Gov. Rick Scott Provides Updates On Impacts of Hurricane Hermine In Florida
By Space Coast Daily // September 2, 2016
Hermine downgraded to tropical storm
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – On Friday, Florida Governor Rick Scott provided updates on the impacts of Hurricane Hermine in Florida. Last night, Hurricane Hermine made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane near St. Marks, Florida. Governor Scott will be touring areas impacted by the storm today.
Governor Scott said, “As we all braced for impact and kept our families safe overnight, our emergency response personnel worked non-stop to respond to the needs of our communities. Today, we know there is a lot of work left to do following this storm. We will spend the coming days assessing the damage and responding to the needs of our communities and Florida families. The number one thing is to stay safe. While the storm has passed through our state, everyone must still take precautions and stay tuned to local weather stations for updates on road and weather conditions.
“Life-threatening coastal flooding and rip currents will continue and we must all remain vigilant. There will be a lot of debris, including uprooted trees and fallen limbs. We expect to see downed traffic lights, road signs and power lines that must be avoided. We also expect to have significant amounts of flood water along coastal and inland areas. Do not travel on the roads until they are clear and it is safe to do so. As the hurricane moved through our state, more than 253,000 Floridians experienced power loss. This number will continue to fluctuate throughout the day. I have contacted utility companies across the state and they are working to restore power. I have also spoken with local leaders, sheriffs and first responders to make sure they have everything they need to keep their communities safe.
“Heroes across our state answered the call last night to help those in need. In Pasco County, fire and rescue personnel and sheriff’s deputies rescued 18 people from rising flood waters and got them to safety. In Hernando County, FWC officers rescued families from flooded areas. I want to thank our first responders for quickly rushing to the aid of their fellow Floridians and our National Guard for standing ready to assist our communities in their time of need. We are also incredibly grateful for the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Florida Baptist and the many volunteers who continue to lend a helping hand to those impacted by this storm.
“Florida knows how to prepare and we also know how to lend a hand to our neighbors in need. Florida is a resilient state and we will all come together to rebuild and recover from this storm.”
COUNTIES WITHOUT POWER:
Alachua – 25%; Citrus – 16%; Colombia – 30%; Franklin – 19%; Gadsden – 44%; Hamilton – 84%; Jefferson – 62%; Lafayette- 67%; Leon – 68%; Levy – 13%; Madison – 66%; Suwannee – 53%; Taylor – 66%; Wakulla – 91%.
SCHOOLS IN 35 COUNTIES WILL REMAIN CLOSED TODAY:
BAY, GULF, WALTON, COLUMBIA, DIXIE, FRANKLIN, GADSDEN, HAMILTON, JEFFERSON, LAFAYETTE, LEON, LIBERTY, MADISON, SUWANNEE, TAYLOR, WAKULLA, ALACHUA, BAKER, BRADFORD, CLAY, DUVAL, FLAGLER, GILCHRIST, LEVY, MARION, NASSAU, PUTNAM, ST JOHNS, UNION, CITRUS, HERNANDO, HILLSBOROUGH, PASCO, PINELLAS, MANATEE
STATE OFFICES IN 37 COUNTIES WILL REMAIN CLOSED TODAY:
ALACHUA, BAKER, BAY, BRADFORD, CALHOUN, CITRUS, CLAY, COLUMBIA, DIXIE, DUVAL, FLAGLER, FRANKLIN, GADSDEN, GILCHRIST, GULF, HAMILTON, HERNANDO, HILLSBOROUGH, JACKSON, JEFFERSON, LAFAYETTE, LEON, LEVY, LIBERTY, MADISON, MANATEE, MARION, NASSAU, PASCO, PINELLAS, PUTNAM, ST. JOHNS, SUWANNEE, TAYLOR, UNION, WAKULLA, and WALTON.
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