9-28-22 Volusia County Government holds press conference ahead of Hurricane Ian.

Written by Kristen Schmutz

Belden Communications News

Officials with Volusia County Government held a press conference on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, to inform residents of the ramped-up efforts of storm preparations in the County. As of 3 p.m., Volusia County is under a Hurricane and Flood warning. 

The United States Coast Guard has suspended bridge openings at the Main Street Bridge in Daytona Beach and the High Bridge Road Bridge in Ormond Beach, beginning at 5 p.m. to allow for vehicular traffic throughout the duration of the storm. All bridges in the County will be closed to traffic once wind speeds exceed 39 mph. 

No mandatory evacuation orders are in place yet, but residents who choose to evacuate their homes, or those in low-lying areas, may do so. Four Volusia County Schools are being utilized as Hurricane Shelters and have been open since 10 a.m. Two shelters are for those with special needs (for those on oxygen or other special medical needs):

• Atlantic High School - 1250 Reed Canal Rd, Port Orange, FL 32129
• Galaxy Middle School - 2400 Eustace Ave, Deltona, FL 32725

The other two shelters are for the general population:

•  Mainland High School - 1255 W Intl Speedway Blvd. Daytona Beach. FL. 32114

•  DeLand High School - 800 N Hill Ave, DeLand, FL 32724

All four shelters still have room for residents who need them, and now is the time to leave if you plan to utilize one of the four pet-friendly shelters.

A curfew has been activated for all unincorporated and incorporated Volusia County, beginning at 8 p.m. tonight, and ending at 7 a.m. tomorrow, Thursday, September 29, 2022. The curfew will also be in effect from 8 p.m. tomorrow to 7 a.m. on Friday, September 30, 2022. Anyone who does not have proper County or emergency personnel identification and is out during the curfew can be subject to a $500 fine or up to 60 days in jail.

Volusia County officials encourage residents to shelter in place and to stay off the roads. Some traffic signals are already non-operational. As a reminder, if a traffic light is non-operational, treat the intersection as a four-way stop sign. 

Stay tuned to local media outlets or www.volusia.org for more updates on Hurricane Ian.