Update: Tuesday, September 18, 2018, 8AM
Jacksonville: Recovery and Assessment Efforts Underway
Jacksonville City Hall will open to serve our Citizens today. Information on rebuilding and permits will be among the things offered today along with normal services for utilities. Some sections of City Hall may not be at full manpower due to some employees having suffered losses or who continue to be evacuated from the area.
To concentrate on recovery efforts, the City Council Meetings that had been set 5PM and 7PM, Tuesday, September 18, 2018 are cancelled.
Jacksonville’s Citizen Phone Bank will remain in operation 8AM to 8PM today and will take questions from Citizens. Many grocery stores are expected to open today and more locations have gas today.
Some Jacksonville streets remain impassable but flooding is lessening. City officials are urging drivers to be cautious in the dark and watch for flooded areas and downed trees.
All Sanitation and Streets crews were diverted Monday to street clearing and crews will continue today. City crews cannot move trees intertwined with downed power lines, and must wait for the power companies to respond to the locations.
Sanitation will resume collection today with the Monday route. Tomorrow, Wednesday, they will pick up the Tuesday Route. The Thursday and Friday routes will stay the same.
Yard debris should be piled on the curb, not on the street. Pick up of that will begin this Saturday and because of the volume expected, will take some time to pick up all around the City.
Construction Debris, siding, shingles, furniture ruined by flooding, wet carpeting and similar items should be piled at the street also but in a separate pile.
Please keep your regular garbage and recycling in their regular rollout containers. If you lost your container, please just bag it and put it at the curb separate from the other areas.
The City apologizes about the potential damage to grass from the storage of these items, but the need to keep the streets clear is a primary objective. Help keep storm drains clear as more rain is in the forecast and the storm sewer system is overwhelmed with debris.
City Operations
The Citizens Phone Bank can be reached at 910 938-5200 now. As a backup, the City also has these cell lines for assistance, particularly for those affected by the CenturyLink outage:
910 358-5884
910 548-1737
910 548-3116
910 548-1722
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Update: Monday, September 17, 2018, 12PM
After the Storm
The rain has stopped and the high water is starting to recede. More and more streets are becoming passable.
Crews are working to clear streets, as they are able. City crews cannot move trees intertwined with downed power lines.
City Hall and facilities will reopen and will operate on a normal schedule Tuesday, September 18, 2018.
The Citizen's Phone Bank will continue Tuesday at 910 938-5200.
Clean Up
On Monday, September 17, 2018, residential sanitation crews will be clearing and pushing yard waste to the edge of the roadway for pickup on Tuesday, September 18, 2018 and throughout the week.
- Household sanitation collection will resume Tuesday, September 18 starting with the Monday route.
- On Wednesday, September 19, crews will pick up the Tuesday route.
- Thursday and Friday routes will be collected as regularly scheduled.
- On Saturday, Crews will be dedicated to yard waste pick up.
Please put your items in separate areas in front of your home on the curb, not in the street. Streets need to be clear so that they will not flood. As you are working to clean up your yards, please keep the storm drains clear. Do not place debris in storm drains.
The City apologizes for damage to any yards from these piles, but the process is necessary to keep the streets clear and prevent additional flooding and debris in the stormwater system.
Please place the items in these separate areas at the curb, not in the street:
Pile 1: Yard Waste
- Leaves, branches, trees
- Do not move waste with downed lines
Pile 2: Construction Debris & Household Items
- Decking, shingles, sheet rock, furniture, wet carpeting, fences, appliances, electronics
- Residential Rollout Container, household garbage; will also accept bagged items
- Recycling Rollout Container, acceptable recycling items
If your residential containers are damaged or lost, call 910 938-5338 (limited number of containers and service available)
Commercial Sanitation Service will resume on Monday with essential services being addressed first, then commercial customers.
Manholes
The City has experienced more rain than ever before. The wastewater system is overwhelmed and some manholes may be seen with escaping fluids. Please stay away from them. If you see a manhole that is open and unattended, please contact our City Citizen's Phone Bank.
