Capital Soup

Florida News Straight From the Source

You are here: Home / Archives for Preparedness

Preparedness

Gov. Scott Issues Updates on Hurricane Irma Preparedness and Response Efforts as Storm Impacts Florida

Posted on

Governor Rick Scott today received a full update from the State Emergency Operations Center as Hurricane Irma impacts Florida. A majority of the state remains under a hurricane warning. The Governor will continue to be in constant communication with state and local emergency management officials, city and county leaders, law enforcement and utility officials throughout the storm’s impact. For more information on preparedness actions, click HERE. Click HERE to see the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS BY STATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM 
WATCHES AND WARNING –

  • Storm Surge Warning:
    • The Florida/Georgia line southward to Jupiter Inlet
    • North Miami Beach southward around the Florida peninsula to the Ochlockonee River
    • Florida Keys
    • Tampa Bay
  • Hurricane Warning:
    • Fernandina Beach southward around the Florida peninsula to Indian Pass at the Gulf/Franklin County line.
    • Florida Keys
    • Lake Okeechobee
    • Florida Bay
  • Tropical Storm Warning:
    • West of Indian Pass to the Okaloosa/Walton County Line
    • North of Fernandina Beach to South Santee River

EVACUATIONS

  • IF THERE ARE ALREADY STORM IMPACTS IN YOUR AREA, DO NOT GET ON THE ROAD. SHELTER IN PLACE.
  • DEM estimates that 6.5 million Floridians have been ordered to evacuate.

SHELTERS

  • More than 530 shelters are open throughout Florida with a total population of more than 116,000 individuals. More than 75 special needs shelters are open with a total population of more than 12,700 individuals. This number is being updated throughout the day. Visit floridadisaster.org/shelters/summary.aspx to find information on shelters in your area.
  • Shelters are continuing to open across the state, including shelters for people with special needs, pets and general populations. To find information about available shelter information by county, floridadisaster.org/shelters.
  • FEMA is also hosting shelter information on its mobile app which can be found atfema.gov/mobile-app. 

POWER AND UTILITIES

  • The current power outage as of 12:00 p.m. is1,528,282 accounts. For a full breakdown, click HERE.
  • Restoration personnel have been activated to help restore power as quickly as possible following the storm’s impact.
     

MILITARY SUPPORT

  • Governor Scott has activated the entire force of the Florida Army and Air National Guard – 7,000 guard members – to support with planning, and logistics operations in preparation for potential impacts from Hurricane Irma. These members are stationing across the state and actively assisting with preparation efforts and supporting more than 200 shelters. The Florida National Guard has 1,000 high water vehicles, 13 helicopters, 17 boats and more than 700 generators on standby.
  • More than 700 more guardsmen are preparing to set up food and water distribution sites as soon as the storm passes and we are working alongside FWC to prepare for search and rescue mission as soon as it is safe.
  • The Florida National Guard is coordinating a multi-state response focused on planning and preparing thousands of forces to enhance security and support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. States that have deployed troops or are positioning support include North Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Connecticut, Mississippi, New Jersey, Alabama, Michigan, Massachusetts, Maryland and Iowa.
  • The Florida National Guard is coordinating with the National Guard Bureau to identify approximately 30,000 troops, 4,000 trucks, 100 helicopters, and air evacuation crews that are standing by for Hurricane Irma support, if needed. 10,000 of those troops are in the process of joining Florida Guard members for deployment after the storm.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

  • More than 200 FWC officers statewide, including partner agencies, will be standing by in areas expected to be safe with resources such as trucks, coastal and river patrol boats, ATVs and shallow draft boats to respond to critical areas based on the storm’s path. FWC Special Operations Group (SOG) officers, National Guard members and an Urban Search and Rescue Team are staged for reconnaissance once the storm passes that area.
  • FWC has more than 500 law enforcement vessels standing ready and is prepared to sustain these resources as long as necessary.
  • FWC is swearing in more than 200 officers that are being deployed from Mississippi, South Carolina, Arkansas and Texas. By the end of today, FWC will have 50 additional officers from Louisiana, 28 officers from Arkansas, and 26 from Mississippi.
  • The entire Florida Highway Patrol, approximately 1,700 troopers, is on 12-hour shifts, with the primary mission to assist emergency response. In addition, a total of 330 troopers are on standby to assist with recovery and road clearance efforts after the storm passes.
  • Florida Incident Management Teams (IMT) are mobilizing to provide overall statewide command and control for all Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) and lifesaving operations.
  • FEMA Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) teams are staged for rapid deployment behind Hurricane Irma, including additional teams standing by in Georgia.

