Note 2:00 p.m. August 19: The Winter Haven Chamber offices reopen Wednesday, August 20 for normal business hours 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The Winter Haven Chamber will once again serve as a clearing house for business information as Tropical Storm Fay makes her way through our area. If your business or organization plans to alter business hours or close due to the storm, please post that information as a comment to this blog post. Should special needs arise due to storm related damage, please post those needs here and we will attempt to match needs with resources.
As we learn of emergency assistance numbers or locations, they will be posted comments to this post.
The Polk County Fire Department is offering sandbags at four locations beginning at noon Monday. A maximum of 25 to 30 sandbags will be provided to each household to help prevent flooding.
The fire stations providing sandbags are:
* Golfview, 2902 State Road 60 E. in Lake Wales.
* Jan Phyl, 333 American Spirit Blvd. in Winter Haven.
* Providence, 8936 U.S. 98 N. in North Lakeland.
* Willow Oak, 4210 Willis Road in Mulberry.
The City of Winter Haven has sand available. The sand and bags are in the field area next to the recycle bins across from the Downtown Fire Station located at 3rd Street and Avenue F, NW (next to the Farmers Market location). You are free to fill the bags that you may need in order to prepare your home for the storm.
CompAge, Inc. will not only be open during normal business hours but we are adding additional after hours on-call staff in case they are needed. Please feel free to give us a call, at any time, if your telecommunications system is down. Sorry, no residential, businesses only.
John A. Biglin
President
CompAge, Inc.
231 American Spirit Road
Winter Haven, FL 33880
V. 863.401.9404
F. 863.401.9304
email: jbiglin@compageinc.net
URL: http://www.compageinc.net
Polk Schools Closed on Tuesday, August 19 and Wednesday, August 20
As a precaution for the possible effects of Tropical Storm Fay, Polk County public schools will be closed on Tuesday, August 19 and Wednesday, August 20. In addition, in accordance with school district policy, all afterschool and extracurricular activities are also cancelled for August 19 and 20.
School officials made the decision to close schools based on current weather information and collaboration with the appropriate government and public safety agencies including the Polk County Emergency Operations Center.
Many factors were considered in this decision. Among the highest priorities of the Polk Public Schools is the safety of students and staff. In addition to the possible effects of Tropical Storm Fay, many Polk schools are hurricane shelters and could be activated to serve that purpose.
At this point, we anticipate that schools will open and buses will run as scheduled on Thursday, August 21.
Further updates and information will be communicated through the school district’s automated phone messaging system, posted on the school district’s http://www.polk-fl.net Web site, broadcast on the school district’s television channels, Bright House channel 614 and Comcast channel 26 and distributed to the news media.
Media inquiries should be directed to Fred Murphy at (863) 640-1213 or Leah Lauderdale at (863) 640-4806.
Polk Museum of Art will be closed to the public on Tuesday, August 19, and Wednesday, August 20, due to Tropical Storm Fay. The Museum will re-open on Thursday, August 21.
Polk Museum of Art will reschedule the Curator Tour for the exhibition All That Glitters is English Silver for Tuesday, August 26, 2008 at 10:30am.
Tropical Storm and Hurricane Preparedness
The Polk County Board of County Commissioners’ Emergency Management Division urges residents to review their own hurricane preparation plans – making sure they have a 72-hour hurricane kit assembled and ready to go. Residents should also make sure they have adequate supplies of necessary medications and that they have an evacuation and/or sheltering plan for both their family and pets should it become necessary.
To learn more about disaster preparation and building your 72-hour disaster kit, please see http://www.polk-county.net/subpage.aspx?menu_id=20&id=846.
To find the information doing a walk-through on the web site, go to the Residents tab, then select Disaster preparation under the Emergency Information header.
Polk County Emergency Management has activated the Emergency Operations Center, begun preliminary emergency initiatives and will continue actively monitoring Tropical Storm Fay until it no longer presents any threat to Polk.
For the most updated information regarding Tropical Storm Fay and its expected impacts on Polk County, please continue to monitor your local news media or call the Citizen’s Information Line at 863-534-0321 (locally) or toll-free 866-661-0228. Information is also available on PGTV (Bright House 622, Comcast 33 or Fios 20), or check the County website for updates.
Polk County Emergency Management team has several ways to help you get ready for the up coming season:
Disaster Preparation
Emergency Shelters and Evacuation
72-Hour Survival Kit
Flood Information
Don’t wait…Anticipate!
All Board of County Commission offices are closed tomorrow. The tourism staff will be monitoring things and will have accommodation availability on-line, with additional updates as they become available. Polk Outpost will be open tomorrow to assist travelers, if things deteriorate.
We at SERVPRO of Winter Haven and SERVPRO of Haines City/Polk CIty are in STORM Prepardness Mode. We have over 1400 SERVPRO franchies, our Catastrophe Response Team, and neighboring franchies ready to responed once the storm passes.
SERVPRO® franchisees are Fire and Water Damage Cleanup specialists. SERVPRO franchisees have serviced America’s cleanup and restoration needs for over 36 years. When fire and water take control of your life, we help you take it back – Like it never even happened. Each individually owned and operated SERVPRO franchise specializes in the cleanup and restoration of property after a fire, smoke, or water damage situation. SERVPRO franchisees also mitigate mold and mildew situations, and offer services including cleaning carpets, upholstery, air ducts, drapes, walls, ceilings, and biohazard situations.
If there are any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call our office:
SERVPRO of Winter Haven 863-551-5004
Or
SERVPRO of Haines City/Polk City 863-236-3553.
Due to the oncoming hurricane and limited access to our suppliers at that time, Radiology Consultants Imaging Center will conduct business during the following hours:
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (closed 2:00- 5:00 p.m.)
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (closed 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)
We will resume normal business hours on Thursday, August 21, 2008.
Various companies and financial institutions are evaluating hours of operation for Tuesday and Wednesday. Some decisions will be made pending weather updates. Businesses may open Tuesday morning and close later in the day depending on weather.
Polk Community College will close all its facilities (including its two charter high schools) on Tuesday, Aug. 19 because of the threat from Tropical Storm Fay.
Evening college classes will be conducted on Monday, Aug. 18.
College officials have been monitoring the latest advisories of the Polk County Emergency Operations Center and the Florida Emergency Management agency and determined the predicted track of this storm poses a threat to Polk County. All students, faculty and staff should take shelter until this storm passes.
A determination about Wednesday’s status will be decided mid-day Tuesday. The best place for information concerning the College’s operating status is PCC’s web site: http://www.polk.edu or by calling a recorded message at 863-297-1000. Announcements will also be issued via local radio and TV stations and newspapers.
The University of South Florida Polytechnic will be CLOSED on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008, due to Tropical Storm Fay.
A decision about whether to reopen Wednesday will be made at some point tomorrow.
Please monitor http://www.poly.usf.edu for updates.
The Florida Air Museum at Sun ‘n Fun will be closed to the public on Tuesday, August 19, and Wednesday, August 20, due to Tropical Storm Fay. The Museum is expected to re-open on Thursday, August 21, at 9 a.m.
Sun ‘n Fun administrative offices will be open in the morning on Tuesday, August 19, with an evaluation made at that time as to the remainder of the day. A decision as to whether or not Sun ‘n Fun’s offices will be open on Wednesday will be made sometime Tuesday afternoon or evening.
Due to a change of the track of Tropical Storm Fay, Polk County Schools will open as usual on Wednesday, August 20. All Red Cross shelters have been closed effective 9:00 A.M. Tuesday, August 19.