FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Brie Turek (407) 246-3106
Laura Bornfreund (407) 246-3423

CITY OF ORLANDO PREPARES FOR HURRICANE WILMA

City Emergency Managers in Dialogue with Local, Volunteer, State and Federal Organizations in Preparation for Impacts of Storm

ORLANDO, FL (October 20, 2005)—Mayor Buddy Dyer and the City of Orlando’s Office of Emergency Management have taken proactive steps in preparation for Hurricane Wilma, working with various local, volunteer, state and federal organizations, to ensure Orlando citizens and all of Central Florida is prepared for a hurricane.

City Emergency Managers are in dialogue with officials from the National Hurricane Center and State Emergency Management division to obtain the most up-to-date information for citizens. Later today, the City will participate in a regional evacuation conference call to discuss South Florida’s evacuation plans and how Central Florida can prepare for potential evacuees.

The City’s EOC is still at the monitoring level and Mayor Dyer has asked City departments to take precautionary measures for any potential impacts from the storm. For example, the Public Works Department is monitoring lake levels and lowering as needed. In addition, sandbags will be available for City residents on Thursday and Friday, October 20th and 21st from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. at 1010 South Woods Ave. There is a limit of 10 bags per resident.

In an effort to keep citizens and visitors informed during future hurricanes, the City of Orlando will soon launch an AM radio station to provide 24-hour updates. The installation of the radio equipment is being finalized at the City's Emergency Operations Center (EOC), and broadcast and emergency management employees will be receiving training later this week.

The City's new Traffic Management Center, with access to more than 100 Department of Transportation traffic cameras in Central Florida area, is currently being utilized to monitor road and debris conditions, evacuation status, weather conditions, and evacuation traffic from South Florida.

For information on hurricane preparation, citizens can visit the City of Orlando website at: http://www.cityoforlando.net/fire/emergency_management/Hurricanes.htm.

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