ESCAMBIA COUNTY - Hurricane Ida forced officials to declare a state of emergency for Escambia County.

County commissioners made the decision tonight in an emergency meeting at the Emergency Operations Center.

Residents are being urged to evacuate low lying areas.. like Pensacola Beach, and Perdido Key... As well as mobile homes starting tomorrow morning, at 7:00 AM.

All bridges in the area will be closed once winds from ida reach 45 miles an hour.

County leaders urge residents to be prepared.

David Morgan/Escambia Sheriff "We want to caution all the residents that this is not something to panic. That's what gets a lot of people in trouble is panic. It's just we need to step through this very mythodically and that's what the Board of County Commissioners made the determination to do and I think it was an excellent call."

Marie Young/Escambia County Commissioner "There are many things we have to consider. Those persons who have to leave the beaches, the coastal areas. People with pets, the elderly, people with disabilities. Those persons with disabilities and of course our children in school."

Again Escambia County Schools will be closed tomorrow and Tuesday.

Emergency shelters will open at Pensacola High School And Molino Park Elementary at 10:00AM Monday.

A special needs shelter will open at West Florida Technical School at noon.County Commissioners Meet At EOC