<p>Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned residents on Friday to evacuate areas expected to be affected by Hurricane Isaias, which is approaching the Gulf Coast. The storm is categorized as a Category 3 hurricane and is anticipated to make landfall on Friday evening.</p>
<p>As of 3 p.m. on Friday, Isaias was located approximately 125 miles south of Pensacola, Florida, and 140 miles south of Mobile, Alabama, with tropical storm conditions expected to reach the shore before landfall.</p>
<p>Officials have indicated that storm surge could reach up to 7 feet in parts of the Panhandle, with forecasts suggesting up to 9 feet between the Alabama line and Grayton Beach. DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 25 counties in north Florida and the northwest Florida Panhandle, urging residents in evacuation zones, including Bay, Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, Franklin, and Gulf counties, to leave the area.</p>
<p>“People who are in the path of this storm should know that this is not just going to be a random tropical system,” DeSantis stated at a press conference in Pensacola. “It’s going to be a strong hurricane, and it’s going to potentially do a lot of damage.”</p>
<p>He emphasized the dangers of storm surge, stating, “You hide from the wind, but you run from the water. … When the water’s rising and things are happening, it’s a very, very difficult conundrum and you do not wanna be caught in that.”</p>
<p>Jared Perdue, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, also encouraged those in evacuation zones to find safer locations. “You can just go tens of miles, find a shelter that can handle the winds, and get out of that storm surge zone,” Perdue said.</p>
<p>DeSantis outlined preparations made for the storm, including the acquisition of 1,000 generators, half a million gallons of gasoline, a million gallons of diesel, 35,000 gallons of aviation fuel, millions of ready-to-eat meals, and over 1 million bottles of water.</p>
<p>The Florida Department of Health has mobilized over 100 ambulances, while the Florida State Guard has deployed nearly 400 soldiers, aircraft, and maritime vessels to assist with search-and-rescue and recovery operations, along with 5,000 guard members to support response efforts.</p>
<p>Additionally, 16,000 lineworkers and support personnel have been mobilized for potential power restoration. DeSantis noted, “They are going to respond, and I have no doubt that they’re going to do a very efficient and quick response. However, it may not be instantaneous, and you may have some time where you don’t have power. So please be prepared for that.”</p>