AT NINE. GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS SPEAKING IN JUPITER. LET’S LISTEN IN. SEIDMAN, I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR BEING HERE. WE’RE HERE BECAUSE WE ARE ABOUT TO ENTER HURRICANE SEASON FOR 2025, AND YOU’LL SEE KEVIN GUTHRIE COME UP HERE AND PROVIDE SOME UPDATES AND SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. NOW, I REALLY HOPE THIS IS THE ONLY TIME YOU SEE ME AND KEVIN GUTHRIE THIS SUMMER. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PRAY FOR THAT. AND HOPEFULLY THAT THAT ENDS UP HAPPENING. WE DO DESERVE A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK. I MEAN, NORMALLY YOU’LL HAVE TIMES WHERE YOU’LL HAVE A BUNCH. I MEAN, REMEMBER 2004 FIVE PERIOD. WE HAD A BUNCH HAPPEN. THEN WE HAD TEN YEARS WHERE WE DIDN’T GET ONE, AND THEN NOW WE’VE HAD SIX MAJORS IN SEVEN YEARS, INCLUDING THREE HURRICANES, TWO MAJOR HURRICANES LAST YEAR IN 2024, AND THEN A THIRD HURRICANE, DEBBY. AND SO THAT’S JUST THE WAY HISTORICALLY, I’VE SEEN THAT PATTERN. SO HOPEFULLY WE DON’T. BUT YOU CAN HOPE FOR THAT. AND YOU CAN PRAY FOR THAT. BUT YOU YOU CAN’T PREPARE TO HAVE NO HURRICANES. YOU GOT TO PREPARE THAT. IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT’S GOING TO IMPACT US. AND SO WE ARE HERE TO TO TALK ABOUT THE THE NEED FOR INDIVIDUAL FLORIDIANS TO TAKE PROPER PRECAUTIONS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A DISASTER PREPAREDNESS KIT, THAT THEY HAVE A RESPONSE PLAN FOR THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR PETS. AND THAT IF IT COMES TO THAT, THAT YOU’RE IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO. I DO THINK BEFORE WE GET INTO THAT, THOUGH, IT IS IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT 2024, WE HAD HURRICANE DEBBY HIT IN THE BIG BEND SECTION OF FLORIDA ON THE WEST COAST. THEN WE HAD BACK TO BACK HURRICANE HELENE AND HURRICANES MILTON. BOTH OF THOSE WERE MAJOR HURRICANES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY WORK HARD ON IN FLORIDA IS WORKING WITH OUR UTILITIES, NOT JUST THE BIG PRIVATE UTILITIES LIKE THE FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT, BUT ALSO THE MUNICIPALITIES, THE THE RURAL CO-OPS, EVERYTHING TO PRE-STAGE AS MANY RESOURCES AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WHEN THE STORM PASSES, PEOPLE CAN WORK TO HAVE A RAPID POWER RESTORATION. AND WHAT I FOUND, JUST HAVING STUDIED THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW, AS I WAS GETTING READY TO BECOME GOVERNOR, IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE TWO, THREE WEEKS WHERE PEOPLE NOT EVEN IN THE EYE OF THE STORM ARE JUST WITH NO POWER, IT CAUSES HUGE PROBLEMS FOR THE WHOLE RECOVERY. AND SO WHAT WE’VE DONE WITH WORKING WITH KEVIN AND MY OFFICE IS AS SOON AS THAT STORM GOES, YOU WILL SEE THESE CREWS WORKING TO RESTORE THE POWER. SO IN HURRICANE DEBBIE, YOU HAD EVERYONE THAT COULD SAFELY RECEIVE POWER, 100% RESTORATION IN FOUR DAYS. HELENE AND MILTON, BOTH WITH MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WITHOUT POWER AT ONE POINT, AND MILTON GOT UP TO 4.2 MILLION. YOU HAD 100% RESTORATION OF EVERYONE THAT COULD RECEIVE POWER IN SEVEN DAYS. THAT HAS NEVER BEEN DONE QUICKER IN ANY OF THESE MAJOR HURRICANES, AND IT DOES REQUIRE US TO HELP PRE-STAGE YOU HOUSE AND FEED ALL THE LINEMEN, YOU KNOW, YOU’LL SEE ALL THESE PEOPLE FLOODING INTO FLORIDA. 9575 I-10 COMING IN. WE GET THE CAMP SET UP AND THEN BOOM. AND I REMEMBER HURRICANE IAN, WHICH WAS 2022. CATEGORY FIVE. AND IT HIT PROBABLY I THINK IT HIT LIKE THE AFTERNOON LIKE ON A WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. AND LITERALLY BY THE TIME ALL THE REMNANTS LEFT, YOU HAD THESE TRUCKS MOVING IN AND THEY WERE THERE WORKING AND YOU HAD PLACES. I DON’T KNOW IF HOME DEPOT WAS OPEN VERY QUICK, BUT PUBLIX AND WAWA AND ALL THESE PLACES, I MEAN, THEY WERE OPEN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. THOSE TYPES OF THINGS MAKE IT EASIER TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST WITH RESPONSE AND RECOVERY EFFORTS. AND SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT’S BEEN INVOLVED WITH THAT. THE POWER RESTORATION. IT’S INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE A FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT. I MEAN, THEY’RE A MASSIVE, WELL-OILED MACHINE. THEY’VE GOT A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY. THEY PUT A LOT OF RESOURCES TO BEAR. YOU’VE ALSO SEEN DUKE AND THINGS LIKE TAMPA ELECTRIC ALSO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. AND WHEN I FIRST BECAME GOVERNOR, IT WAS OKAY. WE’D EXPECT THOSE TO