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Live Hurricane Irma blog: Polk Fire Rescue stops responding to calls

As Hurricane Irma makes its approach to Florida, 10News wants to help everyone weather this storm together.
A couple walks down Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa, where the bay has receded ahead of expected storm surge from Hurricane Irma.

TAMPA, Fla. -- As Hurricane Irma makes its approach to Florida, 10News wants to help everyone weather this storm together.

Here's the latest information for Sunday, Sept. 10:

11:04 p.m. Polk County Fire Rescue is no longer responding to emergency calls.

10:23 p.m.: Pasco County is no longer responding to emergency calls.

9:47 p.m. The City of Largo has announced it is in emergency response mode. Largo Fire Rescue is no longer responding to emergency calls.

9:12:p.m. Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is no longer responding to emergency calls.

7:57 p.m. Pinellas County Sheriff's Office says its deputies are no longer on the road.

7:52 p.m. Hillsborough emergency officials are no longer responding to emergency calls on the east side of the county.

7:36 p.m. City of Venice Utilities is asking customers to conserve water because of difficulties at the water plant. Please use water only for essential uses.

5:57 p.m. The city of Lake Wales says a story is going around saying water will be cut off at 6 p.m. They said the story is false.

5:15 p.m. We received video from Marcelo Clavejo showing two manatees who were stranded during Hurricane Irma being rescued near Whitfield.

4:44 p.m. All westbound lanes of the Gandy Bridge and the Courtney Campbell Causeway are closed due to deteriorating weather.

4:11 p.m. Due to weather conditions, Manatee County deputies will no longer respond to emergency calls. They will resume when conditions improve.

4:08 p.m. TECO is reminding customers to disregard reports that it will be shutting off electricity at a specific time. Your electricity may go out because of the storm, and the utility may institute rolling blackouts, but it has no plans to shut off the electricity entirely.

4:01 p.m. President Donald Trump has approved a major disaster declaration for Florida.

3:49 p.m. Hurricane Irma makes landfall on Marco Island.

1:43 p.m. Shortly after Hurricane Irma made landfall at Cudjoe Key in the Lower Florida Keys, Gov. Rick Scott requested a major disaster declaration for every county in Florida from President Donald Trump.

Scott said, “As Hurricane Irma makes landfall in Florida, we are fully committed to providing every resource to Floridians for response and recovery. We will spare no expense to save lives and help Floridians. We’ve worked aggressively all week to prepare for this powerful storm and keep people safe, but we have a long road ahead.”

1:12 p.m. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri is restricting all access into the county starting immediately after the storm. This will be enforced until further notice and will remain in effect until a damage and safety assessment is complete. The sheriff will announce when it is safe to return.

12:47 p.m. Sarasota County says its schools will be closed Monday.

12:14 p.m. Pinellas County tweets people have one hour to get to a safe shelter.

12:07 p.m. A tornado watch is in effect for the entire Tampa Bay area until midnight.

11:33 a.m. Pasco County has included a link on its official website to check on shelter availability.

11:10 a.m. The city of Tampa has issued a curfew starting at 6 p.m. Sunday.

11:05 a.m. The National Weather Service has issued tornado warnings for Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk and Sumter counties until 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

10:55 a.m. Because of Hurricane Irma, Uber has suspended service in the Tampa Bay area, Sarasota, Miami, Florida Keys, Orlando, Tallahassee, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Fort Myers, Naples and South Florida.

10:52 a.m. Irma remains a Category 4 hurricane at 130 mph. It is moving north at 9 mph.

Hurricane Irma is 115 miles south-southeast of Fort Myers, Florida.

10:50 a.m. The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Polk County. The warning is in effect until 11:15 a.m. Sunday.

10:45 a.m. Pasco County says it won’t soon be able to pick people up to take to shelter. The county is running out of time to do so safely. People are asked to contact friends, family or a paid car service.

10:20 a.m. Hernando County officials provided an update on final preparations ahead of Hurricane Irma.

10:15 a.m. The Associated Press reports the first-ever tropical storm warning was issued for Atlanta as Hurricane Irma hits Florida on its way toward Georgia.

10 a.m. Hillsborough County officials provided an update on final preparations ahead of Hurricane Irma.

9:50 a.m. The city of St. Petersburg is enacting a curfew starting at 5 p.m. Sunday.

