Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, alongside Major General John D. Haas, Adjutant General of Florida, Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) Executive Director Kevin Guthrie, provided critical updates on Florida’s ongoing preparedness efforts for Hurricane Milton from the State Emergency Operations Center today.
As of 11 a.m. ET, Hurricane Milton is approximately 520 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph.
READ: Portable Generators: Power Up Safely To Avoid Deadly Hazards In Aftermath Of Hurricane Milton
The hurricane is forecasted to cross the eastern Gulf of Mexico and approach Florida’s west coast by Wednesday evening, with landfall expected along the coast before the storm moves across central Florida by Thursday.
Active Alerts and Warnings:
- Hurricane Warnings are in effect for: Brevard, Charlotte, Citrus, DeSoto, Flagler, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, and Volusia counties.
- Hurricane Watches have been issued for: Clay, Collier, Duval, Glades, Hendry, Nassau, and Okeechobee counties.
- Tropical Storm Warnings cover: Broward, Clay, Coastal Franklin, Coastal Jefferson, Coastal Wakulla, Collier, Dixie, Duval, Gilchrist, Glades, Hendry, Lafayette, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe (Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas), Nassau, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Suwannee, Taylor, Western Alachua, and Western Columbia counties.
- Storm Surge Warnings have been declared for: Dixie/Levy County line southward to Mainland Monroe and the east coast of Florida south to Port Canaveral.
READ: UPDATE: Hurricane Milton Threatens Florida’s West Coast: Expected Landfall Wednesday Night
The State Assistance Information Line is operational 24/7, with assistance available in English, Spanish, and Haitian-Creole at 1-800-342-3557.
Statewide Preparedness Efforts:
- FDEM is operating at Level 1, coordinating the State Emergency Response Team with over 1,250 missions underway to assist counties, including deploying critical infrastructure resources, establishing a 10,000-person base camp at Tropicana Field, and deploying fuel and EV chargers along evacuation routes.
- Florida National Guard has activated 5,000 service members for operations and is pre-positioning assets, including 11 helicopters and search and rescue teams.
- Florida State Guard is mobilizing units across the state, including search and rescue teams, Blackhawk helicopters, amphibious vehicles, and more.
- Florida Department of Health (DOH) has deployed nearly 600 emergency vehicles for evacuations and is supporting special needs shelters across multiple counties.
Additional Resources and Preparedness:
- Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has cleared roadways and implemented Emergency Shoulder Use (ESU) along major evacuation routes, including I-4 and I-75, while suspending tolls in key regions.
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has mobilized high-water vehicles and other specialized equipment to support rescue and recovery efforts.
- Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs (FDVA) has prepared state veterans’ homes in impact zones, and is providing virtual care options for veterans.
Governor DeSantis also reiterated the importance of early action and evacuation for those in vulnerable areas. For residents seeking more information on hurricane preparedness and county resources, visit FloridaDisaster.org/Guide and FloridaDisaster.org/Counties.
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