As Hurricane Milton bears down on Florida’s west coast, the state’s preparation efforts under Governor Ron DeSantis’s leadership have reached unprecedented levels of scope and competence. From the strategic staging of supplies to innovative traffic management, Florida’s comprehensive approach to hurricane readiness sets a new standard for disaster preparedness.
Strategic Supply Staging
One of the most crucial aspects of Florida’s hurricane preparation is the strategic staging of supplies. Governor DeSantis has overseen the establishment of multiple staging areas across the state, including a massive operation at the Florida Horse Park in Ocala. This single location houses an impressive array of 2,000 pieces of equipment, including pumps, generators, display boards, forklifts, hoses, and bunk trailers. The governor emphasized the comprehensiveness of these preparations, stating,
“You name it, this stuff is here.”
https://www.ocala.com/story/news/local/2024/10/08/gov-ron-desantis-visits-as-ocala-florida-preps-for-hurricane-milton/75572740007/
In addition to equipment, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) has pre-positioned vast quantities of food and water. FEMA reports having 20 million meals and 40 million liters of water in the pipeline, ready to deploy as needed
This level of preparedness ensures that even if supply chains are disrupted in the aftermath of the hurricane, essential resources will be available to affected communities.
Mobilization of Electrical Linemen
Recognizing the critical importance of power restoration after a hurricane, Florida has marshaled an unprecedented force of electrical linemen. Governor DeSantis announced that over 37,000 linemen are either already in Florida or en route to the state. This number is expected to exceed 40,000 by the time Milton makes landfall, significantly surpassing the resources deployed for previous hurricanes like Helene
The scale of this mobilization is particularly impressive given the ongoing power restoration efforts in neighboring states affected by Hurricane Helene. DeSantis noted that some linemen are traveling from as far as California to assist Florida. This massive deployment of skilled workers positions the state to rapidly restore power in the wake of the storm, minimizing the duration of outages and accelerating recovery efforts.
Comprehensive Shelter Preparation
Florida’s shelter preparation for Hurricane Milton is both extensive and meticulous. Counties across the state have opened a variety of shelters to accommodate different needs. For example, Marion County has activated multiple general population shelters, pet-friendly shelters, and a special needs shelter. These facilities are strategically located in schools and other suitable buildings that meet American Red Cross design standards to withstand hurricane-force winds
The state has gone beyond merely opening shelters by ensuring they are well-stocked and staffed. The Department of Children and Families (DCF) has delivered over 40 truckloads of food, water, cots, and blankets to shelters. Additionally, DCF is deploying 115 nurses to shelters to provide medical support
This level of preparation ensures that evacuees will have access to essential supplies and care during their stay.
Innovative Transportation Solutions
Recognizing that transportation can be a significant barrier to evacuation, Florida has implemented several innovative solutions to help residents reach safety. The state has partnered with Uber to provide free rides to local shelters for residents in mandatory evacuation zones. This public-private partnership leverages existing transportation infrastructure to ensure that even those without personal vehicles can evacuate safely. For those with special needs, Palm Beach County offers a Special Transportation Assistance Program through Palm Tran Connection.. This service provides transportation to shelters for disabled residents who live in hurricane evacuation zones. Furthermore, FDEM is operating free evacuation shuttles in Pinellas, Pasco, and Hillsborough counties, with locations and times readily available on the FloridaDisaster.org website.
Multi-Channel Communication Strategy
Effective communication is crucial during a hurricane, and Florida has employed a multi-faceted approach to keep residents informed. The state has activated the State Assistance Information Line, providing 24/7 support in English, Spanish, and Haitian-Creole
This hotline serves as a central resource for residents seeking information and assistance. Local governments and emergency management offices are utilizing various platforms to disseminate information. For instance, many counties are using their websites and social media channels to provide real-time updates on shelter locations, evacuation orders, and safety instructions. The Florida Division of Emergency Management maintains a comprehensive website (FloridaDisaster.org) that serves as a one-stop resource for hurricane-related information
Governor DeSantis has also been conducting regular press conferences, providing direct updates to the public and media. These briefings cover a wide range of topics, from evacuation orders to resource deployment, ensuring that residents have access to the most current and accurate information
Innovative Traffic Management
To facilitate smooth evacuations and prevent gridlock, Florida has implemented several innovative traffic management strategies. One of the most significant measures is the suspension of tolls on major highways in West Florida, Central Florida, and on specific routes like Alligator Alley and 595 Express. This action removes a potential barrier to evacuation and helps maintain traffic flow.