TRANSPORTATION & PUBLIC WORKS
Sustained winds over 40 miles per hour will prompt the Florida Highway Patrol to close bridges. The state Emergency Operations Center is receiving regular wind status updates from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and closely monitoring the wind speeds across bridges. The following major bridges are currently closed:

  • Sunshine Skyway Bridge

Airport Updates:
The following airports are closed:

  • Airport Manatee (48X)
  • Albert Whitted Airport (SPG)
  • Boca Raton Airport (BCT)
  • Downtown Fort Lauderdale Heliport (DT1)
  • Everglades Airpark (X01)
  • Fernandina Beach Municipal (FHB)
  • Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International (KFLL)
  • Immokalee Regional Airport (IMM)
  • Key West International Airport (KEYW)
  • Keys/Marathon International (MTH)
  • Kissimmee Gateway Airport (ISM)
  • Leesburg International Airport (LEE)
  • Marco Island Airport (MKY)
  • Miami Seaplane Base (MPB)
  • Naples Municipal Airport (APF)
  • North Perry Airport (HWO)
  • Northeast Florida Regional (SGJ)
  • Ocala International-Jim Taylor Field (OCF)
  • Okeechobee County Airport (OBE)
  • Orlando–Sanford International (KSFB)
  • Ormond Beach Municipal (OMN)
  • Peter O Knight Airport (TPF)
  • Plant City Airport (PCM)
  • Pompano Beach Airpark (PMP)
  • Saint George Island Airport (F47)
  • Sarasota–Bradenton International (KSRQ)
  • St Pete-Clearwater International (PIE)
  • Tallahassee Commercial Airport (68J)
  • Tampa Executive Airport (VDF)
  • Tavares Seaplane Base (FA1)
  • Williston Municipal Airport (X60)

The following airports have terminated Commercial Service:

  • Daytona Beach International (KDAB)
  • Melbourne International Airport (MLB)
  • Palm Beach International (KPBI)
  • Punta Gorda Airport (PGD)
  • Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW)

The following airports are conducting emergency operations only:

  • Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport (TNT)
  • Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE)
  • Miami Executive Airport (TMB)
  • Miami Homestead General Aviation (X51)
  • Miami International (KMIA)
  • Opa-Locka Executive Airport (OPF)
  • Orlando International (KMCO)
  • Tampa International (KTPA)
  • Venice Municipal Airport (VNC)
  • Vero Beach Municipal Airport (VRB)
  • Winter Haven’s Gilbert Airport (GIF)

Port Updates:

  • Key West: Port closed
  • Miami: Port closed
  • Port Everglades: Port closed
  • Palm Beach: Port Closed
  • Manatee: Port closed
  • St. Petersburg: Port closed
  • Canaveral: Port closed
  • Ft Pierce: Port Closed
  • Jacksonville: Port closed
  • Fernandina: Port closed
  • Tampa: Port closed
  • Panama City: Port Closed
  • Pensacola: Open with restrictions 

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

  • Free Xfinity WiFi hotspots are available throughout the state for individuals in need, including non-Xfinity customers, to help residents and emergency personnel stay connected. For a map of Xfinity WiFi hotspots, which are located both indoors and outdoors in places such as shopping districts, parks and businesses, please visit Xfinity.com/wifi.
  • Charter Communications opened all of their Spectrum WiFi hotspots across Florida to help those affected by Hurricane Irma get connected.
  • Telecommunications Partners are monitoring fuel levels for generators and back-up power supply for cell towers, mobile switching centers and central offices.
  • The state is working with city, county and state entities to re-route phone lines. At this point, there are no out of ordinary reports of any major outages.

STATE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER/ CONTACT INFORMATION

  • The State Emergency Operations Center remains activated at a level one, which is a full-scale, 24-hours-a-day activation.
  • The Florida Emergency Information Line has been activated and is available 24/7 for families and victors at 1-800-342-3557.
  • Floridians can text FLPREPARES to 888777 in order to receive text alerts from FDEM.
  • The media line is 850-921-0217.
  • Follow @FLSert or @FLGovScott on Twitter for live updates on Hurricane Irma.
  • Visit http://www.floridadisaster.org to find information on shelters, road closures, and evacuation routes.
  • On Monday, Governor Scott issued Executive Order 17-235 declaring a state of emergency in all 67 counties within the State of Florida.

Patronis and Altmaier Stress Hurricane Irma Preparedness

Posted on

In advance of Hurricane Irma’s impact to Florida, CFO Jimmy Patronis and Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier are advising the state’s more than 20 million residents to take actions now and get prepared.
“I know that Floridians have worked hard for their homes, but nothing is more important than protecting your life, so I ask all Floridians to please heed evacuation orders in their area and head to safer ground today,” said CFO Patronis. “We will help homeowners navigate through their insurance issues after Hurricane Irma has passed, and we will do everything possible to protect Florida’s policyholders.”
“Hurricane Irma is a dangerous storm and everyone in Florida should be taking it seriously. This includes monitoring weather advisories and making preparations to protect their families and homes for its pending landfall in our state,” stated Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier.
Numerous hurricane preparedness resources are available on both the Department of Financial Service’s (DFS) “Hurricane Irma” webpage and on the Office of Insurance Regulation’s (Office) “Hurricane Season Resources” webpage.
These include tips such as:

  • Know the phone number and contact information for your insurance agent and insurance company. Make sure to have easy access to this information and your insurance policy if you must evacuate your home.
    • Find contact information for insurance companies here.
    • Find contact information for insurance agents and agencies through the Department of Financial Services here.
  • Review your insurance policy and make sure you understand what may or may not be covered under your policy. Typically, flood insurance is not covered under a homeowners policy. In addition, some policies may cover expenses related to a mandatory evacuation, so it will be important to save all receipts.
  • Strengthen your home’s defenses against a storm through simple mitigation techniques, such as covering windows and outside doors with storm shutters or plywood, replacing worn weather stripping under doors, and removing tree limbs that may fall on your home or become flying projectiles.
  • Inventory your valuables and possessions using a home inventory checklist, which is available as a form you can download and print here. If you prefer to use a smartphone, there is a link to a free app created by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which allows you to take pictures and add descriptions of your belongings.
  • Most importantly, have a plan for you and your family if evacuation becomes necessary and know where the designated evacuation routes are in your community. Do not wait to evacuate if it becomes necessary.
  • Following the storm, document all damaged property and belongings (take photos or shoot video of any damage before attempting temporary repairs), contact your insurance company or agent as soon as possible to report damages, and be wary of signing any documents for repairs that will give away your rights as an insured to a third-party vendor without understanding who will be responsible for paying the vendor, you as the consumer, or the insurance company. For more information about how an assignment of benefits (AOB) for repairs works, visit the DFS “AOB” or Office “AOB Resources” webpages.

