FEMA, federal government prepare for ‘extremely dangerous’ Hurricane Milton

As Florida prepares to face one of the worst storms in its history, FEMA and the Biden-Harris administration have quickly mobilized crucial resources to support local and state response efforts. Here are some safety tips and resources.

The National Hurricane Center is predicting that Hurricane Milton, a large and extremely dangerous storm, will hit Florida with devastating hurricane-force winds and life-threatening storm surge, as well as heavy rain and the risk of life-threatening flooding, especially in areas with coastal and inland flooding. 

As the storm barrels towards the Tampa area on Wednesday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is urging those in its path to complete preparations (including evacuating if they’re told to and are able to), know how they are going to get information, and listen to local officials.

President Biden is also urging everyone to be aware of the evacuation orders that are in effect in multiple Florida counties.

“If you’re under evacuation or orders, you should evacuate now, now, now. You should have already evacuated. It’s a matter of life and death,” Biden said this week while addressing reporters in the White House after receiving a briefing on preparations for the storm.

The president was advised by the National Weather Service that the storm has shown sustained winds of over 180 mph and could hit Florida with a wall of water driven by the hurricane winds, as high as 15 feet.

FEMA also made clear that the agency had resources ready to go to help those in the storm’s path.

“Shelters are open, and evacuation assistance is available. If you are told to evacuate, do so immediately for your safety and that of your loved ones. If you need a safe place to go nearby, text SHELTER & your zip code to 43362 to get a list of open shelters near you,” reads a FEMA release.

RELATED: Florida’s health facilities are preparing for ‘ferocious’ Hurricane Milton

The Biden-Harris administration is also mobilizing a massive effort to prepare for the impacts of Hurricane Milton, including expediting debris removal efforts in Florida, as well as supplementing the ongoing response and recovery efforts to the impacts of Hurricane Helene across the Southeast and Appalachia.

On Monday, the president approved an Emergency Declaration for Florida authorizing FEMA to coordinate federal disaster relief efforts. The president also had calls with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor to get firsthand reports on recovery efforts for Hurricane Helene and to discuss preparations for Hurricane Milton. 

Response capabilities

At the direction of President Biden, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is on the ground in the Tampa area, meeting with officials to utilize the full capabilities of the federal government. 

This includes pre-staging a full slate of response capabilities in Florida and the region, including: 

• Seven FEMA Incident Management Assistance Teams 
• Eight FEMA Urban Search & Rescue and swift water rescue teams 
• Three US Coast Guard Swift Water Rescue teams 
• Four Health Care System Assessment Teams 
• Five Disaster Medical Assistance Teams and an Incident Management Team from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) temporary power teams, debris experts and a roofing team, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) debris removal, and wastewater experts 
• 300 ambulances and 30 High Water Vehicles with ladders from the U.S. Department of Defense 
• Five incident staging bases with commodities including food and water 
• 20 million meals and 40 million liters of water in the pipeline to deploy as needed to address ongoing Helene and Milton response efforts and can expand as needed
• Nearly 900 staff supporting recovery efforts

Additionally, FEMA senior leaders across different regions are on the ground in Florida, including FEMA Region 10 Regional Administrator Willie Nunn, who will remain in Florida throughout the duration of Hurricane Milton, as well as John Brogan, the Federal Coordinating Officer for Milton and Helene, who will also remain in Florida. 

Some important safety information

FEMA says its understands that people in the path of this storm may still be recovering from hurricanes Helene, Debby, and Idalia and urges everyone to protect themselves and take care of others as time runs out to prepare for the hurricane’s potentially deadly impacts.

Counties in Hurricane Milton’s path have issued evacuation orders. If you need to evacuate, FEMA reminds you to “evacuate out, not up.” People should visit FloridaDisaster.org/Know to determine if they live in an evacuation zone.

• If you are told to evacuate, do so immediately. 
• Your gas tank and electric vehicle only need to be halfway full or halfway charged to ensure you can evacuate further inland to a safe location and away from storm surge. You may only need to travel tens of miles, not hundreds.
• If you live in a county with an evacuation order in place and need evacuation assistance, please call 1-800-729-3413 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the hurricane evacuation charter bus schedule. Again, this is for residents that are in areas with evacuation orders. Florida also partnered with Uber to provide free rides to a shelter using the code MILTONRELIEF.
• The state of Florida has activated the State Assistance Information Line. Residents needing information and resources can call 1-800-342-3557. There are English, Spanish, & Creole speakers available to answer questions.
• A list of emergency shelters, including those that can accommodate people who need assistance and those who have pets can be found at Shelter Status | Florida Disaster.
• Additional resources and state updates on Hurricane Milton can be found by visiting FloridaDisaster.org/Updates.
• For live updates, follow FLSERT on X and Instagram and FDEM on Facebook.
• Download the free FEMA App available in English and Spanish to receive real-time weather alerts and find local emergency shelters in your area.

And remember

Both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have urged residents of the state to stay informed only through official sources during Hurricane Milton’s course. Official news outlets on radio, internet, and television are reliable sources. Don’t be misled by unofficial information on social media.

If you’re browsing social media, follow the official pages of credible sources, such as the National Hurricane Center.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) will also be providing updates. On their page, you will find useful information such as how to make a family plan, as well as recovery and mitigation resources.

Important: While 911 is the most accessible, it’s not a bad idea to have a list of basic assistance numbers like ambulance, fire, and police on hand.

RELATED: Biden says Milton ‘could be one of the worst storms in 100 years to hit Florida’