Treasure Coast sheriffs prep ahead of Hurricane Ian, may dispatch deputies to Gulf Coast

Treasure Coast law enforcement officials continued Tuesday to make preparations for whatever impacts result from Hurricane Ian once the Category 2 storm makes landfall, likely on Florida's Gulf Coast.

During a joint meeting Tuesday morning at the Martin County Emergency Operations Center, Sheriff William Snyder said “you can definitely tell there’s more electricity in the air.”

Sheriff’s officials along the Treasure Coast were monitoring developments as the storm moved over Cuba and closer to the state.

“Fortunately, we have done all of our preparation already. We are moving our helicopters out of this area for protection. And we're putting our boats in safe harbor," Snyder said. "We have pre-positioned two … high-water vehicles. And we kept one here as emergency response."

Cone of uncertainty: See the latest graphic from the NHC

Satellite images: See latest satellite image from NOAA, for a clearer picture of the storm's size

Sheriff's deputies, he said, have an agreement with fire rescue personnel that law enforcement will assist in responding to emergencies during sustained winds that exceed 35 mph. 

“Their (fire rescue) vehicles are high centered, so they stop at 35 (mph), but we have heavy equipment, heavy vehicles, and they will be with us," Snyder said. "So in the event of … the common emergency runs that can happen, you'll be getting a Martin County Sheriff's deputy along with fire rescue. That's our plan."

Also Tuesday, Snyder was reassigning some deputies ahead of closings announced for Wednesday and Thursday at Martin County public schools and the state courthouse in Stuart.

“We are repositioning our personnel ... so the school resource deputies, court services deputies, they'll be redistributed throughout our workforce to augment our regular response," he said.

Hurricane Ian made landfall in western Cuba early Tuesday as a powerful Category 3 storm and is now moving toward Florida. Maximum sustained winds were at 125 mph when the eyewall moved ashore just southwest of La Coloma, Cuba, at 4:30 a.m., according to the National Hurricane Center.

Ian weakened slightly during the latest advisory as it continues its path toward Florida. The forecast calls for Ian to become a weak Category 4 storm, with winds reaching 130 mph,  within the next 12 hours.

Snyder said his staff, along with other sheriff's offices, may be asked to send their specially trained deputies to assist law enforcement agencies in the areas hardest hit once Hurricane Ian makes landfall.

“We are a nationally certified disaster response unit, so we're high on the list.  We've already been contacted by the Florida Sheriff’s Association,” Snyder said. “They're the coordinators for all resources and they've asked us what we can contribute. So I expect if the West Coast gets hurt, we will be over there.”

Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers on Tuesday said if the Treasure Coast region is largely spared, he too expects to dispatch a team of deputies to damaged areas to assist.

St. Lucie County Sheriff Chief Deputy Brian Hester echoed Flowers.

“We work alongside a Florida Sheriff’s Association strike team to address areas of concern across Florida during emergency situations,” Hester said Tuesday. “Once we address our communities’ needs, we are prepared to send resources to other regions that request it, if the need arises.”

Melissa E. Holsman is the legal affairs reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers, and is writer and co-host of Uncertain Terms, a true crime podcast. Reach her at melissa.holsman@tcpalm.com.