Consumers who have questions about their insurance coverage are encouraged to call CFO Patronis’ Insurance Consumer Helpline at 1-877-693-5236. This helpline can also help consumers to gain contact information for their insurance company, and can also help to verify the license of an insurance agent or adjuster.

Gov. Scott Activates 3,000 Additional Florida National Guard Members to Assist with Hurricane Irma Preparedness

Posted on

4,000 Guard Members Now Activated

Governor Rick Scott activated an additional 3,000 members of the Florida Army and Air National Guard to support with planning, logistics and operations in preparation for potential impacts from Hurricane Irma. A total of 4,000 members have now been activated and will respond to requests across the state to ensure communities are fully prepared for the storm. Tomorrow, 3,000 more National Guard members will be activated. As of Friday, the entire National Guard – 7,000 members – will be deployed.
Governor Scott said, “Today I am activating an additional 3,000 National Guardsmen to help with ongoing shelter operations and evacuations. We are expecting our state to have major impacts from Hurricane Irma and we are taking aggressive actions to make sure Florida is prepared. Today we will have more than 4,000 total Florida National Guard members activated, with all remaining members ready to report for duty first thing tomorrow to assist with preparation efforts. These men and women are putting themselves in harm’s way to save the lives of their fellow Floridians while many of their own families are evacuating. I am proud of their commitment to keeping our families safe.”
On Monday, Governor Scott issued Executive Order 17-235, which declared a state of emergency in all 67 counties within the State of Florida in response to Hurricane Irma and allowed for the immediate activation of National Guard members as preparedness actions continue.

Governor Scott Issues Updates on Hurricane Irma Preparedness

Posted on

This evening, Governor Rick Scott received a full update on Hurricane Irma at the State Emergency Operations Center. The Governor traveled the state today to meet with local officials, ensure communities have all the resources they may need, and to encourage families and visitors to be fully prepared. Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued in Miami Dade and Monroe Counties and voluntary evacuation orders have been issued in Broward and Collier Counties. Additional orders are expected as the storm nears the state. The Governor will continue to be in constant communication with state and local emergency management officials, city and county leaders, and utility officials who are also working to ensure the state is prepared to respond to any potential impacts from Hurricane Irma.
EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS BY STATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM
EVACUATION NOTICES/ORDERS

  • Miami Dade has issued mandatory evacuations for zones A and B. Miami Dade residents can find their zones by clicking HERE.
  • Broward County has issued voluntary evacuations of mobile homes and low-lying areas beginning today.
  • Collier County has issued voluntary evacuations of Marco Island beginning today.
  • Monroe County has issued mandatory evacuations for visitors beginning this morning. Mandatory evacuations for residents will begin this evening.
  • Individuals with special needs started being evacuated from Miami-Dade County this morning.
  • Additional evacuations are expected throughout the state. All Floridians should pay close attention to local alerts and follow the directions of local officials.
  • To find available shelters by county, visit floridadisaster.org/shelters.

MILITARY SUPPORT

  • Governor Scott has activated a total of 1,000 members of the Florida Air and Army National Guard to support with planning, logistics and operations in preparation for potential impacts from Hurricane Irma. These members are stationing across the state and actively assisting with preparation efforts.
  • At the direction of Governor Scott, all remaining 6,000 National Guard members will be reporting for duty no later than Friday morning. Additional guard members will continue to be activated this week as needed.
  • The Florida National Guard has coordinated with the North Carolina National Guard to utilize air assets to assist with ongoing evacuations in the Florida Keys.
  • The Florida National Guard has 1,000 high water vehicles, 13 helicopters, 17 boats and more than 700 generators on standby.
  • The Florida National Guard is coordinating with the National Guard Bureau to identify approximately 30,000 troops, 4,000 trucks, 100 helicopters, and air evacuation crews that are standing by for Hurricane Irma support, if needed.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

  • The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has more than 200 officers standing by for the first wave of response based on potential storm impacts. Thirty teams with supporting resources such as trucks, coastal and river patrol boats, an ATV and two shallow draft boats are preparing for evacuation support, search and rescue missions, or any additional needs.
  • The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has established 18 emergency response teams for deployment to impacted areas and seven logistics and planning teams. FDLE has also secured additional fuel for law enforcement.
  • The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is monitoring road and traffic conditions to ensure roadways are clear and working with the Division of Emergency Management to ensure consistent messaging is provided statewide.
  • The Division of Motorist Services has its Florida Licensing on Wheels (FLOW) mobiles on standby and will deploy them to impacted areas as needed.

