Initial reports from Niceville, Freeport, and Eglin Air Force Base and their immediate surroundings suggest the area escaped cataclysmic damage from Hurricane Isaias overnight. Destin appears to be where the storm made landfall before it headed north and east over Bluewater Bay.
Niceville
Many trees are down in the immediate area or lodged in several power lines throughout Niceville. Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church had two large pine trees down on its campus, but they spared the buildings.
Power remains out on the east side of the city, but homes and businesses west of Redwood Avenue may have power.
Some homes in the Dana Pointe neighborhood reportedly had trees fall on them overnight as the storm passed through.
Niceville police, fire, and public works crews have been out since six in the morning clearing debris, directing traffic in areas without power, and checking on residents. Public works staff have pushed over leaning trees to avoid damaging homes, sawed up limbs to keep roads passable, and checked water and sewer mains to ensure they held up as Isaias passed.
Large work trucks with cherry pickers have been seen on John Sims Parkway throughout the day, heading to Crestview and Fort Walton Beach, as well as working in the city.
Freeport
In Freeport, Walton Commissioner Dan Curry posted a video saying the city and surrounding area “could have been worse.”
Our news producer on the ground in Freeport and DeFuniak reports that the cities did not sustain extensive damage in the aftermath of the storm, but they did lose power. Boats anchored in Freeport bayous were unmoored, and several are floating in the Choctawhatchee Bay.
Eglin AFB
A press release sent from Eglin Air Force Base at 6:15 AM announced the base had moved into HurCon 1R. The status means “destructive winds have subsided and survey and work crews are permitted to determine the extent of the damage and establish safe zones around hazards.”
Eglin has restricted access to mission-essential and emergency response personnel and mandated that base residents shelter in place “until the installation is declared fully safe.”
Destin
The City of Destin was closest to the eye of the storm as it made landfall in Florida. We do not know the status of various businesses and locations, but we have a reporter on her way to the Governor’s press conference at Legendary Marine at the foot of the Mid-Bay Bridge. We should have more information shortly.
