Oct. 15, 2008 – With the Virgin Islands keeping a watchful eye on the development of what could become Hurricane Omar, numerous organizations and departments are expected to cancel or postpone events and to close until the storm passes. Closings and notices will be added to the list as they're received.
If you wish to get the word out about any of the above, please send your notice to visource@gmail.com.
6 p.m. curfew in effect Wednesday.
– The last ferry between Cruz Bay, St. John and Red Hook, St. Thomas, left at 10 p.m.. Tuesday.
– The last ferry from Red Hook, St. Thomas, to Cruz Bay, St. John, left at 11 p.m. Tuesday.
Ferry service will be suspended until further notice.
Closings and Delays
Airports
Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix closed officially at 1 p.m. Wednesday and will remain closed through Thursday. All flights scheduled to arrive at St. Croix are canceled.
Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas will close at 5 p.m. Wednesday and remain closed through Thursday. All American and American Eagle incoming flights to St. Thomas have been canceled. U.S. Air is expected to arrive at 3:10 p.m. today. This is the last scheduled arrival to St. Thomas. All flights scheduled to arrive after 5 p.m. are also canceled.
Aircraft owners and operators at both airports are urged to come to the airports to secure their planes.
Cape Air has announced all of its flights are canceled for the remainder of Wednesday . Travelers are urged to contact their airlines directly for flight information.
Seaports
The U.S. Coast Guard has closed the U.S. Virgin Islands harbors effective 2 a.m. for St. Croix and 5 a.m. for St. Thomas. This closure cancels all scheduled marine traffic to all islands including cruise, cargo, seaplane and ferry traffic. The harbors will remain closed until further notification from the Coast Guard
Christiansted National Historic Site, Buck Island Reef National Monument, Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve are closed until further notice
– Oct. 19 meeting for the Friends of Denmark has been rescheduled for Oct. 25.
all public schools are closed Wednesday
Antilles School closed Wednesday and Thursday.
the port of St. Thomas is closed at of 5 p.m. Tuesday and all ship calls for Wednesday are canceled.
the St. Croix Elections Board meeting scheduled for Tuesday is postponed.
Businesses
The offices of Theodore Tunick & Company on St. Thomas and St. John will remain open until noon Wednesday and re-open as soon as conditions allow on Thursday.
All FirstBank VI branches will close at noon Wednesday except the Yacht Haven branch which is closed all day.
Scotiabank branches on St. Croix closed at 11 a.m., on St. Thomas at noon and St. John was closed all day Wednesday. An update will be provided as soon as possible Thursday.
Public Notices
the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center shelter and flea market facilities are closed until further notice. Please remember your pets and bring them inside. Do not leave dogs tied in areas prone to flooding. Please make sure that pets have enough food and water and that pet medicines are secured.. For more on what to do with and for your pet/s during a disaster click here.
Human Services
Shelters will be opened on all three islands at noon Wednesday
on St. Croix: St. Croix Educational Complex
on St. Thomas: the Charlotte Amalie High School
on St. John the Bethany Moravian Church
Public Works
Sandbags being distributed on all three islands:
on St. Croix: DPW in Annas Hope, the Cotton Valley Fire Station, the Grove Place Fire Station and the entrance of Estate Concordia.
on St. Thomas, at DPW motor pool.
— on St. John at the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management office in Susannaberg.
Internal Revenue Bureau
Oct. 15 filing date for all taxpayers has been extended to Monday, Oct. 20
Water and Power Authority
business offices closed at noon Wednesday.
St. Croix, water production will terminate at 7 p.m. Wednesday in order to secure the water plants. There will be water in storage available for customer use, however, water customers at higher elevations may experience low pressure. It is recommended that all water customers throughout the territory boil their water during the next few days in the event run off from non-point sources due to heavy rains infiltrate the water system and water line breaks occur during the storm.
all personnel will report to work on normal schedules to assist in the restoration of the electric and water systems in the event of any damage caused by the storm. Emergency numbers will be manned and additional information can be accessed at the website at www.viwapa.vi. On St. Croix call 773-0150, or 773-2250 and then press 7 for the line department. On St. Thomas, St. John or Water Island call 774-1424, or 774-3552 and then press 4 for a dispatcher. The authority will not intentionally turn off power in the event of a storm, but will follow the three strike rule: If a feeder loses service, control room personnel will try three times to restore the feeder unless conditions in the field dictate otherwise. If unsuccessful, the feeder will remain without service until the storm passes.
Innovative Telephone
business offices closed at noon Wednesday, 11 a.m. on St. Croix.
customers are advised to expect storm related outages and are asked to limit phone usage to emergencies. The public is also asked not to tamper with, touch, cut or drive over downed lines.
Guidelines for Boaters from Planning and Natural Resources
St. Thomas-St. John
Safe havens:
St. Thomas: Benner Bay, Mandahl Pond, Flamingo Bay
St. John: Hurricane Hole is under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, boaters must coordinate with NPS on St. John for assigned mooring location, contact the Chief Ranger of Protection
St. Croix
Safe havens:
Salt River: initial entry into the havens will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Enforcement officers will be available to assist boaters in maintaining an organized entry and site location for vessels or to resolve difficult situations.