To increase highway capacity, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has implemented Emergency Shoulder Use (ESU) on key evacuation routes. This includes opening the left shoulder of eastbound I-4 and portions of northbound I-75 for travel. The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is actively monitoring these ESU routes to ensure safe and efficient traffic flow. To further support evacuation efforts, FDOT has expanded Road Ranger Service across impact zones. These mobile units provide assistance to stranded motorists, helping to quickly clear minor incidents and keep traffic moving. The department has also staged Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) trailers and drone teams to monitor traffic conditions and respond rapidly to any issues.
Proactive Fuel Management
Recognizing the critical importance of fuel availability during evacuations, Florida has taken unprecedented steps to ensure a steady supply of gasoline. Governor DeSantis has directed the Florida Highway Patrol to escort fuel trucks from ports to gas stations, operating around the clock as long as it’s safe to do so before landfall. This proactive approach helps prevent fuel shortages at critical moments during the evacuation process. The state is also coordinating the deployment of fuel and electric vehicle chargers along evacuation routes.
This forward-thinking strategy addresses the needs of both traditional and electric vehicles, ensuring that all evacuees can reach their destinations safely. To combat potential price gouging, the state has activated its price gouging hotline and is actively monitoring complaints. This vigilance helps protect consumers during a vulnerable time and maintains public trust in the evacuation process.
Debris Management and Infrastructure Protection
Florida’s preparation extends beyond immediate evacuation needs to include post-storm recovery efforts. The state has pre-positioned debris removal assets, including over 350 pieces of heavy equipment and trucks. In the days leading up to Milton’s arrival, state resources have already removed over 22,000 cubic yards of debris from areas affected by Hurricane Helene, demonstrating the state’s commitment to rapid recovery.
To protect critical infrastructure, FDOT has secured high mast lighting, maintenance yards, active construction projects, and other vulnerable assets. The department has also inspected and cleared drainage systems, monitored flood-prone areas, and pre-positioned pumps to mitigate potential flooding.
Coordination with Federal and Private Sector Partners
Florida’s preparation efforts are further bolstered by strong coordination with federal agencies and private sector partners. FEMA has pre-staged a full slate of response capabilities in Florida, including urban search and rescue teams, swift water rescue teams, and disaster medical assistance teams. The U.S. Department of Defense is also positioning forces to support FEMA and state partners, including helicopters for search-and-rescue operations. In the private sector, Florida has engaged with utility companies to ensure a rapid response to power outages. Major utilities like Tampa Electric, Duke Energy, and Florida Power and Light are operating from digital control centers to update customers and direct crews efficiently. This collaboration between public and private entities enhances the overall preparedness and response capabilities.
Conclusion
As Hurricane Milton approaches, Florida’s preparation efforts under Governor Ron DeSantis’s leadership stand out as a model of comprehensive disaster readiness. From the strategic staging of supplies and personnel to innovative traffic management and proactive fuel distribution, the state has demonstrated an unprecedented level of competence in hurricane preparation. The multi-faceted approach addresses not only immediate evacuation needs but also positions the state for rapid recovery in the storm’s aftermath. By leveraging technology, partnering with private sector entities, and implementing creative solutions to longstanding challenges, Florida has set a new standard for hurricane preparedness. As the storm makes landfall, the true test of these preparations will begin. However, the thoroughness and scale of Florida’s efforts provide a strong foundation for protecting lives, minimizing damage, and accelerating recovery. The lessons learned from this approach are likely to influence disaster preparedness strategies not only in Florida but across the nation and beyond.