The curfew will remain in effect for the duration of Hurricane Irma.

Related: Tampa Bay-area curfews issued as Hurricane Irma makes approach

9:35 a.m. The Associated Press reports 1 million Florida customers are without power.

9:30 a.m. Manatee County officials provided an update on preparations ahead of Hurricane Irma.

County District 4 Commissioner Robin DiSabatino warned against bringing a gas-powered generator inside of a home.

The county is enacting a 24-hour curfew starting at 3 p.m. Sunday. It is a second-degree misdemeanor for someone who does not follow the curfew.

9:15 a.m. The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Hardee County until 9:15 a.m. Sunday. The warning has since been canceled.

9:10 a.m. Hurricane Irma made landfall at Cudjoe Key, according to the National Hurricane Center.

8:55 a.m. The Manatee County Sheriff's Office is enacting a 24-hour curfew starting at 3 p.m. Sunday.

8:45 a.m. Someone took a last-minute flight from the Albert Whitted Airport in downtown St. Petersburg as Hurricane Irma approaches the Tampa Bay area.

8:40 a.m. Uber is providing free rides to Hillsborough County shelters. Use the promo code TBSHELTER.

8:15 a.m. The Monroe County Sheriff's Office confirmed one Marathon man died Saturday in a crash during the storm.

First responders found a man dead inside a truck, which was wrapped around a tree.

The Florida Highway Patrol will investigate the case when it is safe to do so. It is unknown at this time if the crash was weather related or not.

8:10 a.m. The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Polk County. The warning has since been canceled.

8 a.m. Irma's winds remain at 130 mph, moving north-northwest at about 8 mph. Irma is about to hit the Florida Keys.

The hurricane is about 20 miles east-southeast of Key West as of the National Hurricane Center's 8 a.m., Sept. 10 update.

7:15 a.m. AT&T is offering free texts and calls to customers impacted by Hurricane Irma from Sept. 6 through Sept. 15. Click here for more information.

7:10 a.m. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd spoke about the county's preparations as Irma approaches the Tampa Bay area.

Watch: Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd is ready for Irma

7:05 a.m. Hurricane Irma's northern eyewall reached the lower Florida Keys. Some 430,000 people across Florida are without power.

7 a.m. Several shelters in Sarasota County remain open. Some 16,000 people are in shelters in the county.

6:45 a.m. TECO reported about 70 percent of its customers could be without power during Hurricane Irma. Rolling blackouts are possible in Tampa.

6:30 a.m. Some 16,714 people are in shelters in Pinellas County. The shelters are about 58 percent full.

Nine of the county's 10 shelters still have space. Only John Sexton Elementary School is at capacity.

6 a.m. There are 381,429 Florida customers without power as Hurricane Irma continues to approach the state, according to Gov. Rick Scott.

5 a.m. Irma remained a Category 4 hurricane with winds at 130 mph as of the National Hurricane Center's 5 a.m. update on Sunday, Sept. 10. Hurricane Irma is 40 miles south-southeast of Key West, Florida.

Photos: Florida preps for Hurricane Irma

3:30 a.m. Pinellas County sheriff’s deputies will close off access to the county’s barrier islands.

The restriction includes residents and businesses for the barrier islands from the Dunedin Causeway to Tierra Verde.

Citizens leaving the barrier islands will not be impacted.

The county will announce plans for re-entry once the hurricane passes.

2 a.m. Irma has restrengthened to a Category 4 hurricane with winds at 130 mph as of the National Hurricane Center's 2 a.m., Sept. 10 update.

12:18 a.m. The National Weather Service has extended a tornado watch until noon Sunday in several Florida counties, including Highlands

The other counties are Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lee, Mainland Monroe, Martin, Miami-Dade, Okeechobee, Osceola, Palm Beach and St. Lucie.

Watch Live: Hurricane Irma coverage

12:11 a.m. Pasco County is seeking 20 volunteers who know how to operate ham radios to assist with Hurricane Irma response efforts.

Volunteers must have their own portable or mobile radio with UHF/VHF capability.

If you are ready to help, please email your contact information at volunteer@pascocountyfl.net or call the Customer Service Volunteer Hotline at 727-847-8944 to register. Other volunteer opportunities are also available. Additional information will be posted at http://www.pascocountyfl.net/.

Photos: Hurricane Irma damage and destruction

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