New VCEM Director Says Volusia County Is Ready For Elsa

DeLand, FL – Some intensification is expected for Tropical Storm Elsa over the rest of today (July 6) and into tomorrow (July 7) with Hurricane Watches & Tropical Storm Warnings up for portions of the Gulf Coast. Volusia County is nowhere near where Elsa is expected to make landfall but we are on the dirty side of the storm and could see some localized flooding. Volusia County Emergency Management Director Helene Wetherington says they are maintaining a vigilant watch on Elsa and remain cautiously optimistic that Volusia County will be spared the brunt of the storm.  "We have coordinated daily with all of our partners, including the state emergency operations center, the National Hurricane Center, our 16 municipalities within the county, and our neighboring counties." Wetherington says that Elsa’s current track takes the storm well west of us so, at this time, it’s difficult to determine how it will affect us but we are under a flood watch until 4 p.m. tomorrow (July 7). "Residents should pay close attention to rainfall and in localized areas where it might be flooding, and in low-lying areas they know have flooded in the past. We’ve had quite a bit of rain in the last couple of weeks, so we’re pretty saturated." Volusia County shelters are on standby if needed. Wetherington says that Elsa is not expected to cause conditions to deteriorate enough to need them but if needed, they are ready to activate. Because Volusia County is not expected to be severely affected this time, Wetherington says it’s a good time to take a look at your own plan for when there is a real threat. You can find all the information you need for hurricane preparedness in Volusia County, including a link to download the county’s emergency preparedness app at volusia.org.