TRANSPORTATION & PUBLIC WORKS

  • Governor Scott directed the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to suspend tolls across the entire State of Florida in preparation for Hurricane Irma. Tolls will be suspended for the duration of the storm’s impacts to Florida.
  • Real-time traffic information and evacuation routes is available at www.FL511.com
  • FDOT is coordinating with Google’s emergency response team to prepare to ‘close’ roads in Google Maps in real time in the event that Hurricane Irma forces the closure of any roads in the aftermath of the storm. Google Maps are used for Uber and Waze among other directional applications.
  • The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is suspending construction contractor work and preparing key evacuation routes for possible shoulder use.
  • FDOT is coordinating with county emergency operations centers directly to coordinate any necessary response actions, including activating traffic counters, providing local evacuation support and providing maintenance of traffic and other assistance.
  • The state is monitoring conditions at all airports and seaports. As of now, there are no closed airports or seaports.
  • Governor Scott has rescinded all weight and driver restrictions for highways so water, food, fuel and emergency supplies can be quickly brought to Florida.

HUMAN SERVICES:

  • While the state is working with retail partners to fill grocery store shelves with water and other emergency resources as quickly as possible, it is important to be considerate of neighbors and take only what each family needs to be prepared.
  • The state is staging mass care supplies such as meals, shelter support trailers and water at the State Logistic Response Center in Orlando for deployments as needed.
  • Food Safety Response Teams are beginning to be placed on standby for recovery assessments.
  • The state is also establishing local points of contact with mass care organizations and volunteer agencies, including working with the American Red Cross to coordinate sheltering and feeding operations. The American Red Cross has also established a Disaster Relief Operation (DRO) in Orlando.
  • The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) will release September Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to current recipients who have not yet received them to assist with Hurricane Irma preparations.

VETERAN SERVICES

  • The Florida Department of Veterans Affairs (FDVA) operates six skilled nursing facilities and one assisted living facility. All state veterans’ homes are currently operational.
  • The State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Broward County and State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Volusia County will be installing hurricane shutters throughout the next day. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has closed the Key West, Key Largo and Naples Community Based Outpatient Clinics Wednesday, September 6 through Friday, September 8.
  • Veterans from storm-impacted areas who require immediate assistance may contact: VA Health Resource Center Disaster Hotline: 1-800-507-4571.

VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS

  • Volunteer Florida is coordinating with volunteer organizations across the state and has partnered with the American Red Cross to provide shelter operations training to volunteers and AmeriCorps grantees. To volunteer, go to volunteerflorida.org or call 1-800-FL-Help-1.
  • Governor Scott has set a goal of 17,000 volunteers. So far, more than 700 state employees and more than 3,200 members of the public have signed up with Red Cross to take the volunteer sheltering training.
  • Volunteer Florida has 43 Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) on standby to deploy to areas of need. Many of these teams have begun to work in local call centers and prepare for sheltering assistance.
  • American Red Cross teams are arriving into Orlando for staging with 26 tractor trailers at the State Logistics Response Center, 150 trailers at the State Farmers Market, and 100 emergency response vehicles in North Florida. They are also sending 1,000 volunteers.
  • The Salvation Army is on standby with 32 cooking units already in Florida and additional supplies awaiting deployment from neighboring states.
  • The Florida Baptist Convention has 35 kitchens on standby ready to feed 35,000 meals a day.
  • Feeding America has received 9 truckloads of food from Kellogg’s to assist in shelters with 16 additional trucks coming in.
  • Church World Service has hygiene kits and cleanup buckets on standby.
  • Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Florida has showers and trailers available in Pensacola and Lakeland for deployment, as well as supplies such as chainsaws, shovels, and safety equipment.
  • Church of Latter Day Saints has chainsaws, tarps, and water on standby.
  • United Methodist Church has hygiene kits and flood buckets on standby.

STATE OFFICE CLOSURES

  • Governor Rick Scott directed state offices to close in all 67 Florida counties this Friday in preparation for Hurricane Irma.
  • State offices in Monroe county are closed until further notice. Beginning tomorrow, state offices in Charlotte, Miami-Dade, Glades, Hendry, Okeechobee, Broward, St. Lucie, Martin, and Lee Counties will be closed. Prior to Friday’s statewide closures, state office closures will follow the direction of county officials and will be announced as they are determined.
  • In partnership with the American Red Cross, salaried, non-essential state employees can receive expedited volunteer certifications for disaster services so that they may assist in or operate shelters in response to Hurricane Irma impacts and preparation. Florida law allows Governor Scott to grant full-time, salaried state employees up to 15 days of administrative leave for emergency volunteer efforts through the American Red Cross. Employees can register HERE.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS

  • The Florida Department of Education is in contact with school districts, state colleges and universities as all continue to monitor Irma and her path. School closures are available at www.fldoe.org/irma.
  • Districts are preparing in the case that their facilities are needed for shelters. Colleges are making emergency preparations on their campuses and working with students who may need assistance with relocation.

