Firefighters are warning that the hurricane shutters many people put up for their safety last week need to come down for their safety now. Fire crews say too many people still have their shutters up at this time.
Firefighters say keeping shutters or wooden boards across house or condo windows could have deadly consequences.
"It's not worth your life," says Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Captain Albert Borroto.
Borroto says with shutters or boards, a fire in a home may not be visible until it's too late.
"If there is a fire in the house, with the house all shuttered up, nobody will know until it vents through the roof," he says.
Borroto says shutters make it harder for people inside a home to get out and for rescue crews to get in.
"It does slow us down to get to you if you are trapped inside in a fire," he says.
Borroto also says anyone who leaves their shutters up could risk having them destroyed.
"We will cut your shutters," Borroto says. "Everybody spent a lot of money on their shutters. The last thing they want to do is have us come in and cut them."
Fire officials say if there's not an active hurricane warning or watch, hurricane shutters need to be down.
