Orlando’s Mayor Buddy is taking no chances with Hurricane Irene, the first major hurricane of the 2011 season, as it currently tracks toward the U.S. mainland. Although it could skirt Florida given its current path, Dyer is stressing that residents get informed and prepared.
“It is important that our residents are not complacent when it comes to preparing for hurricanes and other disasters. This year’s hurricane predictions are very similar to those in the 2004 hurricane season where our community was affected by multiple storms,” Dyer said in a statement. “I want to encourage all Orlando residents and businesses to get informed on how to prepare and respond to a possible hurricane. It is our goal at the City of Orlando to protect our residents and businesses, to prevent loss of life and to minimize damage caused by hurricanes.”
On Tuesday morning, Irene was lashing the northern coast of the Dominican Republic and is expected to move over the Turks and Caicos Islands later Tuesday, with top winds of 100 miles per hour.
According to the current forecast Irene will reach the Central Bahamas Wednesday and the Northwest Bahamas Thursday. After departing the Bahamas, Irene is forecast to parallel the Florida coast later Friday and approach the coast of the Carolinas later Saturday or Saturday.
Currently forecast to skirt Florida, given Irene’s larger-than-average size, the state will still have some impacts such as heavy rain and strong winds beginning late Wednesday night in south east areas and spreading northward through Friday.
For more information on the City’s preparedness efforts and for ways residents and businesses can get prepared and remain informed during a hurricane, please visit the Office of Emergency Management’s website at cityoforlando.net/emergency , follow them on Twitter at twitter.com/orloem and friend them on Facebook atFacebook.com/orloem.