GET IT DONE. BUT THEN SOME OF THE OTHER ONES, MAYBE THE COOPERATIVES OR WHATEVER, IT WASN’T NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT THAT WAS GOING TO BE DONE AS GOOD. AND I REMEMBER AN IAN, YOU HAD SOME. ISSUES. WELL, THIS MORE RECENT TIME, THE CO-OPS WERE THE FIRST TO GET 100%. SO THEY WERE THERE. YOU KNOW, YOU HAD SOME OF THESE SOME OF THESE ARE RURAL OUTFITS. YOU KNOW, JUPITER, OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE YOU GUYS ARE ALL FPL I’M ASSUMING. AND AND YOU UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT AS YOU GET INTO SOME OTHER PARTS OF FLORIDA, YOU HAVE THAT ALL OF THOSE ENTITIES, WHETHER IT WAS THE MOST WELL FINANCED HIGH POWER UTILITY OR MAYBE ONE THAT WASN’T AS MUCH, THEY ALL WERE READY AND THEY ALL RESPONDED VERY QUICKLY. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. NOW THROUGH THE DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WE WERE ABLE TO DURING THOSE STORMS, DELIVER AND DISTRIBUTE MORE THAN 2.5 MILLION SHELF STABLE MEALS, 1.5 MILLION HOT MEALS, 200,000 FOOD BOXES. WE PROVIDED SHELTER FOR OVER 80,000 SURVIVORS AND 282 SHELTERS ACROSS THE STATE OF FLORIDA DISTRIBUTED 5 MILLION BOTTLES OF WATER, 170 TRUCKLOADS OF ICE, 90,000 TARPS, AND OVER 1500 GENERATORS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TO DO. SO, YOU KNOW, IT’S INTERESTING, EACH STORM WILL WILL BE DIFFERENT. IAN WAS ONE WAS A REALLY BIG STORM AND DID HIT FORT MYERS AND SANIBEL IN THAT AREA. BUT YET YOU GO BACK. I MEAN, I THINK WE WERE ON THE GROUND THERE MAYBE THE NEXT DAY OR DAY AND A HALF, AND YOU HAD GAS STATIONS OPEN. THEY A LOT OF THEM HAD GENERATORS THAT WERE PUBLIX WAS DOING GENERATOR STUFF. SO THINGS JUST BOUNCE BACK. AND YOU HAD NO FUEL INTERRUPTION BECAUSE IAN DIDN’T DISABLE THE PORTS ON THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA. WELL, AND THEN HELENE, SAME THING. HAD A LOT OF STORM SURGE ON THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA, HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS, BUT IT DIDN’T NECESSARILY INTERRUPT THE FUEL. NOW WE HAVE FUEL CONTRACTS AND WE DO THIS WELL. MILTON WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. IT DISABLED PORT MANATEE AND THE PORT OF TAMPA FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THAT’S WHERE A LOT OF THE FUEL GETS GETS BROUGHT IN TO BE ABLE TO SERVICE THOSE GAS STATIONS IN TAMPA BAY AND SARASOTA AND ALL THOSE PLACES. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE OBVIOUSLY WORK WITH THE PORTS TO HELP THEM GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO. BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE THESE FUEL CONTRACTS, WE SET UP ALL THESE THESE GAS STATIONS OURSELVES AROUND THE TAMPA BAY AREA, SARASOTA, SO PEOPLE COULD GO IN AND THEY COULD GET GAS. WE DIDN’T EVEN CHARGE ANYBODY. YOU GOT FREE GAS. IMAGINE THAT. PEOPLE WOULD WAIT IN LINE FOR A LONG TIME FOR THAT, TOO, BECAUSE IT’S PEOPLE JUST I MEAN, YOU COULD DO THAT. IT’S INTERESTING ON WHAT PEOPLE ARE SENSITIVE ON ON PRICE. YOU KNOW, IF YOU’RE GOING DOWN THE STREET, IF YOU HAVE A GAS STATION THAT IS LIKE $0.05 LESS THAN THE ONE ON THE, YOU WILL HAVE THE LINE, WAIT, I MEAN, PEOPLE WILL WAIT TO GET THAT SAVINGS ON GAS. SO THEY’RE VERY SENSITIVE ON GAS PRICES. BUT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT. AND SO THAT WAS PROBABLY I THINK WE WE SET IT UP AND PROBABLY RAN IT 3 OR 4 DAYS. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, GAS STATIONS WERE COMING ON LINE EVERY DAY. AND THEN THE PORT GOT TO 100% AND THEN EVERYTHING WAS FINE. BUT THIS IS THE TYPE OF STUFF TO BE ABLE TO BE VERY FLEXIBLE, TO SEE WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN. ANOTHER THING THAT WE DID WAS WE DID THIS DEBRIS TASK FORCE. NOW YOU GUYS ON THE EAST COAST HAVEN’T HAD AN IMPACT OF A MAJOR. PROBABLY WHAT I GUESS SINCE 2004, 2005 PERIOD DURING THOSE SEASONS. NOW, I KNOW YOU DID GET SOME SOME NASTY TORNADOES THAT GOT FLUNG OFF SOME OF THESE OTHER ONES, WHICH WERE VERY DEVASTATING. BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE A HURRICANE COME THROUGH, YOU KNOW, IT CAN LEAVE A LOT OF DEBRIS AND PEOPLE HAVE THEIR THEIR HOMES MAY GET SATURATED AND THEN THEY’RE CUTTING OUT THE DRYWALL. THEY’RE DOING ALL THIS STUFF. SO THIS STUFF ADDS UP AND YOU’LL GO TO SOME OF THESE OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE BEEN HIT BY HURRICANES IN OTHER STATES, AND THEY’LL JUST BE DEBRIS, LIKE JUST SITTING THERE. AND NOBODY REALLY DOES. SO WHAT WE SAID WAS, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WANT TO GET THIS DEBRIS MOVING. NOW, THIS IS MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE DEBRIS CONTRACTS. COUNTY GOVERNMENTS HAVE DEBRIS CONTRACTS. THE STATE IS NOT IN THE DEBRIS MANAGEMENT BUSINESS. THAT’S JUST NOT HOW THINGS GO. YOU GUYS HAVE YOUR TRASH AND ALL THAT STUFF. THOSE ARE THOSE ARE LOCAL SERVICES. BUT WITH KEVIN’S LEADERSHIP, WE’VE STRESSED YOU GOT TO HAVE THESE CONTRACTS IN PLACE. YOU GOT TO HAVE THESE FOLKS READY TO GO. AND THAT HAD EVEN MORE IMPORTANCE WHEN AFTER HELENE, WE SAW MILTON FORMING. WELL, GUESS WHAT? MILTON WAS GOING TO GO ON A SIMILAR TRACK AND IMPACT A SIMILAR AREA THAN WHAT HELENE JUST DID. SO YOU HAD MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF DEBRIS ON THE BEACHES IN PINELLAS COUNTY, IN BRADENTON AND, AND SARASOTA, ALL THOSE AREAS. AND IT’S LIKE, OKAY, ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE A MASSIVE STORM? THEN THE DEBRIS IS JUST GOING TO GET PICKED UP AND THEN PROJECTILES EVERYWHERE. SO WE LAUNCHED A DEBRIS INITIATIVE TO BE ABLE TO GO IN. SO WE PAUSED. THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED. WE PAUSED ALL OF OUR ROAD WORK, EVERYTHING, OUR DEPARTMENT OF ANY DUMP TRUCK UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA WAS SENT OVER TO WHERE HELENE HAD HIT. AND THEY ARE DOING DEBRIS 24 OVER SEVEN. AND WE SAID IT NEEDED TO BE 24 OVER SEVEN. ONE OF THE COUNTIES, PINELLAS COUNTY, DID NOT FOLLOW THAT EXECUTIVE ORDER, AND THEY LOCKED UP THEIR LANDFILL. WELL, WE SENT IN THE CAVALRY TO TO CUT THE LOCKS, OPEN THE GATE AND GET THAT DEBRIS GOING, BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT YOU NEEDED TO DO. AND WE HAD CITIZENS LOADING UP THEIR FORD F-150, F-250, YOU NAME IT, BRINGING IT IN ROUND THE CLOCK. AND WE WERE ABLE TO CLEAR SO MUCH DEBRIS. AND WE ALSO GOT FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION 100% REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL DEBRIS CLEANUP. SO WE TOLD THEM WE CREATED A DEBRIS DASHBOARD WHERE CITIZENS COULD SEE HOW MUCH THEIR CITY OR COUNTY WAS DOING, BECAUSE BASICALLY IT WAS FREE TO THEM. THEY WERE GOING TO GET REIMBURSED FOR 100% OF THE COST. SO GET IT DONE. AND I GOTTA SAY, THAT’S PROBABLY BEEN THE FASTEST DEBRIS PICKUP THAT, THAT, THAT WE’VE EVER SEEN. AFTER A MAJOR HURRICANE. AND IN FACT, YOU KNOW, I’M DOWN IN LONGBOAT KEY. I WAS DOING SOME CHARITY EVENT A FEW WEEKS AGO. AND YOU’RE PULLING DOWN THERE. YOU WOULDN’T HAVE KNOWN A HURRICANE. THEY GOT HIT BY TWO, THEY GOT HIT BY HELENE, AND THEN THEY GOT HIT BY MILTON. AND YOU GO THROUGH THERE AND IT’S JUST LIKE, BUSTLING TOURISTS EVERYWHERE. PEOPLE ARE BUILDING LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? WHATEVER THEY’RE THEY’RE THEY’RE DOING. AND YOU DIDN’T SEE, LIKE, MASSIVE DEBRIS SITTING EVERYWHERE. SO I THINK THAT PEOPLE REALLY HANDLED THAT IN A GOOD WAY. AND I KNOW IT WAS REALLY KEVIN AND HIS TEAM, YOU KNOW, SETTING UP THESE INCENTIVES. WE WORKED WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO GET THAT REIMBURSEMENT. I DON’T KNOW IF WE’RE GOING TO GET REIMBURSEMENT GOING FORWARD, CERTAINLY NOT AT THAT LEVEL FROM WHAT WE’RE SEEING. BUT I THINK WHAT HAPPENED WITH MILTON WAS HELENE HAPPENED, AND THEN YOU HAD LIKE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, ALL THIS STUFF, AND IT WAS LIKE, WHERE’S THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT? LIKE PEOPLE ARE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHERE’S THE PRESIDENT? ALL THIS STUFF. AND SO I THINK THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION WAS VERY SENSITIVE ON THE HEELS OF THAT WITH MILTON, THEY BENT OVER BACKWARDS TO BE ABLE TO DO SO. WE WERE ABLE TO GET 100% OF THE DEBRIS CLEANUP, WHICH WE THINK IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD. SO DURING THAT HURRICANE SEASON, 2024, FLORIDA DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DISTRIBUTED 12 BILLION IN RECOVERY FUNDING. THAT’S THE MOST THAT HAS EVER BEEN PAID OUT. WITHIN SIX YEARS. AND THEY’VE ADMINISTERED 244 MILLION IN PREPAREDNESS GRANTS. AND SO SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE MORE IMMEDIATE. SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE MORE SOME OF THE LONG TERM STUFF. I KNOW KEVIN WILL DISCUSS SOME OF THAT NOW. WE ARE STILL RESPONDING AS WE ARE STILL RESPONDING TO HURRICANE HELENE. WE WERE ABLE TO GET THINGS. AND THIS IS KIND OF HOW FLORIDA DOES IT. YOU LOOKED AT WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AFTER HELENE. IT WAS LIKE NO ONE WAS REALLY THERE. RIGHT. AND AND SOME PEOPLE WERE SAYING FEMA NEEDED TO BE THERE. OUR VIEW ON THAT IS WE DON’T RELY ON FEMA FOR ANY OF THE PREPARATION OR RESPONSE