K-12 Public Schools Closures

  • Alachua County (Monday)
  • Brevard County (Thursday, Friday)
  • Broward County (Thursday, Friday)
  • Charlotte County (Thursday, Friday)
  • Clay (Friday, Monday)
  • Collier County (Thursday, Friday)
  • DeSoto County (Thursday, Friday)
  • Dixie County (Friday, Monday)
  • Duval County (Friday, Monday)
  • Florida Atlantic University Lab School (Thursday, Friday)
  • Flagler County (Friday, Monday)
  • Glades County (Thursday, Friday)
  • Hardee County (Monday, Tuesday)
  • Hendry County (Thursday, Friday)
  • Hernando County (Thursday, Friday)
  • Highlands County (Friday, Monday)
  • Hillsborough County (Thursday, Friday)
  • Indian River County (Thursday, Friday)
  • Lake County (Early Release Friday – high schools at 1:20PM, elementary at 2PM, middle at 3PM, Monday)
  • Lee County (Thursday, Friday)
  • Manatee County (Friday)
  • Marion County will be (Friday, Monday)
  • Martin County (Thursday, Friday)
  • Miami-Dade County (Thursday, Friday)
  • Monroe County (Wednesday until further notice)
  • Nassau County (Friday, Monday)
  • Okeechobee County (Thursday, Friday)
  • Osceola County (Friday, Monday)
  • Palm Beach County (Thursday, Friday)
  • Pasco County (Friday)
  • Polk County (Friday)
  • Sarasota (Friday)
  • School for the Deaf and Blind (Thursday, Friday)
  • Seminole County (Monday)
  • St. Johns (Friday, Monday)
  • St. Lucie County (Thursday, Friday)
  • Volusia County (Friday, Monday, Cancelled ACT test administrations scheduled for Saturday, September 9, at area high schools.)

Florida College System Closures

  • Broward College (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
  • College of Central Florida (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday)
  • Daytona State College (Thursday, Friday)
  • Eastern Florida State College (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
  • Florida Keys Community College (Wednesday until further notice)
  • Florida SouthWestern State College (Thursday, Friday)
  • Florida State College at Jacksonville (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday)
  • Hillsborough Community College (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
  • Indian River State College (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
  • Miami Dade College (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
  • Palm Beach State College (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
  • Pasco-Hernando State College (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday)
  • Seminole State College (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday)
  • State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday)
  • St. Petersburg College (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
  • Valencia College (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday)

State University System Closures

  • Florida Atlantic University (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
  • Florida Gulf Coast University (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
  • Florida International University (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
  • University of Central Florida (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday)
  • University of South Florida (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday)

BUSINESS, INDUSTRY, & ECONOMIC STABILIZATION

  • The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and the Division of Emergency Management (DEM) created an event in the Florida Virtual Business Emergency Operations Center (FLVBEOC) for Hurricane Irma and are currently updating with up-to-date storm information, situation reports and resources for the business community. FLVBEOC is available at www.flvbeoc.org.
  • The state has activated the Private Sector Hotline at 850-815-4925. The hotline is available for business inquiries about the storm, preparedness information and post-impact information.
  • The state is conducting daily Private Sector conference calls to provide situational awareness and to address concerns of private sector partners.
  • DEO is continuing to coordinate with CareerSource Florida, local workforce boards, and other public-private partners.
  • Major retailers are being contacted to provide the status of emergency supplies.

ELECTRIC & NATURAL GAS UTILITIES (Public Service Commission)

  • Utility providers are working on staging and asset allocation so they can return power as quickly as possible following the storm and are prepared to start reporting outage and restoral information when notified to begin.
  • The state is monitoring the power grid for sufficient power and the natural gas infrastructure for any damages that can cause a loss of service to power plants.
  • The state is coordinating with utilities to identify potential fuel, equipment or resource needs.
  • Memos for several gas companies to have access to their facilities have been issued.

VISIT FLORIDA

  • VISIT FLORIDA remains in contact with all destination marketing partners and emergency contacts and has activated the Homepage Banner and Florida Now page on visitflorida.com to advise consumers.
  • Through VISIT FLORIDA’s partnership with Expedia, Expedia.com/Florida has been activated to provide accommodations availability information for visitors, residents and first responders.

INSURANCE

  • The Department of Financial Services and the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) has activated its internal Incident Management Team (IMT) for coordination of activities related to Hurricane Irma and is preparing to respond to deployments as needed, and prepared to order property insurers to submit claims information from Hurricane Irma.
  • Additionally, in response to the Governor’s Office Executive Order, OIR has notified all entities writing health insurance in the state of their statutory obligation to allow for early prescription refills. OIR is also coordinating with the Agency for Healthcare Administration and Department of Health.
  • Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is encouraging all Floridians to keep all insurance and banking information in one, easily-accessible place. Consumers can download a copy of the Department’s free Emergency Financial Preparedness Toolkit. The Toolkit serves as a one-stop shop for all finance, emergency and insurance contact information. Download and complete the toolkit today.
  • Consumers with questions about their policies and those who need help filing a claim should call the CFO’s free Insurance Consumer Helpline at 1-877-693-5236.
  • OIR has updated its “Hurricane Season Resources” webpage, which contains links to information provided by the Governor, Chief Financial Officer, Attorney General, Commissioner of Agriculture, Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Flood Insurance Program, and contact information for Florida’s property insurers.

FUELS

  • The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved an emergency fuel waiver request from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which will allow more fuel to quickly enter the state as Florida prepares for potential storm impacts.
  • The state remains in contact with fuel industry partners and will continue to monitor fuel assistance requests. Florida is moving as much fuel through the system as fast as possible.
  • The state is prepared to survey fuel supply along evacuation routes and is coordinating emergency fuel resupply accordingly.
  • Emergency fuel contractors have secured 1.5 million gallons of fuel for initial delivery and confirmed that additional fuel supply is on standby for future deliveries.
  • While the state is working with fuel partners to bring fuel to communities as quickly as possible, it is important to be considerate of neighbors and take only what each family needs to be prepared.

