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News: Gov. Ron DeSantis issues state of emergency for 15 Florida counties

May 13, 2024

Governor's Press Office Release

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday expanded the executive order below to cover three additional counties: Escambia, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa.

Originally published on May 10, 6:30 p.m.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis issued EO 24-94 which designates 12 counties to be under a state of emergency in order to maximize state resources and cooperative efforts to assist in recovery following severe weather on May 10th, 2024, that impacted North Florida.

Counties included in the executive order are: Baker, Columbia, Gadsden, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor, and Wakulla counties.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management is in contact with local emergency management officials as recovery is underway.

Florida’s utility providers are actively working to restore power to damaged accounts. More than 100 Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) personnel have worked since the end of the storm and have completed the clearing of state roads. At the Governor’s direction, state FDOT assets and personnel are now assigned to assist localities in roadway and power recovery.

State Response Efforts

  • The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) is leading the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) for the multi-hazard severe weather event.
  • The Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s (FDLE) Emergency Preparedness Unit established an incident command post in Tallahassee to assist with repairs and hazardous debris removal.
  • FDLE’s Sworn Training Unit has a cut crew working in Big Bend to help clear roads and driveways.
  • The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) has law enforcement officers throughout the impacted areas with emergency response equipment and capabilities as needed and is coordinating with state and local emergency management.
  • The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is reporting that all State Parks are open and operational at this time.

Health and Human Services

  • The Florida Department of Health (DOH) is reporting that all county health departments are open and operational, except Leon County.
  • DOH Office of Children Medical Services (CMS) has contacted all CMS patients and ensured their safety and well-being.
  • The Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) has been in communication with all the Area Agencies on Aging partners to address unmet needs as necessary. For updates, visit elderaffairs.org.
  • The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) is conducting post-storm outreach utilizing geographic information system (GIS) technology to outline all affected areas and determine which clients and group homes are in the areas with damage, and contacting Group Home Operators and clients to assess their status and determine if there are any unmet needs.
  • Leon County has opened a special needs shelter located at: The Florida State University School, 3000 School House Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32311
  • For the latest information from the Florida Department of Education regarding school districts, colleges and early learning providers, please visit fldoe.org/storminfo.

Infrastructure, Roads, State Closures and Outages

  • Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) crews continue to perform cut-and-toss operations and work to clear debris on local roads and throughout impacted communities.
  • FDOT Signal Assessments are ongoing with no substantial damage reported at this time. Generators are being mobilized to areas with no power to temporarily restore traffic signals.
  • Additional FDOT crews have been deployed to assist current field crews as efforts continue on both state roads and local roads.
  • FDOT reminds motorists to always check FL511 for real-time travel information, including road and bridge closures.
  • Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) Offices and Customer Service Center in Tallahassee are closed today, Friday, May 10, 2024, due to the severe weather conditions. Online services remain available 24/7.
  • FHP is providing support, traffic control, roadway clearing and welfare checks throughout impacted areas in North Florida.
  • FHP chainsaw crews are assisting in the rapid opening of area roadways due to North Florida severe weather.
  • FHP is working with FDOT in support of clearing roadways and supporting county sheriffs and local police agencies.

Resources for Employees and Businesses

  • As it becomes safe to do so, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) investigators are deploying to impacted areas to conduct damage assessments of licensed establishments by checking for structural damages and combatting unlicensed activity.
  • Florida Commerce has activated the Business Damage Assessment Survey to measure the impact of damage caused by the severe weather. Survey responses will allow the state to expedite recovery efforts by gathering data and assessing the needs of affected businesses. Businesses can complete the survey online by visiting www.FloridaDisaster.biz and selecting “May Severe Weather” from the dropdown menu.
  • Updates on closures and business resources are consistently being updated at www.FloridaDisaster.biz.

Follow @FLSERT and @GovRonDeSantis on X, formerly known as Twitter, for live updates. Visit FloridaDisaster.org for more information.