TAMPA, Fla. — The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office's Marine Section rescued a jet skier who got stuck in a submerged wall near Sunken Island, the agency said in a Facebook post.
Deputies were reportedly able to dislodge the jet ski and get the jet skier to safety. The sheriff's office used the incident as an opportunity to remind residents to stay off the water.
"Remember, with #HurricaneHelene approaching, it's best to stay off the water and keep yourself—and #teamHCSO—safe," deputies stated in the post.
As of the latest advisory, Hurricane Helene has upgraded to a Category 3 storm and is projected to strengthen before making landfall.
As Hurricane Helene tracks toward Florida's Gulf coast, it's expected to bring "catastrophic" winds and storm surge to parts of the region, according to the National Hurricane Center.
What are "mandatory evacuations?"
Numerous residents in the Tampa Bay area faced evacuation orders more than 32 hours before the storm hit Florida's coast.
Emergency management officials throughout the country use "mandatory" evacuation orders as a protective action in natural disasters and emergencies to save lives. The orders signal to residents that no first responders or public service workers will be in the area to provide assistance until after the emergency subsides.
To learn more about evacuation orders in Tampa Bay ahead of Hurricane Helene's landfall, click here.
Read the latest on Hurricane Helene and its trajectory here.
We will continue to provide the latest information through your 10 Tampa Bay hurricane headquarters.