PUBLIC HEALTH AND MEDICAL

  • Under a State of Emergency, individuals are able to refill prescriptions early. All health insurers, managed care organizations, and other entities that are licensed by the Office of Insurance Regulation and provide prescription medication coverage as part of a policy are required to waive time restrictions on prescription medication refills.
  • The Florida Department of Health (DOH) is coordinating with hospitals and healthcare facilities across Florida on evacuation needs.
  • DOH is preparing to set up and coordinate staffing for special needs shelters.
  • The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has Disaster Medical Assistance Teams on standby for Florida. These rapid response teams aid in the provision of medical care to those who need it after the storm.
  • The Agency for Persons with Disabilities’ regional offices have contacted providers and waiver support coordinators to ensure APD customers have a hurricane plan in place and that communities for people with developmental disabilities are preparing for the storm. Two group homes in Monroe County have evacuated. Others are evacuating on Thursday. Many will be going to a special needs shelter at Florida International University.
  • The Agency for Persons with Disabilities’ Southern Region is on standby to evacuate. One group home has evacuated from the Central Region today. Two more are planning to evacuate tomorrow morning. One group home from Broward County has evacuated.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

  • The state has contacted telecommunications partners to activate protective action plans and procedures for Central Offices, tower sites, mobile response units and any other critical infrastructure.
  • Comcast will be opening more than 137,000 free Xfinity WiFi hotspots throughout the state for individuals in need, including non-Xfinity customers, to help residents and emergency personnel stay connected if Hurricane Irma makes anticipated landfall in Florida. For a map of Xfinity WiFi hotspots, which are located both indoors and outdoors in places such as shopping districts, parks and businesses, please visit Xfinity.com/wifi.
  • Telecommunications Partners are monitoring fuel levels for generators and back-up power supply for cell towers.
  • The state is drafting 24-hour staffing schedules and all Telecommunications remain on standby to respond if required. Additional resources are being identified and preparing for potential deployment.
  • At this point, there are no out of ordinary reports of any major outages.
  • Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) has been sharing vital information about Hurricane Irma through their broadcast network, social media and station websites.
  • FPREN is also reporting important news and information through the Florida Storms app and social media pages.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

  • The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) staff is currently conducting baseline shoreline assessments to help evaluate beach impacts. DEP is also assisting in identifying and fortifying vulnerable areas of shoreline.
  • DEP is reaching out to drinking, wastewater and hazardous waste facilities to help ensure preparation steps are being taken, and has issued an emergency final order to ensure recovery efforts are not hampered or delayed.
  • Eleven Florida State Parks are currently closed. DEP is preparing to close more than 20 additional parks tomorrow. A full list of closures can be found at https://floridastateparks.org/content/storm-information.

LAKE OKEECHOBEE

  • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District has begun a pre-storm drawdown that includes water releases from Lake Okeechobee. The Corps anticipates the releases will last a short time, with future water management decisions dependent on the water level in the lake after the storm passes.
  • Routine inspections of the Herbert Hoover Dike are taking place and additional inspections will begin once the lake approaches 17 feet. The lake level is currently at 13.68 feet.
  • The South Florida Water Management District has begun lowering water levels in canals and moving as much water as possible to tide and south through flood control structures throughout its flood control system in preparation for the storm.
  • Field station staff are also inspecting key parts of the flood control system and ensuring adequate supplies of fuel and equipment for pump stations.
  • The District is closely coordinating with local drainage districts and governments to help them prepare their local canal systems for stormwater runoff from the hurricane.

State Emergency Operations Center/ Contact Information:

  • The State Emergency Operations Center has been activated to level one, which is a full-scale, 24-hours-a-day activation.
  • The Florida Emergency Information Line has been activated and is available 24/7 for families and victors at 1-800-342-3557. The media line is 850-921-0217.
  • Follow @FLSert or @FLGovScott on Twitter for live updates on Hurricane Irma.
  • Visit http://www.floridadisaster.org to find information on shelters, road closures, and evacuation routes.
  • On Monday, Governor Scott issued Executive Order 17-235 declaring a state of emergency in all 67 counties within the State of Florida.
  • On Tuesday, Governor Scott requested, and President Donald Trump approved, a pre-landfall emergency declaration for the State of Florida in preparation for Hurricane Irma which provided important preparation resources and assistance from the federal government.

Gov. Scott Activates 900 Additional Florida National Guard Members to Assist with Hurricane Irma Preparedness

Posted on

1,000 Guard Members Now Activated; 7,000 Total
Guard Members Will Report for Duty Friday Morning

Governor Rick Scott activated an additional 900 members of the Florida Army and Air National Guard to support with planning, logistics and operations in preparation for potential impacts from Hurricane Irma. These 900 members will respond to requests across the state to ensure communities are fully prepared for the storm. Governor Scott has now activated a total of 1,000 Guard members and the remaining 6,000 National Guard members will be reporting for duty no later than Friday morning. On Monday, Governor Scott issued Executive Order 17-235, which declared a state of emergency in all 67 counties within the State of Florida in response to Hurricane Irma and allowed for the immediate activation of National Guard members as preparedness actions continue.
Governor Scott said, “Today I am activating an additional 900 members of the Florida Army and Air National Guard to immediately begin assisting with ongoing Hurricane Irma preparation. By the end of today, there will be a total of 1,000 National Guard members activated. Hurricane Irma is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening Category 5 storm and the state is aggressively preparing to ensure families are safe as we prepare for a possible landfall. The brave men and women of the Florida National Guard are incredibly important to executing emergency preparedness and response actions across the state and I will continue to activate more members as needed. These members will be in place to help with evacuations and sheltering, as well as the coordination of search and rescue with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. National Guard members will also be assisting utility companies following the storm as they respond to return power to homes and businesses.”

Gov. Scott Issues Updates on Hurricane Irma Preparedness

Posted on

Governor Rick Scott today received a full update on Hurricane Irma from the State Emergency Operations Center. Governor Scott has been in constant communication with state and local emergency management officials, law enforcement, school superintendents and county leaders who are also working to ensure the state is prepared to respond to any potential impacts from Hurricane Irma. Yesterday, Governor Scott issued Executive Order 17-235 declaring a state of emergency in all 67 counties within the State of Florida. Governor Scott today requested that President Donald Trump declare a pre-landfall emergency for the State of Florida in preparation for Hurricane Irma to provide important preparation resources and assistance from the federal government. The State Emergency Operations Center has been activated to level one, which is a full-scale, 24-hours-a-day activation.
EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS BY STATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM
MILITARY SUPPORT

  • Governor Scott activated 100 members of the Florida Air and Army National Guard to support with planning, logistics and operations in preparation for potential impacts from Hurricane Irma. These 100 members will be stationed in across the state.
  • At the direction of Governor Scott, all 7,000 National Guard members will be reporting for duty Friday morning. Additional guard members will be activated this week as needed.
  • In addition, 13 helicopters and more than 1,000 tactical high wheeled trucks are on standby.
  • Florida has identified air assets and resources from the North Carolina National Guard and is also coordinating with nearby states to assist with evacuations from the Florida Keys.
  • The Florida National Guard is coordinating with the National Guard Bureau to identify approximately 30,000 troops, 4,000 trucks, 100 helicopters, and Aero-Evacuation crews that are standing by for Hurricane Irma support, if needed.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

  • The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is preparing search and rescue teams for potential deployment. All teams that were deployed to Texas have since returned or are in the process of returning.
  • The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, and other partnering agencies are identifying resources for deployment if necessary to respond to the storm.
  • The division of the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is monitoring road and traffic conditions to ensure the roadways are clear and working with the Division of Emergency Management to ensure consistent messaging is provided statewide.
  • The division of Motorist Services has its Florida Licensing on Wheels (FLOW) mobiles on standby and will deploy them to impacted areas as needed.

TRANSPORTATION & PUBLIC WORKS

  • The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is holding teleconferences with districts and agency partners such as the Army Corps of Engineers, Water Management Districts, and Federal Highway Administration to ensure all infrastructure needs are met.
  • FDOT will continue to reach out to county emergency operations centers directly to coordinate any necessary response actions, including activating traffic counters, providing local evacuation support and providing maintenance of traffic and other assistance.
  • The state is monitoring conditions at all airports and seaports. As of now, there are no closed airports or seaports.
  • Governor Scott has rescinded all weight and driver restrictions for highways so water, food, fuel and emergency supplies can be quickly brought to Florida.

HUMAN SERVICES:

  • While the state is working as quickly as possible to fill grocery store shelves with water and other emergency resources, it is important to be considerate of neighbors and take only what each family needs to be prepared.
  • The state is staging mass care supplies such as meals, shelter support trailers and portable water at the State Logistic Resource Center in Orlando for deployments as needed.
  • The state is also establishing local points of contact with mass care organizations and volunteer agencies, including working with the American Red Cross to coordinate sheltering and feeding operations. The American Red Cross has also established a Disaster Relief Operation (DRO) in Orlando.
  • The Department of Business and Professional Regulation and Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is running projection models for human-services’ needs (such as food and sheltering) based on a major hurricane impacting the state.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS

  • The Florida Department of Education is in contact with school districts, state colleges and universities for updates before, during and after emergency events.
  • At this time, all school districts and colleges are monitoring Irma and her path.
  • Districts are preparing in the case that their facilities are needed for shelters. Colleges are making emergency preparations on their campuses and working with students who may need assistance with relocation.

BUSINESS, INDUSTRY, & ECONOMIC STABILIZATION

  • The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and the Division of Emergency Management (DEM) created an event in the Florida Virtual Business Emergency Operations Center (FLVBEOC) for Hurricane Irma and are currently updating with up-to-date storm information, situation reports and resources for the business community. FLVBEOC is available at www.flvbeoc.org.
  • We have activated the Private Sector Hotline at 850-815-4925. The hotline is available for business inquiries about the storm, preparedness information and post-impact information.

ELECTRIC & NATURAL GAS UTILITIES (Public Service Commission)

  • Utilities have been put on notice to start reporting outage and restoral information when notified to begin.
  • Utilities are contacting their mutual aid partners to determine availability if external resources are needed to restore services.
  • Monitoring the power grid for sufficient power in the state and the natural gas infrastructure for any damages that can cause a loss of service to power plants.
  • The state is also requesting utilities to identify any staging areas needed outside of Florida and requesting the status of all nuclear facilities in the event a shutdown is necessary.

