Governor Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency for every Florida county due Hurricane Matthew.
The governor wants everyone to be prepared.
“Hurricane Matthew is a life-threatening category four hurricane and we must all take it seriously. If Hurricane Matthew directly impacts Florida, there could be massive destruction which we haven’t seen since Hurricane Andrew devastated Miami-Dade County in 1992. That is why we cannot delay and must prepare for direct impact now. Today, I signed an Executive Order declaring a State of Emergency in every Florida county to ensure we have resources for evacuations, sheltering and other logistical needs across our state. We are preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best,” the governor said in a statement.
The governor said Hurricane Matthew has already killed four people.
“As I said during Hurricane Hermine, we can rebuild a home or a business, but we cannot rebuild your life. The best way to prevent further loss is to get prepared now and take this storm seriously. Having a plan in place could mean the difference between life and death during severe weather, especially a major category four hurricane,” the governor said.
The latest track shows Hurricane Matthew closer to the Florida coast.
The governor met with emergency leaders in Palm Beach County Monday afternoon. He said the state is preparing for a big storm and every Floridian needs to do the same.
Marissa Murren doesn’t know what to expect.
“It does make me a little nervous because I’ve never been through a hurricane, or anything of that sort,” the West Palm Beach Woman admitted.
But Murren is preparing for the impacts of Hurricane Matthew. She spent Monday trimming trees and cleaning her yard, providing less for Matthew to whip around.
“My mom keeps saying we’ve got nothing to worry about, but you can’t be 100% certain on hurricanes,” Murren said while working in the yard.
Governor Scott echoed the same message in Palm Beach County. He said the national guard is ready to go and extra fuel is coming to stations along the Florida’s Turnpike and Interstate 95.
“If it makes a dramatic turn to the west, we’re not going to have a lot of time to prepare. So you need to get prepared today. Get your water, get your shelter,” Scott said.
He suggested resident us the website flgetaplan.com to help prepare for a storm. It’s possible Matthew could knock out electricity to parts of Florida. Scott said you should be prepared to go three days without power.
Bruce Blugerman knows the hurricane prep routine. His first step is one a lot of people can do: put patio furniture in a secure place where it won’t blow away.
“We do put that in the garage,” Blugerman said.
Waste Management and the Solid Waste Authority said it’s business as usual right now. They’ll adjust trash and debris pick up as needed once the storm gets closer.
