Governor Rick Scott today directed the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to work with other state agencies, Florida ports, law enforcement and fuel retailers to begin examining ways to increase fuel capacity during emergencies such as hurricanes. FDOT’s report will be submitted in January 2018 and will include recommendations for fuel distribution and availability to consumers.
Governor Scott said, “Today, I am directing FDOT to begin examining ways to increase fuel capacity so we can be sure families and visitors have the resources they need to safely prepare and evacuate during times of emergencies. Last month, 6.8 million Floridians evacuated in preparation for Hurricane Irma, the largest evacuation in U.S. history, and we are committed to making sure our state remains fully prepared for any potential disaster. Increasing the availability of fuel for evacuations at Florida gas stations is a top priority and I look forward to reviewing FDOT’s findings.”
This directive is in addition to Governor Scott’s October 12th order directing FDOT to begin examining ways to help expedite evacuation routes from the I-75/ Florida Turnpike Interchange near Wildwood to the Florida-Georgia border during times of emergencies.