Inland Northeast Florida counties expected to take brunt of local effects from Hurricane Idalia

Hurricane Idalia is forecast to strengthen rapidly into “an extremely dangerous major hurricane” before hitting the Gulf Coast on Wednesday and sweeping across North Central and Northeast Florida.

That means the inland counties of the News4JAX viewing area, including Baker, Alachua and Columbia will likely get the brunt of Idalia’s effects, including flooding in low-lying areas.

Here’s what you need to know county-by-county:

Baker County

The City of Macclenny and the county are partnering to distribute sandbags with a limit of six per household from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesday.

They will be at the Hartline Drive city yard in Macclenny off West Lowder Street and at the Sanderson community center at 8274 Thomas Sweat Rd.

The county’s general population shelter at Macclenny Elementary School, 1 Wild Kitten Dr. in Macclenny, will open Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. along with the county’s special needs shelter at Fraser Memorial, 159 N. 3rd St., in Macclenny.

Putnam County

The Putnam County Emergency Operations Center is fully activated and preparing for the imminent landfall of Hurricane Idalia.

The Putnam County EOC activated to a Level 1 at 8 a.m. Tuesday. Representatives from county and municipal agencies are present and ready for response.

Putnam County is anticipating tropical storm-force winds with hurricane-force gusts. Expected rainfall totals are between 1 ½ to 3 inches. Tornadoes are a possibility as well.

Putnam County schools will be closed Wednesday and Thursday. County offices will be closing at 3 p.m. Tuesday, reopening when buildings have been determined to be safe for return.

The county landfills will be closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday and will remain closed on Wednesday. County garbage pickup will be suspended on Wednesday. Citizens are encouraged to not put garbage cans and recycling out to reduce debris.

Shelters open at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Those who live in mobile homes are encouraged to seek more substantial sheltering. The shelters and addresses:

• Kelley Smith Elementary School (special needs), 141 Kelley Smith School Rd., Palatka

• Ochwilla Elementary School (pet friendly), 299 State Rd. 21, Hawthorne

• Jenkins Elementary School, 251 County Rd. 315, Interlachen

• Browning Pearce Elementary School, 100 Bear Blvd., San Mateo

• Middleton Burney Elementary School, 1020 Huntington Rd., Crescent City

The Citizen Information Call Center is open and operating 24 hours until further notice. The number is 386-329-1904. Citizens can call this number with any questions, concerns, or reports.

Sandbag sites are up and running.

• Huntington Landfill (full service), 1551 County Rd. 308, Crescent City

• East Palatka Community Park (full service), 223 Putnam County Blvd., East Palatka

• Chesser Pit (full service), 145 West Washington, Hawthorne

• Welaka Water Plant, 52 Sportsmans Dr., Welaka

• Riverside Fire Station, 101 Gail Dr., Satsuma

• Palatka Fire Department (across the street), 1101 St. Johns Ave., Palatka

• Bardin Fire Department, 107 Johns Rd., Palatka

“We have been monitoring and preparing for this storm since Friday,” Terry Turner, chairman of the County Board of Commissioners said. “We want residents to take the threat seriously and to remain safe throughout the event.”

For more information, please visit the Putnam County Emergency Management website at eoc.putnam-fl.com, the Putnam County Emergency Management Facebook page at facebook.com/PutnamCountyEM, or call the citizen information call center at 386-329-1904.

Alachua County

Alachua County has opened two general population, pet-friendly shelters, and a special medical needs shelter.

The two general population shelters are at:

• The Martin Luther King Jr. Multipurpose Center, 1028 N.E. 14th Street, Gainesville

• The Easton-Newberry Sports Complex, 24880 N.W. 16th Avenue, Newberry

The special needs shelter is at:

• The Alachua County Senior Recreation Center, 5701 N.W. 34th Boulevard, Gainesville

Those needing more information about the special needs shelter should call 352-955-2575. Those needing transportation to the special needs shelter should call as soon as possible.

Please consider evacuation if you don’t feel safe.

Alachua County has an Evacuation Order for those who live in mobile or manufactured homes or if you live in flood-prone areas. If you have flooded during previous storms, you need to evacuate.

Special needs shelters provide one cot per patient. Caregivers are asked to bring any needed bedding in case cots are unavailable. When packing to go to a shelter, please bring special dietary foods and any prescription medications. Also, bring spare clothing, personal care items (hygiene, toiletries, etc.), spare eyeglasses/contacts, and identification.

General population shelters do not provide cots or beds. Bring any needed bedding. When packing to go to a shelter, please bring special dietary foods, baby food, diapers (and other child necessities), prescription medications, and a small cooler of ice if refrigeration is needed, as the shelter cannot be responsible for your medications. Also, bring spare clothing, personal care items (hygiene, toiletries, etc.), spare eyeglasses/contacts, and identification.

Alachua County Animal Resources is closed Tuesday and Wednesday as they are focused on staffing pet-friendly shelters. The public will be informed when it reopens.

Citizens with pets are encouraged to bring basic pet supplies such as collars, leashes, crates, carriers, towels, blankets, pet medications, pet food, etc.

Animal Resources will have supplemental supplies on hand for those in need. We encourage citizens to bring veterinary records indicating their pets are properly vaccinated. However, animals without such records will be vaccinated upon intake to minimize the spread of contagious diseases. Please remember that animals must be properly restrained throughout their stay at the emergency shelter for the safety of all involved citizens and pets.

You can find all the latest information for Alachua County at alachuacountyready.com. If you don’t have internet access or need additional information, dial 311 from your phone. If you live outside Alachua County or cannot dial 311, call 352-264-6557.

To receive all updates on County operations in response to Idalia, please text ALACHUA to 888-777.

You can check the latest forecast at weather.gov/jax.

For more information, contact Alachua County Communications Director Mark Sexton at 352-264-6979 or msexton@alachuacounty.us.