Taking something like this seriously matters, rather than allegedly treating a hurricane as an exercise in rating DEI compliance, as Biden apparently is.
I think it’s hilarious how Kamala publicly calls out Ron for not taking her call and Ole dementia Joe publicly states Ron is doing a great job.
Even Joe doesn’t like Kamala.
It’s now being claimed that Pappa Joe did not know about the phone call when he made that statment.
In his condition? He is lucky if he knows about his own calls, never mind her.
Bill Nye thinks that Milton can transition to Millie when leaving the peninsula.
Very, very bad pun…shame,shame, shame-as Gomer would say.
Humor is a difficult concept.
Except in this case.
Partly out of morbid curiosity I was just watching CNN and Mikey Mann was the guest, and he basically said that Florida Governor DeSantis, since he is against fighting Climate Change, was about to get what he deserves.
Which reminds me of Jerry Falwell blaming Katrina on New Orleans’ immorality.
In essence, Mann is claiming people cause hurricanes.
What a fool.
“Cow farts cause hurricanes” sounds more ridiculous, however.
That is of a criminal level. Punishing millions of people because of one person’s belief?
Are we rewriting the Bible here?
Interestingly GOES East currently shows the eye wall collapsed (vanished) overnight
https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/sector_band.php?sat=G16§or=gm&band=GEOCOLOR&length=48&dim=undefined
How many storms greater than Cat 1 have vanishing eyewalls?
In major hurricanes, eyewall replacement is a common occurrence. The old visible eyewall collapses as a new ‘outer wall’ forms and replaces the old eye.
The question is will the new, outer wall get established before landfall.
If it does, this monster possibly could grow.
FYI, the vanished eyewall was measured at 8 mi diameter, down from something like 22 mi. This was a couple of hours ago, but if it hits landfall with the small eye intact, the winds will likely be more severe, much like a figure skater pulling her arms in.
No this was not an eyewall replacement cycle. Cold, dry air was being entrained into the core from the W and NW and destroying the cyclone. Hurricane hunters reported an open eyewall some 4-5 hours before landfall and it never closed again based on ground radar imagery.
Here in SE Florida – 195 miles from the storm center, the winds turned cold and dry around 4 PM showing empirical proof the cold, dry air was slamming the storm’s core and destroying it’s “tropical” engine. Having been through 3 hurricane eye’s, and multiple side swipes in the last 25 years, the air for a dozen hours before and after a real tropical cyclone is hot and thick with humidity. So the cold, dry wind several hours before it made landfall on the SE side of the circulation demonstrates it was undergoing rapid weakening from this cold air entrainment.
It was already down to a Cat2 several hours before landfall. The other clue to it’s rapid weakening is the expansion of the diameter of what was left of the central circulation – as the pressure rises and angular momentum is lessened, this loosens the grip on the circulation and it expands in size.
Winds at flight level 100 (10,000 feet) were down to 100 mph at this time, so surface was lower from ADS-B data of of both the NOAA P3, and TEAL 73 the C130 flying through the storm center at the time.
You posted Cat2. I am not debating that. Media claims it landed as Cat3.
What was interesting in my 1 hour commute home is how the wind dropped as quickly as it did. Each 15 minute news update had the winds down 5 mph.
Or just throw up your hands and blame climate change for your institutional failure.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energy-and-environment/3171935/mayorkas-climate-change-communication-resources-hurricane/
Who wrote this piece – was it De Santis or his team? Or is it independant (as if anything really is)?
Who wrote this is a fair question. The author is not listed.
Are there inaccuracies? If so, please supply the links to that information.
This is not the only place I have read about the Florida preparations, so it has a high credibility level with me.
One of my sisters lives a bit east of Tampa.
She gave us an update recently on what’s going on.
She ended the update with, “DeSantis Rocks!”
