Obama Signs Pre-Storm Emergency Order for Florida

Randall Weiseman Ag "Outdoors", Cattle, Citrus, Field Crops, Florida, Forestry, General, Industry News Release, Livestock, Nursery Crops, Specialty Crops, Weather

From The News Service of Florida:

President Barack Obama signed an order Thursday to coordinate supplies and equipment for Florida in advance of Hurricane Matthew. Gov. Rick Scott, who requested the pre-storm relief, including water, food and tarps, said after the order was signed that Florida will need more federal aid.

“I am asking the President for additional generators and pumps to help with power outages and flooding once the storm hits,” Scott said in a release Thursday afternoon. “Following the most recent weather briefing from the National Hurricane Center, we can expect to have a lot of flooding, especially in Northeast Florida, and we will need additional pumping equipment from the federal government.”

Scott and Obama talked Thursday at 12:35 p.m. to discuss the hurricane, according to the governor’s schedule.

The president’s order authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate the relief “to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe” in counties anticipated to be heavily impacted by the powerful hurricane that is expected to run up the coast on Thursday and Friday. The emergency measures will be provided at 75 percent federal funding, according to a White House release. Obama’s order covers relief efforts in the following counties: Baker, Brevard, Broward, Citrus, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Glades, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Indian River, Lake, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, Putnam, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie and Volusia.