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Hernando Today

Fay Fizzles, Storm Provides Trial Run, Little Else

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By KYLE MARTIN

Hernando Today

Published: August 20, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - Some wind, some rain and a practice swing are about all Hernando County received from Tropical Storm Fay.

The tempest continued its eastward path Monday night and by late Tuesday afternoon Fay's track took her out into the Atlantic Ocean. Meteorologists have not ruled out the possibility of Fay regaining traction and making a second landfall somewhere near Jacksonville.

Fay spared Hernando County from the tidal surge and the pounding rain that flooded South Florida. No evacuations were called for locally and shelters were not opened.

As of 2 p.m. on Tuesday, the storm was still crawling northeast across the state so Interim Emergency Management Cecilia Patella was guarded in her comments.

But with forecasts continuing to take the storm farther from home base, Patella was optimistic enough to consider the threat significantly diminished.

"As long as the event has life, we'll monitor it regularly," she said.
Patella and her staff at the Emergency Operations Center kept an all-night vigil just in case the storm made a sudden hook west or spawned tornadoes in the area.
Patella praised the county's department heads for the precautionary measures they took as the storm advanced on Sunday.

There was "excellent" turnout at the Monday morning threat advisory meeting, and everyone who participated provided solid information, Patella said.
Patella said the storm gave her department and others the opportunity to "run through the paces" and test equipment and procedures. Emergency management only encountered minor problems this time, such as inactive e-mail addresses receiving the electronic updates, Patella said.

Reporter Kyle Martin can be reached at 352-544-5271 or kmartin@hernandotoday.com.

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