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Update: Saturday, September 15, 2018, 12PM
Curfew Revised: New Curfew to go into effect 9PM Saturday through 7AM Sunday
As a result of impassable streets and downed power lines, a curfew has been imposed for the City of Jacksonville from 9PM, Saturday, September 15, 2018 to 7AM, Sunday, September 16, 2018.
Mayor Sammy Phillips declared a State of Emergency September 10 and then issued a curfew that ended today (Saturday) at noon. Because of the conditions of the streets and the lack of power in major portions of the City, a new curfew was established.
Some City crews who were to help with street cleaning were diverted to help with evacuations and rescues. Some areas of the City have been cleared, but others remain unpassable and some have power lines impeding safe travel.
Therefore, the Mayor imposed the new curfew for public safety.
Jacksonville residents who have concerns should call the alternate number for the Citizen’s Phone bank at 910 358-5884.
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Update: Friday, September 14, 2018, 3PM
Curfew Issued: 7PM Thursday - Noon Saturday
Jacksonville Mayor Sammy Phillips has signed an order setting a curfew for the City of Jacksonville from 7PM, Thursday, September 13, 2018 until 7AM, Sunday, September 16, 2018. The end time has now been modified to Noon, Saturday, September 15, 2018.
View the curfew proclamation here.
We thank those who voluntarily left our City and heeded our advice for a voluntary evacuation. For those who stayed, now is not the time to seek other shelter. As hurricane force winds approach Jacksonville, now is the time to stay in place.
The Curfew Proclamation states: “In order to preserve the public health, safety, and welfare of Jacksonville citizens, and to protect their property as a result of evacuations and the threat of possible looting, I hereby restrict the appearance in public during the aforementioned period of anyone except law enforcement, emergency services personnel, emergency utility workers, and elected and appointed county and municipal officials. I further order that, with the exception of business or establishments that provide emergency services, all offices, business establishments, and other places to or from which people may travel or at which they may congregate are strongly encouraged be closed during the aforementioned period.”
The Mayor signed the proclamation after being informed of the weather expected to be experienced.
Emergency vehicles cannot be dispatched when the winds exceed 50MPH. Residents who have not evacuated should remain in place after the winds reach that speed.
Beginning about 9PM, the City is expected to have major hurricane winds. The hurricane force winds will continue until noon on Friday.
“This is not the time to be driving around,” said Mayor Phillips in announcing the curfew. “It is now too late for safe evacuation. There will be trees down, power lines down and flooding. And we expect a storm surge along the New River Friday.”
Jacksonville residents who have concerns should call the Citizen’s Phone bank at 938-5200.
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Update: Thursday, September 13, 2018, 11AM
Stay Home, Stay Safe.
That is the message from Mayor Sammy Phillips. In his live report from the Jacksonville EOC at 9:45am, Thursday, September 13 with Public Safety Director Mike Yaniero and Mayor Pro Tem Lazzara, the Mayor stated that hurricane Florence will have significant impact to our area. See the City's facebook page for the live report - Jacksonville North Carolina Government
Important information to know:
- A State of Emergency has been declared by Mayor Sammy Phillips for the City of Jacksonville
- As of 11AM, the Jacksonville area is is starting to feel the impact of the storm with winds now exceeding 35MPH. Wind speeds will increase throughout the day and into Thursday night
- A tornado watch is in effect for our area
- The New River is expected to rise, downtown Jacksonville most likely to experience flooding.
- While there is no curfew established at this point, the Mayor and Public Safety Director are stating that this may change as conditions worsen.
- An update is scheduled for 3PM
City Emergency personnel and other crews are on the job:
Please allow emergency crews to do their job. Public Safety personnel, road crews and crews responding to power outages are on the job to help keep you safe. Please keep roadways clear so they may do their job.
Jacksonville Connect provides local emergency messages directly to you:
Sign up free for local emergency messaging at JacksonvilleNC.gov/Connect You can receive info your way through text, phone or email.