Sarasota County issues all-clear after Hurricane Irma

Sarasota County has issued the all-clear following Hurricane Irma.

“We are now all-clear to the initial response,” Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief Ed McCrane said in a video posted to the county’s social media Friday. “The recovery phase has begun.”

McCrane urged residents to “proceed with caution,” as it's possible to still have intermittent power outages.

County staff waited about a week following the hurricane to issue the all-clear, mostly to send a message to residents that they should continue to use caution as they travel to parts of the county where power could be out, there could be flooding or there could be other dangerous conditions. 

All of the county’s traffic lights were functional Friday, and as of Monday morning, 21,500 Sarasota FPL customers remained without power. According to the county, FPL expects to have power back on for 100% of Sarasota customers by close of business Wednesday. 

“We will get there,” McCrane said.