EFFORTS. NOW, THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE PROGRAMS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS WHERE YOU IF YOU’RE IMPACTED, YOU CAN APPLY FOR INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE. OR IF A MUNICIPALITY WANTS TO GET REIMBURSED, THEY CAN DO IF YOU’RE CERTAIN TRIGGERS ARE MET. AND THAT OBVIOUSLY IS FINE AND PEOPLE SHOULD DO THAT. BUT IN TERMS OF GETTING PEOPLE READY AND PREPARED AND THE MESSAGING AND THE OTHER THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT, THAT IS REALLY THE STATE LEADING THAT WITH LOCALS EXECUTING THAT, AND WE ASSUME WE’RE NOT GOING TO GET SUPPORT FROM FEMA ON ALL THOSE THINGS. AND SURE ENOUGH, THAT’S HOW WE’VE ROLLED. AND SO POWER RESTORATION, THE THE IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION OF SUPPLIES AND MEALS, WHEN WE HAD TO DO THE GAS STATIONS, WE DID THAT. ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS IS REALLY BEING DONE BY BOTH THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OPERATORS. AND SO SO WE’RE WE’RE PROUD TO DO THAT. WE THINK IT’S IMPORTANT FOR THE STATE. OBVIOUSLY, WHEN YOU’RE A PENINSULA SITTING OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF A TROPICAL PART OF THE WORLD, YOU HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO LEAN IN ON THIS STUFF. AND AND WE GLADLY DO THAT. SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WHEN HELENE HIT, YOU HAD A MASSIVE RESPONSE EFFORT. YOU STABILIZED THE SITUATION VERY QUICKLY. THERE WERE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF OF RESCUES THAT WERE DONE, AND YOU STABILIZED. AND WHERE IT HIT GROUND ZERO, THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE FATALITY UP IN UP IN FRANKLIN OR TAYLOR COUNTY. NOT ONE FATALITY, WHICH FOR A STORM OF THAT MAGNITUDE IS PRETTY INCREDIBLE. SO THAT WAS GOOD PREPARATION, GOOD COORDINATION WITH THE LOCALS. YOU DO THAT. SO SO THE DUST SETTLES 24 HOURS LATER. LIKE WE REALLY DON’T HAVE ANY MORE RESCUES TO GO. WE’RE NOT GETTING ANY REQUESTS FROM THE COUNTIES AT THAT POINT BEYOND THINGS THAT WE WOULD NEED. BUT IN TERMS OF THAT IMMEDIATE RESCUE, WE DIDN’T HAVE IT. BUT THEN YOU SAW WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. YOU SAW THINGS WHERE PEOPLE DIDN’T HAVE SUPPORT, PEOPLE DIDN’T HAVE. AND THE REASON WHY, FIRST OF ALL, WE HELP OTHER STATES, OTHER STATES HELP US. YOU KNOW, ANYTIME I DO SOMETHING, WE SEND PEOPLE TO HELP AT THE BORDER. AND I’LL GIVE YOU, WHY ARE YOU DOING THERE? YOU’RE NOT FLORIDA. NO. YOU KNOW WHAT? WHY? ONE, IT AFFECTS EVERYBODY. THE BORDER. BUT PUT THAT ASIDE WHEN WE HAVE TIMES. I’VE HAD TEXAS, I’VE HAD NEW YORK, I’VE HAD CALIFORNIA SEND TO FLORIDA. AND LIKEWISE WE’VE SENT AND WE’VE OFFERED HELP ON THE CALIFORNIA FIRES. WE DID THAT. WE’VE HELPED WITH TORNADOES AND RESPONSE. SO THAT’S JUST WHAT WE DO. THE STATES DO DO THAT TRADITIONALLY. IT’S NOT LIKE IT WAS ANYTHING, ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. BUT WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, IF ANY OF YOU BEEN TO WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA IN THE SUMMERTIMES, YOU CAN’T MOVE WITHOUT RUNNING INTO A FLORIDIAN. FACT, THERE’S PROBABLY MORE. I MEAN, LIKE MORE PEOPLE IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA IN THE SUMMER CONSIDER ME THEIR GOVERNOR THAN THE NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR, BECAUSE THAT’S JUST WHAT IT IS. AND I’VE BEEN THERE AND I’VE SEEN THAT. SO I KNEW WE WERE GOING TO HAVE SOME CONNECTIONS ON THE NORTH CAROLINA. WE WOULD HAVE HELPED ANYWAYS. BUT THIS IS A REALLY BIG DEAL. SO WE SENT IN FLORIDA STATE GUARD AND OTHER EMERGENCY RESPONSE. AND SO THEY’RE IN NORTH CAROLINA CONDUCTING RESCUE OPERATIONS. I HAVE PEOPLE COME UP TO ME TO THIS DAY SAYING, THANKS FOR HAVING THE STATE GUARD TO DO. NOW, IN SOME RESPECTS, I THINK IT SPEAKS HIGHLY ABOUT OUR GUYS THAT YOU HAVE THIS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, AND THEN YOU HAVE FLORIDA PEOPLE RESCUING YOU. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT’S LIKE, I KNOW I WAS A LITTLE BIT WEIRD THAT THAT WOULD BE THE CASE, BUT IT IS THE CASE. AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT AND WE SAVED, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO BRING STARLINKS, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING WATER. WE HELPED BUILT REBUILD BRIDGES THERE WITH WITH OUR FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. AND WE ALSO HELPED TENNESSEE AND SOME OF THOSE REMOTE REGIONS. SO IT WAS REALLY A GOOD TEAM EFFORT. BUT THAT’S JUST WHAT WE SHOULD DO. SO THE 2024 SEASON WAS CHALLENGING, BUT I THINK YOU CAN FEEL PRIDE IN THE FACT OF HOW FOLKS UP AND DOWN THE STATE OF FLORIDA RESPONDED TO THOSE VERY CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES. WHICH BRINGS US TO THIS YEAR. YOU JUST HAVE TO PREPARE AND PLAN THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE IMPACTS. IF YOU PLAN AND IT DOESN’T HAPPEN, YOU’RE NEVER GOING TO HAVE GREAT REGRETS ON THAT. IF YOU DON’T PLAN AND IT HAPPENS, YOU’RE GOING TO BE IMMEDIATELY SAYING, WHY DIDN’T I DO THIS? WHY DIDN’T I DO THAT? SO WE ENCOURAGE WITH WITH HURRICANE SEASON STARTING THIS WEEKEND, WE ENCOURAGE ALL FLORIDA RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO HAVE A HOUSEHOLD PLAN THAT CONSIDERS THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN, SENIORS AND PETS IN THE FAMILY IN PARTICULAR, YOU CAN GO TO FLORIDADISASTER.ORG SLASH PLAN, PREPARE IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION, KNOW YOUR ZONE AND KNOW YOUR HOME. IT’S IMPORTANT THAT RESIDENTS KNOW IF THEY LIVE IN AN EVACUATION ZONE, A LOW LYING, FLOOD PRONE AREA, A MOBILE HOME, OR AN UNSAFE STRUCTURE DURING HURRICANE SEASON. IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR RESIDENTS TO KNOW THEIR HOME AND ITS ABILITY TO WITHSTAND STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN. THIS INFORMATION WILL HELP RESIDENTS BETTER INTERPRET ORDERS FROM LOCAL OFFICIALS. FOR MORE INFORMATION AND DETERMINE EVACUATION ZONES, VISIT FLORIDA ORG SLASH FLORIDADISASTER.ORG SLASH IN ADVANCE OF THE SEASON. DETERMINE YOUR OPTIONS SHOULD YOU NEED TO EVACUATE NOW. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK MORE AND MORE FLORIDIANS HAVE HAVE GONE TO APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE WE HAD REALLY SERIOUS EVACUATIONS FROM THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA LAST YEAR. YOU HAD I’M NOT SAYING THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC ON IT, BUT YOU DID NOT HAVE THE NIGHTMARES THAT WE’VE SEEN. REMEMBER, IN TEXAS, PEOPLE WERE STUCK AND THEY COULDN’T MOVE AT ALL AND ALL THAT. NOW WE OPENED AN AUXILIARY LANE. WE DID SOME STUFF WITH THAT. BUT I THINK THE REASON WAS MORE OF JUST THE MESSAGE IS THIS IF YOU’RE CALLED UPON TO EVACUATE, YOU DO NOT NEED TO GET IN YOUR CAR AND GO TO SOME OTHER STATE. YOU DON’T NEED TO GET IN YOUR CAR AND GO 300 MILES WHEN YOU’RE EVACUATING. MOST OF THE TIME THEY’RE CALLING ON YOU TO EVACUATE IS BECAUSE YOU LIVE IN A LOW LYING AREA. THAT WOULD BE DANGEROUS IF STORM SURGE HIT. SO IF YOU GO TO HIGHER GROUND, MOST OF THE PLACES THAT YOU WOULD EVACUATE TO IN FLORIDA ARE IN STRUCTURES THAT ARE HURRICANE PROOF. CERTAINLY ANY PLACE THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A SHELTER, VIRTUALLY ANY HOTEL THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BUILT IN THE LAST 20 YEARS. SO YOU DON’T NEED TO MAKE THIS A MAJOR EXCURSION. YOU CAN. SO LIKE IF YOU’RE HERE ON THE COAST IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, CHANCES ARE YOU JUST GO INLAND, YOU HUNKER DOWN, LET THE STORM PASS, AND THEN YOU’D LIKELY BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO YOUR HOME AND HOPEFULLY THINGS ARE FINE. AND IF THERE’S NOT, YOU CAN TEND TO THAT. IF YOU GO HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY. LOOK, THERE’S I UNDERSTAND WHY SOME PEOPLE WANT TO DO IT. SO IF YOU CAN JUST GET TOTALLY OUT OF THE PATH, THEY’LL BE YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT POWER INTERRUPTION. YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A LOT OF THAT STUFF. MAYBE YOU JUST WANT TO RELAX FOR 4 OR 5 DAYS AND THAT’S FINE IF THAT’S WHAT YOU WANT. BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO THAT AND IT IS NOT ADVISABLE IN MOST SITUATIONS THAT YOU DO DO THAT. YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ROADS. YOU WON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS STUFF IF YOU JUST EVACUATE INTERIOR. SO THAT IS WHAT WE’VE STRESSED. WE’VE ALSO SAID I WAS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY. WE WERE AT THE BIG DOG RANCH ANIMAL RESCUE, AND WE SIGNED THE BILLS ON THE AGAINST THE ANIMAL CRUELTY WITH THE DOGS, ESPECIALLY IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY. YOU KNOW, WE HAD MILTON COMING AND YOU HAD SOME GUY HE’S EVACUATING. AND SO HE DECIDES TO CHAIN HIS DOG ON A FENCE RIGHT OFF THE INTERSTATE ON I-75. WELL, THE STORM WAS COMING. WATER WAS RISING. SO IT’S ABOUT UP TO THE DOGS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT UP TO THE DOG’S TORSO. AND WE FORTUNATELY, WE HAD A FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL TROOPER THAT SAW THIS AND RESCUED THE DOG, BUT THE DOG WOULD HAVE DIED, YOU KNOW, HAD THEY DONE THAT. AND I’M JUST THINKING TO MYSELF, WHY WOULD YOU CHAIN A DOG UP TO A FENCE LIKE THAT IN THAT SITUATION? IT JUST MAKES NO SENSE. AND YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE TO DO A LAW ON THIS. YOU REALLY SHOULDN’T. