Gulf Coast, Florida- Florida Senator Rick Scott has visited Sarasota, Hernando, and other counties to monitor and support preparations for Hurricane Idalia.
Counties across Florida’s Gulf coast could potentially face torrential downpours and earth-shattering winds from Hurricane Idalia. Idalia is expected to make landfall along the Gulf Coast on Wednesday morning.
Hence, Senator Scott traveled to the area on Monday to receive briefings on preparations and urge residents to make necessary preparations as soon as possible.
“With the National Hurricane Center now forecasting Tropical Storm Idalia to become a deadly major hurricane, every Floridian must stay alert, take this storm seriously and PREPARE NOW,” said Scott via press release.
U.S. Senator Rick Scott made a surprise visit to Hernando County today to thank Emergency Management staff and first responders at the Emergency Operations Center. pic.twitter.com/xTejRRWqAq
— Hernando Co. Govt. (@HernandoCoGov) August 29, 2023
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis established evacuation orders as Hurricane Idalia intensified into a Hurricane overnight.
Find evacuation orders here:https://www.floridadisaster.org/evacuation-orders/
"Evacuation orders have been issued for 21 counties. If you are under an evacuation order, take it seriously and get to a safer area. Travel tens of miles, not hundreds of miles, to safety," posted DeSantis.
Governor DeSantis also spoke to President Joe Biden regarding Idalia’s impending landfall.
During the call, it’s reported that the president told DeSantis that he had approved an emergency declaration for Florida in anticipation of the storm. This would free additional federal resources for the state to respond to it.
FEMA has deployed personnel and resources to Florida, which the White House informed in a readout of the conversation.
However, earlier this month, Senators Marco Rubio and Scott became embroiled with Biden over FEMA’s failure to broaden its dwindling Disaster Relief Funds. Florida could potentially benefit from such funds, had it to recover from Idalia’s potentially catastrophic damages.
Senators Rubio and Scott had previously introduced the Disaster Relief Fund Replenishment Act to provide $11.5 billion DRF re-funding.
No action has yet been taken by top-ranking senators to facilitate a vote on The Disaster Relief Fund Replenishment Act.
