DeLand, FL - Volusia County Emergency Management Director Jim Judge says that 'Isaias' was a 'good drill' for how the county will respond during a hurricane while in the midst of a pandemic. He said as many things as possible were done in a 'virtual format.' "We had everybody tied into here, about 38 different agencies, our cities, fire, EMS, law enforcement. We would provide briefings to them multiple times a day to be able to keep them informed. You know, we always want to err on the side of safety for our public.'
In an abundance of caution, Judge opened up four shelters yesterday morning, two for the general population and two others for those with special needs, including service animals. The last one was closed around 3:30 p.m. Judge says everything went as planned, from the personal protective equipment, to the hand sanitizer, thermometers, social distancing signs, and staff education. "We pulled the trigger on it all, and everything we could possibly think of to make sure that things flowed smoothly but we were really ready for every single aspect of the sheltering component for this. So, I'm real proud of how everything went."
The news had officials breathing a sigh of relief, saying all of the planning and response efforts were a good way to keep the community on its toes for the remainder of the storm season. “Isaias, what we’ve always known, confirmed it: Hurricanes are unpredictable,” County Chair Ed Kelley said during a post-storm news conference Monday morning at the Volusia County Emergency Operations Center.
