As Hurricane Irma looms closer, officials are warning that everyone in the Florida Keys should get out before the storm hits.
“Hurricane Irma is a very strong, very dangerous storm that has life-threatening winds and even scarier storm surge potential. Even the Coast Guard is evacuating all of its personnel. Please evacuate,” Monroe County Administrator Roman Gastesi told CBS.
Florida Governor Rick Scott was also told that first responders would be evacuating the Keys, meaning no one will be there to answer 911 calls, CBS reported.
The National Weather Service Key West Twitter account also posted a message urging people to evacuate saying nowhere in the Keys will be safe.
CBS noted that anyone waiting to evacuate may also have trouble finding place to gas up their cars. According to CBS, there were few gas stations still open in Key West and Marathon as of Friday.
“We keep trying,” Gastesi told CBS Friday. “There is still a small window for people to get out of the Keys before the tropical storm force winds begin tomorrow around noon.”
“Once a dangerous storm starts, don’t dial 911 during it because nobody is going to answer,” he said.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- What Student Photojournalists Saw at the Campus Protests
- How Far Trump Would Go
- Why Maternity Care Is Underpaid
- Saving Seconds Is Better Than Hours
- Welcome to the Golden Age of Ryan Gosling
- Scientists Are Finding Out Just How Toxic Your Stuff Is
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com