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Jacksonville Mayor: People Will Not Be Turned Away From Shelters

Curry addresses reporters
Ryan Benk
/
WJCT News
Curry addresses reporters on Sunday evening, Sept. 10.

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry is warning residents they’re running out of time to get to a shelter and out of harm’s way.

With tropical storm-force winds expected to reach the First Coast Sunday tonight, Curry said people need to get to a safe place immediately.

Curry said people are not required to bring anything with them to shelters, including valid photo IDs.

“We’re not going to turn people away from a shelter. Their safety is the most important thing to me and to city officials,” he said. “We would like them to bring the resources they have — pillows, blankets, food, water — if they don’t have resources, we’re going to take care of them.”

Residents seeking safety in city shelters are also encouraged to bring any important documents with them, including IDs and insurance papers, if possible.

Curry said Duval County shelters are at 25 percent capacity, and the Legends Center on Soutel Drive is the only shelter of 12 available that is already full as of Sunday afternoon.

Here's a full list of shelters for Northeast Florida. 

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Ryan Benk is a former WJCT News reporter who joined the station in 2015 after working as a news researcher and reporter for NPR affiliate WFSU in Tallahassee.