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE. SO WE WERE WE WERE ABLE TO DO. BUT BUT HERE’S THE THING. SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE EVACUATE THEIR THEY, THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR PETS, THAT MAYBE THEY CAN’T BRING THEIR PETS. NO, NO, NO. EVERY COUNTY HAS AT LEAST ONE PET FRIENDLY SHELTER IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. YOU WILL IF YOU GO TO A SHELTER, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE AN OPTION TO BRING YOUR BRING YOUR HOUSEHOLD PETS. WE WORK WITH THE FLORIDA RESTAURANT AND LODGING ASSOCIATION SO THAT WHEN THIS HAPPENS, WE USUALLY GET ALMOST 100% OF THE HOTELS. WHEN YOU’RE FLEEING IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY, THEY WILL WAIVE ANY PET RESTRICTIONS AND YOU CAN BRING YOUR PETS FOR THAT. SO SO DON’T LEAVE THE PETS BEHIND. AND CERTAINLY DON’T LEAVE THEM OUT IN IN HARM’S WAY. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY’RE CARED FOR. AND THAT’S SOMETHING THAT’S IMPORTANT. SO THERE’S OPTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO EVACUATIONS. AND SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND BECAUSE THINK ABOUT IT. WE’VE HAD SITUATIONS I MEAN I REMEMBER I WASN’T GOVERNOR, BUT YOU KNOW YOU HAD HURRICANE IRMA. SO ALL THE PEOPLE IN SOUTHEAST FLORIDA ARE EVACUATING. AND A LOT OF THEM WENT TO TAMPA. BUT THEN THE STORM SHIFTED. SO THEN THEY’RE GOING BACK AND IT’S LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THAT IS IS IS TOUGH. SO THESE OPTIONS LOCALLY, ALL YOU NEED IS HIGHER GROUND AND AND AND AND A SAFE STRUCTURE. AND THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD USE I MEAN THE SCHOOLS SOME OF THESE OTHER BUILDINGS, YOU KNOW, THEY’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND A MAJOR HURRICANE WINDS. AND AND HONESTLY, A LOT OF THE BUILDINGS, EVEN ON THE ON THE COAST, THE MORE RECENT STUFF, I MEAN, THEY BUILT REALLY WELL, YOU CAN TELL IN SOME OF THE NEWER BUILDINGS YOU DIDN’T EVEN KNOW THAT THERE HAD BEEN A HURRICANE IF YOU LOOKED AT IT. BUT THEN ONES THAT WERE OLDER, THEY COULD BE WIPED OFF THE MAP. BUT SO SO WE DO PRETTY GOOD ON WIND IN FLORIDA. IT’S JUST THAT STORM SURGE. IF YOU GET CAUGHT UP IN THAT, THERE’S REALLY NO WAY THAT YOU’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO SO. JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN IT COMES TO TO EVACUATIONS, YOU DON’T NEED TO GET IN AND DO THIS. MAKE THIS A MAJOR JOYRIDE. LOOK, IF YOU WANT TO, MAYBE YOU HAVE FAMILY IN IN IN GEORGIA OR TENNESSEE THAT YOU WANT TO TO VISIT. ANYWAYS. MAYBE THIS IS AN EXCUSE TO GO DO IT, AND WE’RE NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN’T DO THAT, BUT JUST DON’T FEEL THAT YOU HAVE TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW. WHEN YOU HAVE A DISASTER SUPPLY KIT. WE RECOMMEND SEVEN DAYS WORTH OF FOOD AND SUPPLIES FOR EACH OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS, INCLUDING PETS. THIS IS WATER SHELF STABLE FOOD, BATTERIES, FLASHLIGHTS, REUSABLE ICE, PET ITEMS, TOYS, PORTABLE POWER BANKS, AND MORE. WE HAVE THE CHECKLIST THAT FLORIDADISASTER.ORG. WHEN YOU’RE DOING THAT, I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT EVERY HURRICANE, WE’VE RESPONDED CERTAINLY SINCE I’VE BEEN GOVERNOR, THERE HASN’T BEEN A PLACE IN FLORIDA WHERE YOU WOULD NOT HAVE HAD OPTIONS FOR FOOD OR WATER INSIDE OF SEVEN DAYS, RIGHT? BUT YOU NEVER KNOW. YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN. SO WE’RE WE’RE PROUD THAT WE’VE BEEN QUICK TO RESPOND. BUT JUST UNDERSTAND THAT’S NOT REALLY THE NORM. THEY USED TO NEVER EVEN SET UP THE, THE, THE, THE, THE PODS. USUALLY IT WAS LIKE, FORGET ABOUT IT WITHIN 72 HOURS. LIKE NO ONE WOULD EVEN THINK ABOUT DOING A POD. WE DO THE PODS WITHIN 24 HOURS NOW, SO WE’LL WE’LL DO THAT. BUT I THINK YOU STILL NEED TO BE PREPARED. AND GASOLINE AS WELL, MAKING SURE THAT YOUR TANKS ARE FULL, MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE SOME GAS IN A CANISTER OR SOMETHING IN YOUR CAR. WE SAW TWO OF OUR PORTS THAT GOT TAKEN OUT BRIEFLY THAT INTERRUPTED THE FLOW OF GASOLINE TO THE GAS STATIONS. YOU ALSO HAVE THE FACT THAT IF POWER GOES OUT, ALL THESE GAS STATIONS ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE GENERATORS THAT CAN RUN. BUT THE REALITY IS, IS NOT ALL OF THEM HAVE DONE THAT. AND SO YOU MAY NOT