PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – The City of Portsmouth has announced the following precautions due to Hurricane Isaias.
The storm is expected to bring gusty winds capable of knocking down trees and knocking out power.
As a result, the city declared a local state of emergency Monday night.
City offices in Portsmouth will be closed Tuesday, August 4 for non-essential employees and the Portsmouth City Council closed session virtual meeting has been rescheduled to Wednesday, August 5.
The city is opening four garages to its residents who live in low-lying areas, as several parts of Portsmouth are prone to flooding.
The following city parking garages will be open and free to park beginning Monday, August 3 at 5 p.m.
- County Street Garage
- Harbor Court Garage
- Middle Street Garage
- Water Street Garage
Vehicles can remain in the garages until 7 a.m. Wednesday. Do not park in 24-hour reserved spaces.
Trash, recycling, bulk and yard waste collections scheduled for Tuesday will be suspended until Wednesday, August 5. Those suspended routes will be collected August 5.
The DriveERT Customer Care Center on County St. will be closed Tuesday, August 4. If you need assistance, call (757) 837-0840, or customers can manage their account online at www.DriveERT.com. Normal operating hours at the Customer Care Center will resume Wednesday morning.
Monday’s COVID-19 Community Screening event has been rescheduled for Friday, Aug. 7 at New Mount Vernon Baptist Church.
First responders are encouraging people to stay inside until the storm passes — otherwise, you could put yourself at risk.
The Portsmouth Fire Department said it’s ready to respond as needed. However, if weather or road conditions are too dangerous, you may have to wait for help.
“We can respond up to a certain period. If conditions deteriorate, winds become a certain force, we’ll have to stop our responses to protect our personnel,” said Battalion Chief Danny Miller. “We’re not always, at the height of the storm, going to be able to respond.”
PFD is also reminding the public to turn around if you come across a road with high water. They have resources on standby just in case.
“We’ve strategically placed some inflatable boats with motors throughout the city in case there’s a flooding issue and we need to use them to get to citizens,” Miller said.