Evacuation Orders - Are They Necessary?

To the Editor:

This mandatory evacuation order for

"All persons west of SR 55 or better known as US 19/98 living in saturated or low lying areas. These areas include: Inglis, Yankeetown, Gulf Hammock, Otter Creek, Ellzey, Camp Azalea, Fowler`s Bluff, Rosewood, Sumner, Cedar Key, Fanning Springs, and all low lying subdivisions located between these cities." is totally ridiculous.

Come on folks, what are you trying to do, get people killed when we have a real storm? Telling people to evacuate for a tropical storm with projected winds of 55 mph is an invitation for people to ignore you when a REAL storm comes along.

Yes, it could intensify, yes, it could change path, yes, it could do a lot of things, but the time to order a mandatory evacuation is NOT when a TROPICAL STORM is more than 24-36 hours away.

Jennie Pinto

Cedar Key, FL 32625

(Editor`s Note: posted evacuations on the Cedar Key News website are Official Notices from the Levy County Disaster Management Office)