HAVE EVERY GAS STATION IMMEDIATELY. SO IF YOU HAVE THAT AND YOU SAY, LISTEN, I KNOW I’M GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A PERIOD OF, OF, OF, OF A FEW DAYS UP TO A WEEK THAT I CAN HANDLE. THEN ALL YOUR WORRIES WILL GO DOWN IF YOU ARE RELYING, CHANCES ARE WE’RE GOING TO COME THERE AND HELP AND GET THINGS. BUT BUT IF YOU DON’T, THEN, THEN THAT’S JUST THE REALITY. I’M ALSO ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS TO HAVE MULTIPLE WAYS TO RECEIVE WEATHER ALERTS AND LISTEN TO ALL ORDERS FROM LOCAL OFFICIALS. YOU ARE GOING TO BE SO STATE. WE DON’T ORDER ANYONE TO BE EVACUATED. THAT’S DONE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, AND PARTIALLY IT’S BECAUSE THEY’RE FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF THEIR CITY OR COUNTY. IT’S ALSO THE FACT THAT IF THEY EVER DID A MANDATORY, THEY’RE GOING TO THEY’RE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING THAT INTO EFFECT. I MEAN, I COULD SIT THERE AND ISSUE AN EDICT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, CLOSE THE BRIDGE. BUT THEN SHERIFF DOESN’T HAVE TO DO THAT. THE POLICE DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT. BUT IF IT’S DONE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, THEN THEY SAY, OKAY, THIS BRIDGE IS CLOSED TO THE TO THE BEACH TRAFFIC. WE WANT TO DO THIS. AND I’M NOT EVEN SAYING THAT THAT THAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING OR NOT DOING ON, ON THESE THINGS. BUT THE REALITY IS IT’S A BOTTOM UP PROCESS. SO LISTEN TO THOSE LOCAL OFFICIALS, UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE, UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WOULD DO. WE IN THE STATE WILL AMPLIFY THOSE MESSAGES. IF KEVIN HAS A BELIEF THAT CERTAIN AREAS THAT THAT IT MAKES SENSE TO EVACUATE AND THE LOCALS ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, HE’LL HAVE CONVERSATIONS TO TRY TO GET TO WHERE WE THINK IS GOOD. BUT WHEN YOU’RE DOING EVACUATIONS, IT’S NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE. THESE WEATHER FORECASTS CAN SHIFT. YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU’RE JUST TELLING EVERYONE IN THE STATE TO EVACUATE. NOW THERE’S SOME FLORIDA RESIDENTS THAT WOULDN’T MIND TO HAVE A LOT OF BECAUSE THEY’D HAVE MORE LESS TRAFFIC AND A LITTLE BIT MORE ROOM. AND SO IT’S LIKE ALL THESE PEOPLE ALWAYS COMING HERE, BUT YOU CAN’T JUST DO THAT, RIGHT? SO YOU’VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT AND YOU GOT TO LOOK AT THE FORECAST. AND SOMETIMES THE FORECASTS ARE EXCELLENT. SOMETIMES THEY CAN BOP AROUND A LITTLE BIT, BUT YOU DON’T WANT TO TELL PEOPLE TO EVACUATE IF THERE’S NOT A HIGH, HIGH CHANCE THAT THERE’S GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS. ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU DON’T WANT TO ACT LIKE NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN IF YOU END UP GETTING SOME MAJOR STORM SURGE. SO THEY HAVE TO WEIGH THAT. THEY UNDERSTAND IT’S DISRUPTIVE TO PEOPLE’S LIVES. IT’S DISRUPTIVE TO BUSINESSES AND THE ECONOMY. AND SO SO THEY’RE WORKING HARD TO COME TO. BUT KEVIN IS NOT. IF THERE’S SOMETHING THAT WAS BEARING DOWN ON A PART OF FLORIDA AND THE LOCAL EMERGENCY RESPONDER RESPONDERS WILL SOMEHOW ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH, WHICH I DON’T THINK WILL HAPPEN IN FLORIDA. BUT IF IT WAS, HE WOULD GET ON THERE AND SAY, OKAY, LET’S GO, GUYS. WE GOT TO GET GOING AND WE’LL GET THEM TO WHERE WHERE THEY NEED TO BE. NOW WE ARE A LAW AND ORDER STATE. I PROBABLY DON’T NEED TO REMIND PEOPLE OF THAT, BUT BUT WE ARE. IF WE DO HAVE A STORM, THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DO IS TO TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT SITUATION. YOU DO NOT LOOT, YOU DO NOT VIOLATE PEOPLE’S PRIVATE PROPERTY. WE HAVE VERY STRONG LAWS IN FLORIDA ABOUT DEFENDING YOUR HOME, AND ALL I WOULD SAY IS, IF YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT COMMITTING ANY OF THESE BAD ACTS, I WOULD THINK AGAIN, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT’S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT DOOR IN A SECOND AMENDMENT STATE. NOW, OUR FLORIDA STATE GUARD IS ON STAND, WILL BE ON STANDBY TO ASSIST STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES. WE’RE PROUD OF WHAT WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH OUR OWN STATE GUARD. WE USED TO HAVE STATE GUARD UP UNTIL AFTER WORLD WAR TWO. IT KIND OF GOT DISCONTINUED. AND WE RELY ON NATIONAL GUARD. OUR NATIONAL GUARD IS GREAT, DON’T GET ME WRONG. BUT ULTIMATELY, THE NATIONAL GUARD IS ADMINISTRATIVELY CONTROLLED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IF