Florida and Georgia senators urge preparedness ahead of Hurricane Ian landfall

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Hurricane Ian continues on a path for Florida. The category four Hurricane is expected to hit around the Sarasota Area.

The National Hurricane Center is projecting storm surges as high as nine feet in some areas.

Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said, “We lost people in Hurricane Michael up at Mexico Beach where we had nine foot storm surge. I mean houses were moved. Houses were demolished.”

Scott, a former governor of Florida who experienced several hurricanes while in office, is urging Floridians to not take Hurricane Ian’s landfall lightly. ““Follow the evacuation orders. Follow the storm. Follow your local news,” Scott told Gray Television’s Washington News Bureau.

President Joe Biden echoed Senator Scott’s call on Tuesday afternoon. President Biden said, “Evacuate when ordered.”

The president also said the Federal Emergency Management Agency is moving water, food, and generators into position to respond to Hurricane Ian’s aftermath.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said, “So the main message I have for everyone in Florida is that this is going to impact everyone in different ways, so you need to stay focused.”

The concern stretches beyond Florida, Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) tells Gray Television’s Washington News Bureau that he wants people in his state to get ready now. Ossoff said, “Take this storm seriously. There could be very substantial impacts for coastal Georgia.

President Biden declared a state of emergency for Florida last week, freeing up federal funds days ahead of the storm’s arrival. A federal disaster has not yet been declared for Georgia.

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