Jackson County Residents Urged to Be Ready

Following Jackson County’s recent state of emergency declaration due to the potential impacts of Hurricane Isaias, officials have opened sandbag locations and announced that two shelters will open Friday morning at 8 a.m.

Jackson County Director of Emergency Services Earl Etheridge is urging residents to stay indoors with necessary supplies, and be prepared for possible power outages and hazardous conditions.

“Once these storms start, they need to stay home or just stay out the way,” Etheridge said.

Etheridge also stressed the importance of already having a shelter plan in place. Residents who may need to evacuate should already know where they intend to go, whether that is with family, friends or at a county shelter.

“They need to have arrangements made to either be able to go someplace or be able to come to one of the shelters,” Etheridge said.

While county emergency crews are fully staffed and prepared to respond, Etheridge warned that dangerous weather conditions can limit rescue operations.

“All of our fire stations are manned, sheriff’s office is ready, we’ll have our staff. We’ll be fully staffed here, and the thing is once wind speeds reach over 40 miles an hour sustained, rescue efforts normally stop,” Etheridge said.

Jackson County emergency officials say residents should complete any final preparations as Hurricane Isaias moves closer to the Gulf Coast.

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