TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a state of emergency Wednesday for counties in Hurricane Dorian's path.
DeSantis urged all Floridians on the state’s east coast to prepare for impacts, as the latest forecasts from the National Hurricane Center project Hurricane Dorian making landfall there as a major hurricane.
By declaring a state of emergency, DeSantis says he is making sure state and local governments have enough time, resources and flexibility to get ready for the storm.
“Today, I am declaring a state of emergency to ensure Florida is fully prepared for Hurricane Dorian,” Governor DeSantis said. “It’s important for Floridians on the East Coast to monitor this storm closely. Every Florida resident should have seven days of supplies, including food, water and medicine, and should have a plan in case of disaster. I will continue to monitor Hurricane Dorian closely with emergency management officials. The state stands ready to support all counties along the coast as they prepare.”
The State Emergency Operations Center will activate to a Level 2 Thursday morning. This will strengthen the coordination between federal, state and local emergency management agencies.
“Because of the uncertainty in the track of this storm, every resident along the East Coast needs to be ready,” said Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz. “As updates come out, it’s important that Floridians continue to pay attention to media and local officials as the track of this storm has been changing and can continue to change rapidly. By having an Executive Order in place and by activating the State Emergency Operations Center to a Level 2, we are fully prepared to support any community that might be impacted.”
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