Barrier Island Residents Urged To Get Emergency Access Permits For Hurricane Season

PINELLAS COUNTY, CA – In an effort to assist citizens in obtaining their Barrier Island Re-Entry passes, deputies will be out in the community registering residents at various locations throughout the next two months.

The Barrier Island Re-Entry Program was established in an effort to prevent looting and burglary after a large-scale mandatory evacuation and to keep trespassers from easy access to property.

The program requires residents of the barrier islands to obtain a free Sheriff's Office Emergency Access Permit to re-enter an evacuated area. In addition to the below locations, residents are still able to obtain their Barrier Island Re-Entry passes through their municipal government.

Cities/Communities that will require the Emergency Access Permit:

• Belleair Beach
• Belleair Shore
• Clearwater
• Indian Rocks Beach
• Indian Shores
• Madeira Beach
• North Redington Beach
• Redington Beach
• Redington Shores
• St. Pete Beach
• Tierra Verde
• Treasure Island

Deputies will be setting up registration tables at various events and City Halls throughout the participating barrier island cities/communities.

Eleven cities and the Tierra Verde community will require the Emergency Access Permits. There is a total of nine entry points to the barrier islands.

Deputies will be setting up registration tables at the following locations on specific dates/times:

• Saturday, June 17th, 2017 - 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - St. Pete Beach Recreation Center - 7701 Boca Ciega Drive.
• Saturday, June 24th, 2017 - 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Tierra Verde, 1120 Pinellas Bayway South.

Additional dates and times will be posted as needed. Photo ID and proof of residency are required to obtain permits and registration must be done in person.

A total of two permits will be issued per household; businesses may require additional permits and will be handled on acase by case basis by the issuing cities.

Home and business owners are encouraged to provide their tenants with the permits for their use in the event of an emergency evacuation. When an order is lifted, law enforcement posted at the various access points will scan the permit to verify permit validity prior to granting access; as well as to record entry and exit.

Residents are still able to obtain their Barrier Island Re-Entry passesthrough their municipal government.

For additional information regarding registration, residents can contact their respective municipalities; or to visit http://www.pcsoweb.com/emergency-access-permit.

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-- Image courtesy of the National Weather Service