Sen. Bill Nelson on Hurricane Irma

Following is a statement from U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) as Florida prepares for Hurricane Irma:
“I’ve talked to Brock Long, the head of FEMA, he’s ready and is prepositioning people and supplies around the state. I’m talked to the commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Zukunft, and he is already prepositioning ships and aircraft to come in right after the storm hits. I’ve talked to Col. Kirk with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he’s ready and says Lake Okeechobee still has the capacity to hold another three feet of water before this hurricane would threaten the dike. I spoke to General Calhoun with the Florida National Guard. They are ready and prepositioned.And I’ve talked to the secretary of transportation, Elaine Chao, and asked her to urge the state to go ahead and lift the tolls on South Florida’s roadways, particularly I-95 and Florida’s Turnpike, to make it easier for folks who are starting to evacuate.”