PS DeSantis doesn’t suffer the illusion that Man caused this or made it worse.
But he is preparing for it, politics and political science aside.
Author is Charles Rotter, as it say in the top of the article.
Thank you. My old eyes missed that.
Does it matter? Or are you suggesting that it is not accurate and if so on what basis?
Yes, it matters. And people who pride themselves in doing their own research should know that.
So you admit it is accurate..
… unlike anything you have ever posted.
That’s not quite true. I believe a fair assessment is his accuracy level is between 1% and 5%. His logic fallacies, however, are eternal.
Your comment was over half an hour after Charles Rotter clarified he wrote it.
(His name is at the top as the author.)
I’ll give you the “benefit of the doubt” that you made your comment before you saw his, helpful but unnecessary, clarification.
PS “Pride”?
Of what value is “pride” in any honest evaluation of anything?
“Pride” is a motivation to not admit one was wrong.
Case in point, Michael Mann. Rather than admit he made mistakes, he goes to the courts and sues those who pointed out and/or made fun of his mistakes. (“Hide the Decline”)
I wrote it.
An excellent piece. Well done.
Very nice! DeSantis is clearly planning for success.
I’m hoping for minimal splatter when the shit hits the fan. Milton is just about a cat 3 at 130 mph max sustained winds and 944 mbar pressure.
The article included TWENTY-NINE hot links!
How much actual, verifiable information needs to be conveyed before you will designate something to be “NOT fake news”?
Depends on whether you like or dislike DeSantis. He dissed Harris. So if you like Harris, no number of fact links suffices.
He dissed for reasons 😀
Did he “dis” her? Did she actually call him?
He talked with Brandon, the President, to get to get the Fed support for his state.
Seriously, even if he knew VP Harris had tried to call, what could she do?
Why waste time on her when he’s facing a real life emergency for his state?
Harris is playing politics, DeSantis is trying to take care of all the people in his state.
(DIE and political consideration be damned!)
DIE = DEI…
It started as “Diversity and Inclusion”, DI.
“Equity”, E, was added later.
I guess they didn’t like the chronological acronym. 😎
A subset of DUI?
Desantis as correct when he said that Harris is not in the chain of command so there was no reason during emergencies for him to take to her.
Florida also provided aid and assistance to North Carolina.
Florida is sending a massive amount of material especially in view of having to deal with Milton.
Florida knows how to deal with these storms.
I don’t. I fled to Atlanta when Frederick hit Melbourne.
Practice makes perfect. And in the past few years, Florida has had lots of practice. Michel, Irma, Ian, Helene—all Majors.
One piece of ‘good’ news.The present storm track has the eye hitting below Tampa Bay. Means the surge there will ‘only’ be 8-12 feet rather than 10-15, as predicted at 0800 this morning. Surge was 8 feet in Tampa Bay with Helene, so maybe not a lot of new damage there.
One piece of bad news. Milton’s outer bands have already spun up tornadoes in Fort Mayers and places to the northeast of there.
Good news, perhaps, Rud for those in Tampa Bay. Bad though for may place in Sarasota County. Ian’s eye hit there, looks like Milton will, too. I am elsewhere and hope I don’t return to a flooded home.
‘good’ (note the quotes).
That nit aside, there really is no good news with a storm of this type.
Yeah, it’s blowing in Fort Meyers Beach.
The “price gouging” policy should be: When supplies are low price gouging provides supply by encouraging people to bring more of it. Price gouging is always followed by natural correction as each next supply finds less demand.
I believe the “invisible hand” even creates more supply from BOTH sides of the equation.
If I am fleeing Florida in front of a hurricane, and the price of gasoline goes to $20/gal, I am NOT going to fill my tank. I am going to take how much I need to reach my destination (or a station farther removed from ground zero) plus a decent safety margin.
Every person that does the same just magically created more available gasoline supplies in the evacuation area.
