MIAMI, Fla. – Today, Senator Rick Scott visited the National Hurricane Center in Miami to receive a briefing on Hurricane Ian and released the following statement ahead of Ian’s anticipated intensification into a major hurricane and landfall in Florida later this week. Currently, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts Ian to make landfall near the Tampa Bay region as early as Thursday, September 29.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Hurricane Ian is a big and dangerous storm, and the NHC continues to forecast deadly storm surge along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Floridians cannot underestimate this storm or the deadly and devastating impacts it will have on our state. Everyone must stay alert, take this storm seriously and listen to alerts from local officials. Florida’s emergency management pros are the best in the world. If they issue a mandatory evacuation order: GET OUT. Any delay to get prepared or follow local orders can put you and your family in danger. Don’t forget: we can rebuild your home, but we can’t rebuild your life.

“I’ve been receiving daily briefings from Ken Graham, Director of the U.S. National Weather Service, and my team and I have been talking with local officials along Florida’s Gulf Coast throughout the last few days. We will continue to stay in constant contact with local, state and federal officials to make sure Florida families are ready and that our communities get the assistance they need in the aftermath of this storm.”

Senator Scott encourages all Floridians to visit his website at www.rickscott.senate.gov/hurricane-preparedness to get prepared today. See the latest on Hurricane Ian from the National Hurricane Center at nhc.noaa.gov or @NHC_Atlantic on Twitter, and from the Florida Division of Emergency Management at floridadisaster.org or @FLSERT on Twitter. Learn whether you are in an evacuation zone at https://www.floridadisaster.org/knowyourzone/.

###