PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – Hurricane Irma is about to get very personal for thousands of Pinellas County residents forced to evacuate their homes.
Starting at 6 a.m. Friday, people who live in Zone A, along the beaches, the barrier islands and all mobile home residents have to begin to get out.
From Tierra Verde to Tarpon Springs, St. Petersburg, Largo, Gulfport, Safety Harbor and Oldsmar, the official word is, you have two days to evacuate.
“We’re getting the house ready to go so, we’re leaving. Going to the kid’s house,” said Steve Elliot.
Up and down the barrier islands, people are making plans to move.
“Him and I are gonna board the windows up tomorrow, and I found a shelter, so I got plans to go to a shelter,” said Patrick Aaron.
Mandatory evacuations apply to Zone A, which includes all low-lying areas and every mobile home in the county.
That’s about 160,000 people.
“We’re not going door to door and we’re not arresting people. But, they run the risk at their own peril of not heeding the directive,” said Sheriff Bob Gualtieri .
Gwen Kinen’s house is buttoned up tight. Hurricane shutters are up, sand bags are placed. She’s ready.
“We don’t have to be out ’til Sunday at 8 a.m. and we’re not sure that we’re gonna potentially evacuate and the only thing we’re gonna wait on is to see where it’s tracking,” said Kinen.
There are skeptics.
“I don’t see the point in being evacuated Friday, Saturday, when the storm won’t be here ’til Sunday,” said John Saxton.
But, it could take two days to get everyone out.
If you don’t know what zone you’re in, make sure you download our Storm Team 8 hurricane ready guide. It includes county maps which show your evacuation zones.
If emergency planners decide to bump the evacuations up to B and C zones, we’re talking a half a million people.
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HURRICANE IRMA COVERAGE –
- The latest on Hurricane Irma from Storm Team 8
- 2017 Hurricane Guide
- CHECKLIST: Disaster supply list for hurricane
- Where to get sandbags in the Tampa Bay area
- How to get water even if the stores are out
- Hurricane Irma: Local school districts to decide about closures
- The one thing you must do for your pet as Irma approaches
- Sarasota woman stranded in St. Maarten during Hurricane Irma
- Orlando Intl. Airport to end commercial flights Saturday because of Hurricane Irma
- Polk sheriff’s tweets for law breakers seeking shelter during Irma spark firestorm
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Miami Dolphins game moved to November 19
- Gov. Scott declares state of emergency in all Fla. counties in response to Hurricane Irma
- Gov. Scott encouraging Floridians to be prepared for hurricane
- AG Bondi activates Florida’s price gouging hotline in wake of declared state of emergency
- Bottled water, supplies going fast as Tampa Bay area prepares for possibility of Hurricane Irma
- Tampa Bay area residents need to get hurricane plans in place while skies still blue
BE HURRICANE-READY WITH STORM TEAM 8
