Hurricane Ian could turn into a Category 4 storm that's potentially larger than Hurricane Irma when it hits Florida’s gulf coast. The state is continuing to prepare, sending hundreds of medical personnel, generators and pumps to the Tampa-area.
“Be on the lookout for that because I know we’ve been conferring with a lot of local officials that those are going to happen,” DeSantis said.
The potential flooding from Ian could leave thousands of residents without power even if the eye of the storm remains off shore. National Guard Major General James O. Eifert on Monday said he expects to reposition troops as the path of the storm becomes more clear. DeSantis said the state also faces the challenge of refilling gasoline stations in regions where fuel is shipped into one of the state’s seaports. Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said the Port of Tampa Bay is expected to close but ports along the Atlantic coast are expected to remain open. U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Brendan McPherson is scheduled to arrive in the state Tuesday to make plans.
To ease travel, DeSantis said he has removed tolls on major thoroughfares along the Gulf Coast, from Okaloosa County to Alligator Alley in South Florida, and waived weight restrictions that make it easier for trucks to bring in supplies from outside the state. For instance, one of the largest gasoline suppliers serving north Florida is in Bainbridge, Ga., which is about 40 miles away from Tallahassee.
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