DeSantis said the state has already issued 11 tornado warnings and there are more possible. These are “very, very dangerous situations,” the governor said.
“Wherever you are, hunker down, and don’t take anything for granted here. This is a very, very powerful storm,” DeSantis said. “There will be impacts far beyond the eyewall, and those will extend to places like Tallahassee as well as places like northeast Florida.”
As soon as the storm dies down, the state has eight search and rescue teams ready to go, 33 ambulance strike teams and 5,500 national guardsmen, DeSantis said, with the Coast Guard also on standby. There are also over 30,000 linemen ready to go to commence restoration efforts for local municipalities and electric co-ops.
President Joe Biden said Tuesday he has been in constant contact with DeSantis and approved an emergency declaration for Florida in anticipation of the storm.
“I told the governor and the mayor of the region that’s likely to be hit first, that we’re there as long as it takes, and we’ll make sure they have everything they need,” Biden said Tuesday.
Source link: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/30/hurricane-idalia-florida-desantis-00113438
