With weather conditions deteriorating from Hurricane Irma, and a countywide curfew now in effect, Broward County shelters have closed to new arrivals, the county mayor said.
Like the rest of South Florida, the county is under a hurricane warning, a storm surge warning and a local state of emergency. A tornado watch is in effect until midnight and there is a flood watch, Broward Mayor Barbara Sharief said.
More than 17,000 people are at Palm Beach County’s 15 shelters — about a third of the county’s capacity.
Though some shelters were not at full capacity, some people were being relocated to alternate shelters to better accommodate everyone.
The county has been getting calls to its hot line from west coast residents trying to find shelter, said Nicole Bishop, emergency information center manager.
With the exception of the pet friendly shelter, Palm Beach County shelters accept everyone regardless of residency, officials said.
Earlier in the day, some South Floridians who had taken refuge in shelters for Irma returned to their homes, reacting to how the storm’s projected course shifted to exclude southeast Florida. Officials urged everyone in shelters to remain there, despite the forecast showing Hurricane Irma moving west, because it’ll be dangerous as the weather worsens.
At least 50 people left Park Vista Community High School on Saturday morning, said Reggie Myers, principal.
A volunteer at Park Vista Community High said that so many people have left they aren’t sure how to keep track. Still, Myers and others are urging residents to stay. “The storm is unpredictable,” Myers said. “Who knows what could happen?”
Park Vista Community High has already taken in nearly 1,000 people and has room for at least 4,000 more.
Also Saturday morning, six people had left the West Boynton Recreation Center, a pet-friendly shelter, said Elizabeth Harfmann, a spokeswoman for Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control. The shelter can’t force people to stay, though they are urging them to, she said.
“We’ve had a few people check out this morning because they feel it’s safe enough to go home,” she said.
Independence Middle School and West Gate Elementary School were at capacity.
Shelters have capacity for about 43,500 people. Forty-three slots remain at the pet-friendly shelter at the West Boynton Recreation Center. Donations are no longer being accepted at shelters, and residents not in evacuation zones are advised to stay at home.
A countywide curfew in Palm Beach County also is in effect.
Broward County opened two additional shelters Saturday morning, including one that is taking people with pets.
Broward officials say they had a small number of people who have voluntarily left the shelters. Those wishing to leave weren’t prevented from doing so as long as the facility wasn’t on lockdown. The shelters were on lockdown at 4 p.m. to coincide with the county curfew.
Many families filed into shelters through the day.
Laureen Cikora evacuated her RV in Davie with her dog, Spice, and headed to Lakeside Elementary School, which allows pets. She said she wished she was better prepared by having a dog crate for Spice, but she’s glad to be safe at the shelter.
“This is scary,” Cikora said. “May God have mercy on us. You think I’m going to leave my dog in a camper? Our pets are like our kids.”
Outside Park Vista Community High, under a patched-gray sky, Dulce Pineda, 18, of Boca Raton, waited with her father and her sisters, ages 7, 3, and 1.
With her headphones plugged in and her eyes cast toward her phone, Pineda waited for another half-dozen family members to arrive before heading into the shelter.
“We saw it was dangerous to be home,” she said.
Marty Hoffer, 68, a retired Miami-Dade County teacher, was a little hesitant about leaving the family cat at the pet shelter at Millennium Middle School in Tamarac. Hoffer was staying next door at Challenger Elementary, but thought it was too crowded and uncomfortable, so he left to go stay at Everglades School in Weston instead.
“We had to sleep on kindergarten chairs,” Hoffer said.
Carlos Gonzalez, 62, of Plantation, and his wife tried to take shelter at Plantation Elementary School, but found out they couldn’t bring their dogs, Suki and Rocky. The couple decided to go elsewhere for shelter.
“We’ve been watching the news,” Gonzalez said. “I feel a little scared.”
Ed Martin, 70, was perfectly happy staying at Plantation Elementary with about 400 other people. He was convinced he’d be there through Monday.
“It’s supposed to get worse as the day goes on,” said the retired teacher.
Annette Clarke, 52, took shelter at Plantation Elementary, which is within walking distance of her house. “The more people you are among, it takes your mind off of what’s going on outside,” she said of being in a shelter.
Meanwhile, the West Boynton Recreation Center has already accepted more than 250 pets, and nearly 200 owners, but they still have room for more. Among those seeking refuge: 153 dogs, 83 cats, 15 birds, two sugar gliders.
Yetta Meisner, 70, of Belle Glade, said she went to the shelter last year ahead of Hurricane Matthew and thought it was safe enough for her Quaker parrot Ozzee to go back. “This is very important,” she said. “They must make more shelters for animals. People in Florida love their animals.”
Staff writers Anne Geggis, Ryan Van Velzer and Taimy Alvarez contributed to this report.