As counties in the Florida panhandle make their final preparations before Hurricane Idalia, both Franklin and Wakulla County have begun coordinating transportation for evacuees.
At approximately 1:15pm on Tuesday, a bus packed with evacuees left Lanark Village and headed towards a shelter in Leon County. According to the county, this was residents only opportunity to dodge Idalia in time.
The bus made several stops to the most vulnerable areas, including Apalachicola, Eastpoint, and Carrabelle, before setting out for a place that can better withstand Category 1 winds and heavy rain. The bus is expected to bring evacuees back after the storm has passed.
As for Wakulla, the county Sheriff’s Office has partnered with the state’s Department of Transportation to help get evacuees to Leon County.
A county spokesperson says currently there are no set schedules or bus system in place, but residents can call Wakulla Emergency Management to request a ride at 850-745-7200.
The following four emergency shelters are open in Leon County:
- Fort Braden School, 15100 Blountstown Hwy
- Chiles High School, 7200 Lawton Chiles Lane
- Rickards High School, 3013 Jim Lee Road
- Lincoln High School, 3838 Trojan Trail
- SAIL High School, 2006 Jackson Bluff Road
- Amos P. Godby High School, 1717 Tharpe Street
- Fairview Middle School, 3415 Zillah Street