Florida Governor Ron DeSantis deployed state crews early Saturday to clear major highways and bridges in the aftermath of Hurricane Isaias, which made landfall along the Florida Panhandle late Friday as a Category 2 hurricane.
The storm left hundreds of thousands of people without power, with intense winds continuing across the Southeast. According to reports, there were four storm-related deaths in Florida and Alabama. Despite the widespread outages, DeSantis said crews made early progress clearing major roads and restoring power.
To speed up power restoration and reduce the risk of prolonged outages, the state had positioned 16,000 utility workers ahead of landfall. DeSantis said this proactive approach would prevent a situation where crews would have to wait for linemen to arrive after the storm had passed.
Former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate warned that deadly dangers can persist long after the hurricane passes, including carbon monoxide poisoning from improperly operated generators and electrocution from downed power lines. Fugate noted that in Florida, the majority of storm-related deaths occur after the storm has passed, during the recovery efforts.
DeSantis said the state's strengthened emergency response procedures, implemented after previous major hurricanes, had helped crews deploy more quickly and better coordinate recovery efforts. He praised the state's emergency responders, saying they were working "around the clock" to clear roads and restore power, and that they "deserve a lot of credit" for their efforts.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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