I also vaguely recall a past hurricane disaster (Katrina?), where independent fuel truckers said they would drive in gasoline supplies and they could do it for $0.38/gallon above the pre-disaster price. However, there were anti-gouging laws in place that would have to be waived. The Democrat officials refused to waive the law, and peoples’ home generators (that were supplying electricity to multiple homes) ran dry.
That does not appear to be gouging. There is a cost for home delivery, isn’t there?
It’s only because the Dems weren’t going to get a piece of the action-look at how well the Dems have evolved-joey gets 10% now. The Dems just weren’t thinking…
She should say the “price gouging” policy will apply to the stock market. See if the flys.
Something sarcastic about the Cat Lady.
FEMA funds should go to the states.
You want a “Man made” emergency?
Illegal immigration in the US.
A good chunk of FEMA’s funds was diverted, by the Dems, to deal with the emergency they created.
I did hours of research on that. None of FEMA disaster relief funs went to migrant aid.
For whatever reason, in 2023, the migrant aid program was moved from DHS to FEMA. It is nonsense unless one is prepared to declare immigration a disaster.
Those were separate pots of money as allocated by Congress, and yes, certainly Dems were part of that decision..
It sounds like the adults are in charge! The post-event report should be interesting to read.
Fun piece of local news. Trump is putting up 260 prepositioned FPL linemen and their trucks at his luxury golf resort at Doral in Miami. Free lodging and free meals.
Does those FPL trucks need any apprentice linemen?
Do good for the community AND eat Doral level fine dining? Sounds like a win-win situation to me!
Probably McDonalds. (LOL)
Apparently they learned from Helene that PR needs to be vigorous.
There was a lot of preparations for Helene but no one bothered to publish.
It seems Governor Desantis learned from that and is avoiding a repeat.
Ron DeSantis- future President!
First, he’ll be VP under President Vance. That would be a great ticket. Young and bright and conservative.
Well, latest update. Milton’s eye is now fully visible on weather radar (close enough to coast). So no more NHC model forecasts. Unfortunately, it is right now making a beeline for Tampa Bay or just north. Jiggled again from east (forecast hours ago) to northeast in reality. Worst case scenario is now real.
Back to 50-50 from 60-40 whether Charles and I experience sustained tropical storm winds here on the beach in north Fort Lauderdale. For sure stronger gusts are coming.
And we have been under three 30 minute tornado warnings in the past two hours, with two a bit west of us not only confirmed by radar but a big one crossing Alligator Alley captured on the toll booth traffic video just a few miles west of Weston. Unfortunately, the main doppler radar identified tornado generating outer rainband Tstorm cluster is now headed right at Orlando.
The hopeful news is that it’s continuously weakening, now a mid-cat 3 (max sus wnd: 120 mph; 948 mbar min cent press). Also it’s coming in before high tide.
Thanks for that update.
As I said before my sister and her offspring are in Florida and the Tampa area.
But any of these “tropical” things are bad if they hit where you live.
Tropical Storm Ilya almost killed me in 1973. But I did find out the old VW Bug really did float. (It was an old one. No gas gauge but it did have an auxiliary gas tank.)
(Strange. I just tried to look it up and can’t find any record of it. Easy to find a few years ago.)
I “have skin in the game”.
But I also have my own kids’ and grandkid’s “skin in the game” for years down the road.
The whole “Green New Deal” and shutting down fossil fuels and going “Carbon Net Zero” is … (insert the most vile expletive you can think of).
Min pressure has risen to 954 mbar, they are still saying 120 mph max sustained winds. The thing is going to hit land in about an hour. Good luck to all.
I have a sister in Cape Coral. She fled to higher ground but a little north.
Story tips.
The excretable John Kerry on the climate trough.
John Kerry Lands At Green Firm Raking In Billions From Biden-Harris Subsidies – Climate Change Dispatch
/retch/
Kerry’s face will fall off before there is any energy “transition.”
