OKEECHOBEE, Fla. — Officials in Okeechobee County are opening two shelters after a hurricane watch was issued Tuesday.
Community Services Director Denise Whitehead said that the county will open a special needs shelter at the Department of Health, located at 1700 Northwest Ninth Ave., at 8 a.m. Wednesday.
Also, a general population, pet-friendly shelter will be open at South Elementary, located at 2468 Southwest Seventh Ave., at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Pets are required to be registered with the county and provide a crate, up-to-date shot records, food for at least three to five days, water for the animal and a litter box if the pet is a cat.
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Waste Management will stop collections at the end of the day on Tuesday in Okeechobee County.
Schools in Okeechobee County are closed Wednesday through Friday.
Limited amounts of sandbags are available at the Public Works Department compound located at 804 Northwest Second Street. Shovels and limited bags are available at the site at no charge. Residents will be required to fill their own bags.
An information line for the county is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. by calling 863-824-6888.
WATCH 2022 WPTV FIRST ALERT WEATHER SPECIAL
TROPICAL STORM WATCH: An announcement that tropical storm conditions (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are possible within the specified coastal area within 48 hours.
TROPICAL STORM WARNING: An announcement that tropical storm conditions (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are expected within the specified coastal area within 36 hours.
HURRICANE WATCH: An announcement that hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 mph or higher) are possible somewhere within the specified coastal area. A hurricane watch is issued 48 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds.
HURRICANE WARNING: An announcement that hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 mph or higher) are expected somewhere within the specified coastal area. A hurricane warning is issued 36 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds.