As Okeechobee County is now under a hurricane warning, the county’s Utility Authority is also issuing a boil warning starting at 8 a.m. Wednesday until further notice.
WPTV Reporter Ethan Stein spoke with Okeechobee’s mayor, Dowling Watford, who explained what challenges the city faces.
Watford said the Army Corps of Engineers ensured him that Lake Okeechobee wouldn’t flood, and they sounded very confident. However, the wind is still a concern.
The county believes about 13,000 people live in mobile homes, which Watford is concerned could become dangerous projectiles in strong enough winds.
“Our population isn’t as affluent as some of the coastal areas and our resources being a rural community,” Watford said. “We don’t have the resources that some of the bigger counties and cities have. It’s a challenge for us. The one thing we have going for us is our community is like a family. We help each other and it’s unbelievable the cooperation we have between us and our partners. It’s amazing how we all work together.”