INSURANCE

  • The Department of Financial Services and the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) has activated its internal Incident Management Team (IMT) for coordination of activities related to Hurricane Irma and is preparing to respond to deployments as needed, and prepared to order property insurers to submit claims information from Hurricane Irma.
  • Additionally, in response to the Governor’s Office Executive Order, OIR has notified all entities writing health insurance in the state of their statutory obligation to allow for early prescription refills. OIR is also coordinating with the Agency for Healthcare Administration and Department of Health.
  • The Chief Financial Officer DFS is encouraging all Floridians to keep all insurance and banking information in one, easily-accessible place, consumers can download a copy of the Department’s free Emergency Financial Preparedness Toolkit. The Toolkit serves as a one-stop shop for all finance, emergency and insurance contact information. Download and complete the toolkit today.
  • OIR has updated its “Hurricane Season Resources” webpage, which contains links to information provided by the Governor, Chief Financial Officer, Attorney General, Commissioner of Agriculture, Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Flood Insurance Program, and contact information for Florida’s property insurers.

FUELS

  • The state is contacting fuel industry partners (e.g., Florida Petroleum Council, Florida Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association); there are no reported supply, distribution or retail fuel shortages or issues.
  • The state is monitoring fuel assistance requests and has contacted emergency fuel and equipment providers for status of emergency fuel supply and equipment.
  • While the state is working as quickly as possible to bring fuel to communities, as Floridians prepare, it is important to be considerate of neighbors and take only what each family needs to be prepared.

PUBLIC HEALTH AND MEDICAL

  • The Florida Department of Health (DOH) is coordinating with hospitals and healthcare facilities across Florida on potential evacuation needs.
  • DOH is preparing to set up and coordinate staffing for special needs shelters.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

  • The state has contacted telecommunications partners to activate protective action plans and procedures for Central Offices, tower sites, mobile response units and any other critical infrastructure.
  • Telecommunications Partners are monitoring fuel levels for generators and back-up power supply.
  • The state is drafting 24-hour staffing schedules and all Telecommunications remain on standby to respond if required.
  • At this point, no out of ordinary reports of any major outages.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

  • The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) staff is currently conducting baseline shoreline assessments to help evaluate beach impacts.
  • DEP is reaching out to drinking and wastewater facilities to help ensure preparation steps are being taken.
  • All state parks remain open at this time, but no new camping reservations will be accepted for the next 10 days.
  • The South Florida Water Management District has begun lowering water levels in canals and moving as much water as possible to tide and south through flood control structures throughout its flood control system in preparation for the storm.
  • Routine inspections of the Herbert Hoover Dike are taking place and additional inspections will begin once the lake approaches 17 feet. The lake level is currently at 13.67 feet.

CONTACTS:

  • The State Emergency Operations Center Media Line: 850-921-0217.
  • Follow @FLSert or @FLGovScott on Twitter for live updates on Hurricane Irma.
  • Visit http://www.floridadisaster.org to find information on shelters, road closures, and evacuation routes.

Gov. Scott Activates 100 Florida National Guard Members to Assist with Hurricane Irma Preparedness

Posted on

7,000 Guard Members Will Report for Duty Friday Morning

Governor Rick Scott activated 100 members of the Florida Air and Army National Guard to support with planning, logistics and operations in preparation for potential impacts from Hurricane Irma. These 100 members will be stationed across the state, and will advise the Governor on available and needed resources to ensure communities are fully prepared for the storm. In addition, at the direction of Governor Scott, all 7,000 National Guard members will be reporting for duty Friday morning. Yesterday, Governor Scott issued Executive Order 17-235, which declared a state of emergency in all 67 counties within the State of Florida in response to Hurricane Irma and allowed for the immediate activation of National Guard members as preparedness actions continue.
Governor Scott said, “Today I am activating 100 members of the Florida Air and Army National Guard to immediately begin assisting with ongoing Hurricane Irma preparation. Per my direction, they will be stationed throughout the state. I have also directed all 7,000 guard members to report for duty this Friday, however, if resources are needed before then, I stand ready to activate as many guard members needed to support our aggressive preparedness actions. With Hurricane Irma now a category 5 storm, we must do all we can to prepare our families and communities for any potential impact from this major weather event. We do not know the exact path of this storm, but weather can change in an instant and while we hope for the best, we must prepare for the worst.”

Gov. Rick Scott Hosts Zika Preparedness Roundtable

Posted on

Governor Rick Scott today hosted a roundtable with community leaders in Miami on Zika preparedness ahead of the rainy season when mosquitos are most prevalent in Florida.
Governor Scott said, “Florida has only had two isolated cases of local Zika transmission this year and there are not currently any identified areas with active Zika transmission, which is good news. However, it is crucial that we continue to work together to remain vigilant and take precautions to stay ahead of this virus. That is why I hosted a Zika preparedness roundtable in Miami today with the Florida Department of Health to make sure the South Florida community is taking action now in advance of the upcoming rainy season.
“I urge all Floridians to remember to eliminate any standing water around your homes, businesses and communities, and to wear bug spray to prevent mosquito bites. It is also important to protect yourself if you travel outside of Florida to an area with Zika virus. Last year, our aggressive actions helped lift the previous Zika zones in Wynwood, Little River and Miami Beach. This year, we stand ready to once again do all we can to protect Florida’s families, visitors and communities.”
More information on the Zika virus and preparedness actions can be found HERE.
Florida Department of Health’s Zika Virus Hotline: 1-855-622-6735