Martin County and Stuart government officials continued preparing for Irma throughout the day Tuesday.
Tuesday afternoon was in the midst of a multi-prong approach to Hurricane Irma preparation, including testing flood-control pumps, fueling heavy equipment, closing down active construction sites and coordinating with a long list of local, state and federal agencies.
County Spokeswoman Martha Ann Kneiss, at a press briefing at the Martin County Emergency Operations Center, urged residents to plan ahead.
The city of Stuart, meanwhile, is to hold a special City Commission meeting at 4 p.m. Wednesday to discuss the approaching storm, the potential declaration of a local state of emergency and possible mandatory evacuations.
“City officials implore all Stuart residents to continue monitoring the storm and all future notices from the city and from Martin County, ” Ben Hogarth, Stuart spokesman, said in a news release Tuesday evening.
MORE: Everything you need to know about Hurricane Irma
In Martin County, garbage collection will continue through Friday, according to the county Utilities Department.
“If you’re evacuating, please don’t put your garbage out, since you can’t bring the cans back, ” Kneiss noted.
She asked residents not to trim trees this week, because large debris such as tree limbs will not be picked up.
Kneiss, at the press briefing, said the county is in close communication with the Army Corps of Engineers regarding Lake Okeechobee levels.
The county is “very conscious” of it, and will release specific information to communities in western Martin County if necessary, she said.
As for the coastal department, the beaches are in “good shape, ” according to Kneiss.
A dredging project currently underway in the St. Lucie Inlet will be halted temporarily, and the crew and equipment likely transported to Jacksonville, she said.
Those on Hutchinson Island should be aware that if winds approach tropical storm levels, water will be shut off to the island.
While much hurricane work happens after the storm, Martin County Fire Rescue Chief Daniel Wouters said that for now, that’s not a primary concern.
“Our initial priority is life safety, ” he said.
