Tropical Storm Warning Now In Effect

 

The City of Miami Beach's Division of Emergency Management continues to closely monitor Tropical Storm Eta in the western Caribbean Sea, 280 miles away from Cuba. Miami-Dade County has issued a Local State of Emergency. A Tropical Storm Warning is now in effect for South Florida through Tuesday evening, meaning that tropical storm conditions are expected within 36 hours. We have to prepare for the earliest arrival, it is essential to not underestimate the possible impacts of this storm and residents should prepare their homes today. Now is the time to pull in lawn furniture and material in yards and on balconies that could become projectiles in strong winds. We will continue to provide updates on this weather system as it evolves, and detailed information can be found at www.nhc.noaa.gov. Establishments with sidewalk cafés have been instructed to remove their infrastructure (tables, chairs, planters, umbrellas, etc.) by close of business today. Contractors, utility agencies and contractors have been directed to immediately secure their entire job sites to eliminate all hazardous conditions and completely demobilize from the city's right-of-way. Mayor Gimenez has suggested that County drawbridges may commence lockdowns tomorrow, Nov. 8. Please visit the County website for updates.

If you have any questions regarding Tropical Storm Eta, please contact our Resident Information Center at 305.604.CITY (2489). The hotline is open over the weekend from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and during the weekdays from 12 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Municipal Garages Are Now Open As heavy flooding is expected, the City of Miami Beach has opened all municipal parking garages for residents to store their vehicles. Click here to view a list of all city parking garages, garages are denoted with a G.   Vehicles may remain in garages at no cost until Tuesday, November 10 at 6 p.m. Upon exiting a garage, residents should be prepared to show a photo ID or utility bill showing a Miami Beach address.

Sandbag Distribution There is currently a sandbag distribution for residents today, November 7 at the Public Works Yard, 451 Dade Boulevard (between Miami Beach Senior High and Fire Station 2) until 7:30 p.m. unless the weather deteriorates or the sand supply runs out. The site has a machine that fills sandbags, each vehicle will be able to pick up six sandbags maximum per car. Staff will load the bags into the vehicles, so that social distancing can be observed. Upon picking up sandbags, you must show proof of residency.   Sandbags are available at local hardware stores. Remember, taking sand from our beaches is prohibited. The sand and dunes are the city's first line of defense against storm surge. After the storm, do not empty sandbags onto beaches or into drains.

COVID-19 Testing All drive-up testing has ceased operations at the Miami Beach Convention Center and will remain closed through the weekend. Walk-up testing will be operational this weekend subject to weather conditions. We will provide updates as advised. For more information and updates, visit our dedicated Coronavirus webpage and view the 'Testing' tab.

As a reminder, on Monday, November 9, all parks throughout the city will close and all programming, including the after-school program, will be cancelled due to the expected inclement weather.  What can YOU do to prepare for the storm? Now is the time to review your hurricane plan with your members of your household. Visit our hurricane webpage for tips on how to stay safe this hurricane season and watch our hurricane special below, which will also be airing regularly on MBTV (Channel 660 on Atlantic Broadband or Channel 99 on AT&T U-Verse).   Remove All Yard Decor Remove all yard furniture and decor, this is necessary to prevent projectiles during a storm from affecting your home or neighbor's home. The city is encouraging residents to take down these items now and only place them back after the storm has passed. Tree Trimming Residents that wish to maintain their trees and landscaping prior to the city being under a tropical watch and/or warning should utilize the Green Waste Facility located at 2800 Meridian Avenue, the hours of operation are Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on Sundays. Do not place tree timing or residential waste on swale. Click here to learn more on the Green Waste Facility. Store Water Store at least 1 gallon of water per person per day in sterilized sealable containers for drinking and cooking. Save enough water for 7-10 days. COVID-19 This year, remember to include face masks, hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies to your storm kit. Construction Activities In the event of a watch or warning, all contractors will be instructed to secure their work zones in preparation for the storm. Register Vulnerable Populations Is there someone in your family who is unable to evacuate on their own? Maybe they're elderly or have special needs. We encourage you to have them sign up for the Emergency Evacuation Assistance Program (EEAP) provided by Miami-Dade County. Do not wait until an evacuation order is issued, register today at www.miamidade.gov/fire/eeap.asp or call 311 today. Updates from Miami-Dade County All messages pertaining to evacuation orders would be issued by Miami-Dade County.

Stay Connected and Informed Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for real-time updates. Download the Ready Miami-Dade (Ready MDC) mobile application from the County's Office of Emergency Management, available via Google Play and the App Store store. Text MBTraffic to 888777 for traffic text updates and then MBAlert to 888777 to receive emergency alerts via text. Visit www.mbalerts.com to sign-up for text/email/phone call alerts to receive emergency notifications and automatic weather alerts

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