ORLANDO, Fla. — Hurricane Milton has begun unleashing its outer bands on Florida’s Gulf Coast, prompting urgent warnings from emergency management leaders across the state.
Channel 2′s Jorge Estevez is in Orlando where community leaders are emphasizing the storm’s severity and advising residents to be prepared for the worst.
“This is it, folks,” said Cathie Perkins, the Director of Emergency Management in Pinellas County, as Hurricane Milton began affecting the area.
Perkins warned that the storm’s impact would intensify with time, leaving many to fend for themselves.
In Hillsborough County, Sheriff Chad Chronister echoed this sentiment, urging residents to face the reality.
“When you figure it out, like, ‘hey, I shouldn’t be here,’ ‘hey, I need help’... and help’s not coming,” Chronister said.
Sandra Tapfumaneyi, the Emergency Management Chief for Sarasota County, advised residents to prepare for extended periods without aid.
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“It’s gonna take us hours, if not days, to be able to come to you,” she said.
As evacuation and preparation warnings shift to survival directions, Tapfumaneyi also stressed the importance of having life-saving equipment and supplies.
“Make sure you have a life preserver handy, make sure that you have plenty of supplies with you because you may be stuck in your home,” she said.
Hurricane Milton is not only impacting the Gulf Coast, but it’s also spawning tornadoes in southeast Florida and around the Fort Myers area.
“No matter where you are, you will experience the power of this storm,” Perkins stated.
Despite these dire warnings, some seasoned residents of barrier islands, like Sanibel Island, choose to remain.
Bridgit Stone-Budd, a resident staying during the hurricane, voiced concerns about losing a pylon or the stability of her house but ultimately decided to stay.
“We certainly fear the storms and the hurricanes. We just choose to ride it out,” she said.
As the storm continues to bear down, Perkins concluded with a hopeful message, “Godspeed to all of us that are in the path of this storm.”
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