Florida Gov. Declares State Of Emergency Over Hurricane Irma
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Florida Governor Rick Scott has declared a State Of Emergency to prepare Florida for a possible hit by Hurricane Irma - now a category 4 hurricane.
Monday evening the governor issued the order for all 67 counties in the state soon after the latest advisory showed the forecast cone reaching parts of South Florida sometime during the weekend.
"Hurricane Irma is a major and life-threatening storm and Florida must be prepared. I have continued to be briefed by the Florida Division of Emergency Management on Hurricane Irma and current forecast models have Florida in Irma's path – potentially impacting millions of Floridians," said Governor Scott.
The order is meant to make sure each local government has enough time and resources to prepare for the dangerous hurricane and keep the community safe if there is a potential hit.
"In Florida, we always prepare for the worst and hope for the best and while the exact path of Irma is not absolutely known at this time, we cannot afford to not be prepared," said Governor Scott.
The governor said the declaration of emergency allows for officials to act fast without the "burden of bureaucracy or red tape."
Related: How To Prep For A Possible Hurricane Irma Hit
Floridians are advised to get prepared for a possible hit by making sure you have an emergency plan and supplies.
Gov. Scott says they will keep an eye on Hurricane Irma and issue updates as it approaches.
- Click here for ways to prepare yourself for an impending storm from our Hurricane Preps page
- Click here for latest news surrounding hurricanes and the National Hurricane Center
- Click here to see all of the latest maps when a storm forms in the Atlantic
- Click here to download the CBS4 2017 Hurricane Guide (English)
- Click here for Live Weather Blog
- Download the CBS4 Weather App Here
