Update on Clay County damage assessment

Clay County Emergency Management Office Press Release:

Door-to-door damage assessment efforts will begin tomorrow morning (Thursday) at 8 a.m., when teams take to the streets in areas where flood waters have subsided. Assessment efforts will be concentrated in the:

• Knightboxx Road area
• Tanglewood and Greenwood subdivisions, Southern Orange Park
• Aquarius Concourse and Arora Blvd., off Blanding Blvd in Northern Orange Park
• Bellair area, North of Kingsley Ave.

Continued assessment efforts will be conducted in other areas as water recedes.

Many roadways remain closed or impassable. The Clay County Sheriff’s Department personnel will continue to provide assistance for residents in stricken areas.

• CR 218W at Jacaranda Avenue is open
• CR218W at Country Estates remains impassable
• County Public Works personnel are working to improve additional roadways, and these will be opened as conditions warrant

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Fire Rescue Urban Search and Rescue teams, and Fish and Wildlife Commission continue to maintain personnel and watercraft available to assist residents. Approximately 90 people and several animals have been assisted from flooding homes.

Damage reports are being received from all areas of the county. Nearly 200 damage reports have been received so far. More than 300 homes are believed to have sustained some type of damage, which may not have been yet reported. All damage should be reported to the Clay County hotline @ (904)284-7703. As this is a declared emergency, it is imperative that all reports of damage are recorded through the EOC.

• Storm-related debris (structural and vegetative), should be placed curbside for collection. Debris pieces should be no longer than 4’ long, and weigh no more than 50 lbs per piece.
• Regular household garbage and weekly yard debris pickups will be conducted on existing pickup schedules.

The EOC Call Center will remain open until 11:00 p.m. tonight, and reopen at 8:00 a.m. Thursday. 

Creek Levels:

8:45 a.m.  Wednesday: 25.11

12:45 p.m. Wednesday: 24.67

4:45 p.m. Wednesday: 23+ feet and still dropping 

Points of Interest:

• EOC: The Clay County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is operating on Level 1 activation, 0800-2000 hours.
• Damages should be reported to the EOC hotline, (904) 284-7703
• Electrical Outages: none reported
• Water removal: The Clay County Utility Authority is asking residents to refrain from using the large manholes in urban areas to drain water off individual properties. Overwhelming the system will allow a backflow of raw sewage to flow into homes
• Injuries: 1 minor injury, from ceiling materials falling on a subject. Pt transported to OPMC.
• Boat ramps: Old Ferry and Main St. boat ramps remain closed
• Weather: upper 90’s for the next few days; heat index 100+ degrees
• Closure of Clinic: the Health Department Bear Run clinic remains closed Wednesday and Thursday
• Evacuation of Safe Animal Shelter: The Safe Animal Shelter on CR 220 was evacuated and all animals were relocated to Clay County Animal Control
• Closed roadways: multiple. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office continues to provide deputies at road closures to assist residents with evacuations. They caution residents against driving past any barricades, due to water hazards in closed roadways. No vehicles should be driven into roadways which are covered with water. Non residents should not attempt to gain access to flooded areas by vehicle or boat
• Shelters: all shelters are closed
• Health concerns:
• mosquitoes, snakes, ants, and other wildlife
•  Bug repellant should be used
• Residents should not walk through or allow children to play in flooded areas
• Flooded well heads should be treated as contaminated until examined by Health Department officials. Residents should drink boiled or bottled water. Residents with flooded well heads should call 904-541-2800 for more information

 “Fill your own” sandbags and sand are available free at the following locations:

• Fire Station 14 @ 4003 Everett Avenue, Middleburg

Fire Station 20 South Oakridge Avenue, Green