Seminole County leaders urge preparation for Hurricane Milton, warn of major debris and flooding

Seminole County leaders appealed to residents to prepare urgently for Hurricane Milton at a public briefing, outlining shelter plans, sandbag operations, new rescue equipment and likely extended debris-clearing needs.

Chairman Zimbower told attendees that Seminole County has been staging assets and coordinating with state and federal partners and that "this is a serious situation. We need to pay attention." He urged residents to use county resources and to check PrepareSeminole.org for shelter openings and preparedness checklists.

Alan Harris of the county Emergency Operations Center described on-the-ground preparations and logistics, saying the county has distributed "over 40,000 sandbags, thousands more today" and will keep sandbag operations open through noon tomorrow. He highlighted a free yard-waste drop-off at the county landfill to help prevent loose material from becoming storm debris.

Harris also cited county debris modeling that estimates between about 3,000,000 and 10,000,000 cubic yards of debris could result from the storm, and warned that cleanup will take a long time because many debris contractors are already working in other states and in parts of Florida. "That's a lot of debris to pick up," he said.

Fire Chief Matt McKinley described operational precautions and safety guidance: the department is deploying chainsaw teams, staffing additional high-water vehicles and staging rescue equipment. "Never operate a generator inside any structure," McKinley said, listing generator-safety measures and noting that responders will suspend roadway operations if winds exceed 70 miles per hour.

The county confirmed a pair of new high-water rescue units purchased with a Board of County Commission appropriation. Zimbower said the commission "stroked a check for over $1,000,000 for 2 of them," and McKinley added the vehicles can ford up to about 50 inches of water, carry up to 28 people and include a lift gate to ease loading of wheelchair-bound residents.

Sheriff Dennis Lima said the sheriff's office has recalled personnel from other jurisdictions, will staff shelters with deputies and operate anti-crime units to deter thefts during evacuations. "If you are told to leave, you should heed those warnings," Lima said, stressing both visibility of patrols and the need for residents to protect themselves.

Officials repeated practical steps for residents: have several days' supply of food and water, secure medicine and pet supplies, register special-needs residents for shelter access via the county website, and use the Citizens Information Line at (407) 665-0000 for non-emergency inquiries. Emergency alerts can be obtained by texting 888777 with code 2024.

Officials also cautioned about delayed flooding: because Seminole County sits in the St. Johns River watershed, water levels in some rivers and basins may rise days after the storm passes. On pumping, county leaders noted that the St. Johns River Water Management District controls large-scale water pumping decisions and the county cannot simply send excess water to neighboring jurisdictions.

The briefing concluded with a question-and-answer session and a reminder that county schools will be closed Wednesday and Thursday and that county government will be closed those same days, while essential staff remain on duty to support response and recovery.

The county advised residents to prepare now and to watch county social media and PrepareSeminole.org for shelter announcements, evacuation orders and post-storm recovery guidance.