Pasco County issues mandatory evacuation for Zone A on Wednesday morning

The Pasco County Commission voted Tuesday to declare a state of local emergency ahead of Tropical Storm Helene.

Mandatory evacuations begin Wednesday morning for residents living in Zone A along the coast. Find your zone here.

Pasco County Schools will remain open Wednesday, but all after-school activities and events are canceled for shelter and storm preparation.

Five schools will open as emergency shelters at 4 p.m. Wednesday. Wiregrass High school will also be used as a special needs shelter. All shelters will be pet-friendly.

Fasano Regional Hurricane Shelter will open earlier at 9 a.m. Wednesday for special needs residents. Pasco-Hernando State College will be used as a shelter for county employees.

”We order evacuations in Pasco County, people don’t move. They don’t listen,” said Pasco County emergency management director Andrew Fossa. “They are complacent. I preach it until I’m blue in the face ... I would like to see that change.”

All Pasco County library branches will be closed starting 4 p.m. Wednesday and will remain closed Thursday. All library programs are also canceled until further notice.

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