I have written a program to plot the data from NDBC buoys near Milton’s path. It currently looks like this, where buoy ID, max wind (knots), max gust, time are given to the right of the circles, whose size is proportional to wind. Milton hasn’t yet run through there though.
Nice!
Thanks. Here is an updated version, on which I’ll make some comments shortly.
Oops, the comments are sitting ABOVE this plot.
Here are the comments.
So, in that plot you can see that the highest sustained wind was 64 knots at MTBF1 (gust 79) and at OPTF1, which is Category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Now, of course these buoys may not have been close enough to the path to record the highest winds, but if Milton really was Category 3 at landfall, which is 96-112 knots, it should have been even stronger on passing these buoys, and the discrepancy is striking. The red line on the plot is the path that was predicted as of last night for the centre. I am going to see if I can work out how close the centre actually passed to those buoys. Pressure is an indicator, and the lowest recorded was 963mb at VENF1 at 0000Z – but that buoy apparently only reports on the hour.
Bear in mind that Milton had been quoted as down to 908mb at one point, but as it approached Florida the eye became completely squished (to use a technical term) and the cyclone doubtless weakened.
OK, with the help of https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/obs.shtml I have been able to work out where those weather buoys are. The cluster of 5 buoys is in the Tampa area, with CWBF1 and MTBF1 in the most exposed locations. VENF1 is at Venice, and FMRF1 is at Fort Myers, but it is by a bridge over the Caloosahatchee River and would be somewhat sheltered.
The BBC says “Hurricane Milton made landfall overnight near Siesta Key as a major category three hurricane. Milton initially brought winds in excess of 100mph which downed power lines, structural damage and trees.”
Now, Siesta Key is about 40 miles south of Tampa and 10 miles north of Venice, so VENF1 might have been expected to record the highest winds, and at 10 miles should be close enough to experience close to peak winds. On the other hand, in https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2024/al14/al142024.discus.019.shtml the NHC said “the northern eyewall appears most severe at the moment due to southwesterly shear. As a result, significant wind impacts are likely to occur north of the center, as well as to the south, regardless of the exact intensity at landfall.” So it is not that surprising that Tampa buoys to the north of the track recorded slightly higher winds.
However, it should be noted that after VENF1’s report of 62(gust 74) knots at 2300Z, it then had 61(70) at 0000Z and 58(67) at 0100Z – but then NOTHING! So either a huge gust took it out of action, or NDBC decided to take it offline – enquiring minds want to know!
That NHC discussion at 2100Z quoted maximum sustained winds of 105 knots, and the next discussion (20) at 0300Z quoted 90 knots, despite landfall having already occurred at 0030Z with, from buoy data, nothing in excess of 65 knots. Does anyone have any anemometer readings at 10m height which exceed the ones I have quoted?
I hope lieutenant Dan makes it.
https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/tampas-lt-dan-causes-concern-over-refusal-to-evacuate-from-hurricane-milton/
I also hope that Malinowski survives.
Lieutenant Dan survived and apparently someone is going to give him a $100K boat.
Radar
The storm hit hardest in Tampa, with huge amounts of rain.
The state is also coordinating the deployment of fuel and electric vehicle chargers along evacuation routes.
Good luck pouring electrons into an EV when the power is out.
At least with a ICE you can gravity feed into the tank and/or carry a jerry can to vehicles.
Diesel powered EV chargers are a very normal thing. 🙂
There should, of course, be plenty of wind energy… 😉
.
too soon ??!
Pay attention, Democrats. This is what leaders do. They don’t lie and try to cover giving all the money to illegals.
So in talking about lies you just lied about Biden giving money to illegals from money designated for hurricane aid. Classy. People have had their lives ruined or worse and you are still spreading this Trump bullshit? Pretty low.
The hurricane that passed over Florida was strong as the cloud tops remained in the tropopause. The temperature of the top of the hurricane radiated at -80 C.
American Red Cross design standards to withstand hurricane-force winds. Well, that seems weird.
Largest gathering of Linemen and support in the country’s history I do believe.