DeSantis says Florida is upticking gasoline reserves ahead of Hurricane Milton - Washington Examiner
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) said Florida is “amassing” its gasoline availability for residents in preparation for Hurricane Milton’s landfall.
As of Monday morning, Milton had become a Category 5 storm moving at windspeeds of 150 mph, with DeSantis taking numerous precautions ahead of the storm’s arrival in the Sunshine State. The governor explained Milton is expected to make landfall as early as Wednesday evening and that the state is preparing fuel availability for those who could be in need of it.
“These quantities include 415,000 gallons of diesel, 389,000 gallons of gasoline, and an additional 1.5 million gallons of both diesel and gasoline are currently en route,” DeSantis said in a press conference. “I know there’s different things that are being said, but all fuel continues to arrive at Florida ports. There has not been an interruption of that. I know people are going to fill up their gas tanks, which is a good thing. There’s more lines than maybe that we’re used to on some of these, but there has not been an interruption in fuel deliveries, and all the ports are checked in on that.”
Governor DeSantis Provides Update #3 on Hurricane Milton at State Emergency Operations Center https://t.co/IGP3nt8NkQ
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) October 7, 2024
DeSantis also emphasized that debris removal from Hurricane Helene must continue in areas expected to be in Milton’s path because it will only increase Milton’s possible damage. The Florida governor stressed there is no time for “bureaucracy and red tape” with the state’s preparation and called for debris sites to be always open to ensure cleanup can continue.
On Sunday, DeSantis discussed how Florida’s National Guard, State Guard, Department of Transportation, and Highway Patrol are “all hands on deck” to remove Helene’s debris. He argued that this job requires “24/7” attention and must be carried out “until it’s no longer safe to do it.”
The Florida National Guard, Florida State Guard, FDOT, and FHP are all hands on deck to supplement local debris removal in preparation for Hurricane Milton.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) October 6, 2024
Additionally, the Division of Emergency Management is coordinating with local emergency management directors to inform… pic.twitter.com/Ilt5t2lost
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Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) told the Washington Examiner that people residing in her district ought to evacuate. She said she was briefed by the Pinellas County Emergency Operations Center, which said it is expecting flooding of upward of 10 feet.
Milton is expected to make its way to Florida only a couple of weeks after Helene made landfall. DeSantis previously announced several actions to ensure both shipping goods and voting locations would be available to affected areas.