Resolution 157-1993
RESOLUTION NO.
157
- 1993
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A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR OF THE
ST~TE OF FLORIDA TO DIRECT THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
CO~ITY AFFAIRS TO IMMEDIATELY INITIATE' ACTIONS TO
r:e:eNTIFY AND PROVIDE MAINLAND HURRICANE SHELTERS FOR
MONROE COUNTY EVACUEES.
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C:,J \VHEREASp:: Monroe County is a small, densely populated chain
df, is;l.v.nds, ctll of which have a very low elevation above sea
~yel~ and khis low elevation makes our entire population
vulnerable to the effect of a storm surge associated with a
major hurricane and this vulnerability is extended to all
infrastructure and provisions of essential services to such
extent as to provide no option in protecting Monroe County
residents other than an evacuation to the mainland, and
WHEREAS, Monroe County is geographically located in an area
which historically has been impacted by such major hurricanes
one year in every four and this frequency of hurricanes
impacting Monroe County has given cause to the National
Hurricane Center to declare Monroe County as that area which has
the greatest vulnerability to hurricanes in the United States,
and
WHEREAS, Monroe County has only one two-land road over
which to evacuate its entire population from the danger
presented by the storm surge associated with these major
hurricanes and the limitations of this road are such that it
takes up to thirty hours for all persons that wish to evacuate
to a safe area to do so and this length of time is expected to
increase as a result of increased public awareness resulting
from the impact of hurricane Andrew on Monroe and Dade Counties;
and
WHEREAS, recent behavioral studies indicate there could be
35,000 or more residents evacuating overland from Monroe County
if threatened with a major hurricane, and
WHEREAS,
shelter for
evacuees, and
the
Monroe
one designated mainland Florida hurricane
County evacuees can house only about 1,600
WHEREAS, many Monroe County residents may not evacuate the
Keys unless they are assured they could expeditiously and safely
evacuate out of harms' way and that adequate numbers of safe
shelters were available and waiting on the mainland of Florida
to receive them, and
WHEREAS, there are no designated hurricane shelters in
Monroe County capable of sustaining Category V hurricane storm
conditions which could therefore place all those residents not
evacuating in extreme peril, and
WHEREAS, Florida Statutes section 252.36 (5) provides that
the Governor may direct and compel the evacuation of all or part
of the population from any stricken or threatened area within
the state and prescribe routes, modes of transportation, and
destinations in connection with evacuation; now, therefore.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, as follows:
1. That these are matters of the utmost urgency to the
residents of and visitors to Monroe County and the Monroe County
Board of County Commissioners.
2. That the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners
formally requests the Governor of the State of Florida to:
(A) Designate specific preferred evacuation
routes to be used by Monroe County evacuees.
(B). Create a network of hurricane shelters
paralleling these Monroe County highway evacuation routes
(C) Coordinate with the applicable public health
and safety agencies and establish hurricane shelter
staffing plans for these designated shelters, insuring
said plans include adequate numbers of medical and security
personnel.
(D) Establish a program to provide
continuous emergency broadcast information to the Monroe
County evacuees which advises them as to the recommended
evacuation routes, the traffic conditions and delay
expectations, and the up-to-date status report and
locations of those hurricane shelters and/or refuges with
available space.
(E) Develop
moving evacuees off
shelters.
and
the
implement a
evacuation
methodology
routes into
for
these
(F) Provide appropriate communications
for the hurricane shelters.
systems
3. That the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners
requests the Governor of the State of Florida. to immediately
dedicate the requisite manpower and resources to provide for the
mainland Florida sheltering of Monroe County overland evacuees
as a matter of the most urgent priority.
4. That this Resolution shall
immediately upon adoption by the Board and
Presiding Officer and Clerk.
become effective
execution by the
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of
Monroe County, Florida, at a regular meeting of said Board held
on the 14th day of April, A.D. 1993.
Mayor London
Mayor Pro Tern Cheal
Commissioner Harvey
Commissioner Freeman
Commissioner Reich
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By-f);;L ~-
, . ... Mayor
(Seal)
Attest :1')AMn' B.-~uDDA~7"l'fM'li
.1?u~rfr~)
Deputy erk
Approved as to form and legal
sUfficiency.
Byk Ji---
County Attorney's Office