Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, alongside Major General John D. Haas, Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) Executive Director Kevin Guthrie, and Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue, addressed the state's preparedness for Hurricane Milton at the State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee.
As of 11 a.m. ET, Hurricane Milton is positioned approximately 720 miles southwest of Tampa with sustained winds reaching 155 mph. The hurricane is expected to pass near or north of the Yucatan Peninsula before moving across the eastern Gulf of Mexico and nearing Florida's west coast by Wednesday.
Governor DeSantis has issued Executive Order 24-215, amending EO 24-214 to declare a state of emergency for 51 counties.
Residents seeking guidance on hurricane preparedness can visit FloridaDisaster.org/Guide. For county-specific resources, they are directed to FloridaDisaster.org/Counties.
The FDEM has activated the State Emergency Operations Center to Level 1 since September 24 for Hurricane Helene and remains at this level for Hurricane Milton as of October 6. The agency is leading over 600 missions statewide to assist counties in their readiness efforts.
Efforts include establishing a base camp at Tropicana Field for debris operations and responders post-landfall, deploying fuel and EV chargers along evacuation routes, and coordinating storm preparations at State Veterans' Nursing Homes. The VISN 8 Clinical Contact Center remains operational around-the-clock for virtual care support.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) has mobilized regional teams in Tampa, Orlando, and Fort Myers with aviation assets prepositioned ahead of the storm. The FDLE Sworn Training Unit is on standby to assist first responders post-storm.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has prepared high-water vehicles and other response resources statewide. Approximately 75 FWC officers are ready to deploy with specialized equipment such as airboats and ATVs if necessary.
The Florida Department of Health (DOH) has deployed nearly 600 emergency response vehicles along the I-4 Corridor in anticipation of Hurricane Milton. The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) is working with health care providers on census data, evacuation status, and generator needs from counties under EO-24-114.
In infrastructure efforts, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is preparing roadways by clearing shoulders and inspecting drainage systems. They have suspended construction projects involving lane closures statewide on interstates and turnpike facilities.
For transportation modes like seaports and airports, monitoring continues with potential service impacts communicated directly by providers. SunRail operations will be suspended starting Tuesday, October 8.
DEP issued an Emergency Final Order allowing disaster debris management sites activation for solid waste processing due to Hurricane Helene's impact along coastal areas.
Agencies continue their collaboration in preparation for Hurricane Milton's landfall while providing ongoing updates through official channels like social media platforms managed by FDEM.