools and other government offices will also be closed Wednesday, Nov. 9, and Thursday, Nov. 10.
State of Emergency Declared
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a State of Emergency for 34 counties, Executive Order (EO) 22-253, on Monday, November 7, 2022. The City of Fort Pierce declared a State of Emergency at 9:30 AM. St. Lucie County declared a Local State of Emergency at 6:44 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Sand Distribution
The City of Fort Pierce is offering free self-serve sandbag stations for residents at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dreamland Park (S. 25th St.), Pioneer Park (Ave M and N. 29th St.), and Jaycee Park (South Hutchinson Island). Residents should bring their own bags and a shovel. Parks are open daily from dawn to dusk. For more info regarding sand distribution, please call the Public Works Department at 772-467-3794.
Solid Waste Collection
The Solid Waste Division is running additional trucks to pick up existing debris throughout the city in preparation for the storm. The city is asking residents to please refrain from cutting down vegetation or doing major projects until the system passes. Residents should not place any additional debris at the curb as it may block surface stormwater flow.
Street and Drainage Efforts
The Streets and Drainage Division are working hard to ensure the stormwater systems are free of obstructions and operating at full capacity. Emergency Response Teams from Public Works are on standby and ready to act when needed.
Communication
We are committed to keeping our residents safe and informed - all public notices will be provided on the city’s website at www.cityoffortpierce.com, social media channels, and Fort Pierce TV Channel 27.
If residents have questions or concerns, they should call the St. Lucie County Public Information Lines at 772-460-4357 or 772-460-HELP, which are open today until 7 p.m. and the rest of the week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (These hours are subject to change depending on the storm’s path).
Residents are also encouraged to sign up for St. Lucie County's Alert St. Lucie program to get emergency notifications sent directly to their phone, email, or text: www.stlucieco.gov/Alert
Website: www.cityoffortpierce.com