Russell County bracing for higher winds starting about 2 p.m. Monday

The Russell County Emergency Operations Center was in full operation Monday morning in advance of the expected high winds in the Chattahoochee Valley.

More than dozen people were in the center next to Russell County Jail monitoring the progress of Hurricane Irma as what is left of it spins out of Florida and into south Georgia and south Alabama.

Led by Russell County Emergency Management Director Bob Franklin, the center is staffed by the Russell County Sheriff’s Office, Phenix City Police Department, Phenix City Fire Department and Russell County Engineering.

Just before 11 a.m. Monday morning, it was a waiting game, said Sheriff Heath Taylor.

“It is going to be a long night,” Taylor said. “If it does pick up at 2 or 3 and lasts like they say from 2 or 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., you still need to use caution. If you are not in a safe place, there are shelters in Phenix City and Russell County that are open.”

As of noon Monday, there were three shelters open in Russell County. One at Golden Acres Baptist Church at 3405 S Railroad Street in Phenix City, the Holy Trinity shelter on Ala. 165 and Silver Run Baptist Church on Mathis Road in Seale.

The forecast calls for winds in the 40 miles per hour range in Russell County, Taylor said.

This story was originally published September 11, 2017 at 11:17 AM with the headline "Russell County bracing for higher winds starting about 2 p.m. Monday."