Manatee officials prep for Isaac

Manatee County officials are on high alert as Tropical Storm Isaac heads toward Florida.

Manatee County officials will meet this morning at the Public Safety Center to prepare for the storm, which is predicted to become a Category 1 hurricane by early next week.

Emergency Management Chief Laurie Feagans and Emergency Management staff now are monitoring updates from the National Hurricane Center and the National Weather Service in Ruskin to have a better idea of the strength, force and direction of the storm.

“Have your hurricane plan ready and make a hurricane disaster kit,” Feagans said. “This storm will bring rain and tropical force winds. The ground is already saturated, so people should be especially mindful of high winds that could topple trees.”

Local Isaac updates will be available regularly on the county’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/manatee.county.fl.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].