Leon County leaders prepare for Elsa

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Emergency management crews are standing by at the Leon County Public Works office ready to deploy to areas that may incur damage from Elsa. "We have some of the staff that have roles with our emergency management plan here on site preparing for any wind or rain that may come," said Kevin Peters, Leon County's Emergency Management Director. The county has also made sandbag locations available to help protect people's property from water, and encourages everyone to take preventative measures around their homes to ward off the effects of the wind. "You certainly want to make sure that you have your yard clear and anything that could be blown in the air, bring it inside into a garage or shed or a sheltered location so the wind doesn't sweep it away or crash it into windows or doors or things of that nature, either on your property or a neighbor's property," said Peters. County leaders also advise travelers to be careful on the road. Avoid driving through standing water. Even Tallahassee's Star Metro will suspend service if wind speeds reach more than 35 miles per hour. "All passengers will be transported to our C. K. Steele plaza there, if they choose to, and from there they'll be taken to their final destination," said Angela Baldwin, Star Metro transit director. "We will get customers back to their location safely." In addition to those already on standby, additional Leon County Emergency response staff will arrive at 5am tomorrow to see everyone safely through the storm.