THEY WANT TO GRAB THESE PEOPLE AND SEND THEM TO AFGHANISTAN, THE FEDS CAN DO THAT. OUR STATE GUARD HAS THERE’S NO CONTROL WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER OUR STATE GUARD. SO THEY RESPOND TO FLORIDA ISSUES ON BEHALF OF FLORIDIANS. AND I THINK THAT THAT’S SOMETHING THAT’S BEEN REALLY, REALLY GOOD. WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO RECRUIT, I MEAN, HUGE NUMBERS OF VERY TALENTED PEOPLE. WE HAVE THE THE SEARCH AND RESCUE. WE’VE GOT A SPECIAL MISSIONS UNIT. YOU KNOW, THEY’RE THE ONES GOING IN TO THIS ROCKY TERRAIN AND RESCUING PEOPLE. SO IT’S BEEN IT’S BEEN A HUGE SUCCESS. AND I’M GLAD THAT THAT THEY’RE ON WATCHING US. NOW. ONE OF THE WAYS WE ENCOURAGE FLORIDIANS TO PREPARE FOR THE STORM SEASON IS TO MAKE NEEDED REPAIRS TO THEIR HOMES AND, WHERE POSSIBLE, STRENGTHEN THEIR HOMES AGAINST STORM CONDITIONS WILL AHEAD OF TIME. WE RESTARTED A PROGRAM CALLED MY SAFE FLORIDA HOME A FEW YEARS AGO, AND THE IDEA WAS PROVIDE MATCHING GRANTS FOR HOMEOWNERS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS, ONE THAT PROTECTS BETTER AGAINST THE STORM. BUT IT ALSO ENTITLED THEM TO REDUCTION IN INSURANCE RATES, WHICH OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE’VE SEEN A LOT OF INCREASE OVER OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME. IN PARTICULAR, IT’S BEEN STABILIZED THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, AND HOPEFULLY THAT CONTINUES. IF WE DON’T GET ANY STORMS, THAT’LL BE REALLY GOOD FOR THAT. BUT WE WANT TO DO THAT. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE USED IT NOW. WE DID IT. LAST YEAR’S BUDGET. WE PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO IT. BUT YOU HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE SIGN UP FOR IT. SO NOW WE’VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE WAITING LIST. AND THIS WAS THIS IS THEY’VE BEEN ON THE WAITING LIST SINCE LAST SUMMER. AND SO I TOLD THE LEGISLATURE IN JANUARY, WE DID A SPECIAL SESSION. NOW, PART OF IT WAS THIS IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, AND WE’RE LEADING THE COUNTRY BY BY A MILE ON THAT. BUT I SAID REPLENISH THE MY SAFE FLORIDA HOME, AT LEAST TO GET THE PEOPLE ON THE WAIT LIST WHO WERE ALREADY APPROVED FOR REPAIRS. LET THEM DO IT AND MAKE THE REPAIRS SO THAT ALL THIS WILL BE DONE IN ADVANCE OF THIS HURRICANE SEASON. WELL, THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT THAT WAS THAT ADVICE WAS NOT HEEDED. SO YOU HAD VIEW, I THINK, MAINLY BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, THAT THOSE FOLKS ON THE WAITING LIST, THAT THEY SHOULD JUST TOIL THERE AND NOT GET ANY SUPPORT. IT’D BE ONE THING IF THEY WERE JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN ASKING FOR A GRANT OUT OF THE BLUE, AT A AT A THIN AIR. THAT’S NOT WHAT THEY WERE DOING. THEY WERE TOLD TO APPLY FOR THIS. THE PROGRAM RAN OUT OF MONEY. IT NEEDED TO BE REPLENISHED. THEY’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS AND IT WAS A HUGE MISSED OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO REPLENISH THAT SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE GOTTEN THESE REPAIRS DONE IN TIME FOR THIS HURRICANE SEASON. NOW, I STILL THINK THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. I THINK IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY THAT HAVE BEEN WAITING ON THIS, ARE ABLE TO GET IT HAS PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE. IT HAS HELPED HOMES WITHSTAND EVENTS AND IT HAS HELPED THEM MODERATE WHAT THEY’RE BEING CHARGED ON INSURANCE PREMIUMS. SO HOPEFULLY AND YOU KNOW WE’RE HERE. IT’S ALMOST WE USUALLY DO THE HURRICANE TAX PREPAREDNESS HOLIDAYS. SO THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF HURRICANE SEASON AND THEN WE DO TWO WEEKS AT KIND OF THE HEIGHT OF HURRICANE SEASON. BUT THEY HAVEN’T EVEN DONE THE BUDGET YET. SO WE DON’T HAVE ANY OF THE TAX HOLIDAYS IN PLACE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. I THINK YOU NEED TWO WEEKS EARLY SO THAT YOU CAN GET ALL THE SUPPLIES YOU NEED TAX FREE. SO WE’RE GOING TO MAKE SURE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, THERE’S GOING TO BE HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS, TAX HOLIDAY. AND I KNOW IT’S PEOPLE AT HOME DEPOT. THEY FLOOD HOME DEPOT. THEY FLOOD ALL THESE PLACES AND THEY GET THEIR STUFF TAX FREE. AND YOU CAN SPEND. AND IT’S NOT JUST DISASTER. PEOPLE HAVE OTHER NEEDS AROUND THEIR HOMES. I MEAN, YOU CAN SPEND A LOT OF MONEY IN HOME DEPOT AND YOU SAVE A LOT ON TAX WHEN YOU DO IT DURING THESE TAX HOLIDAYS. SO SO WE WANT TO DO IT NOW AS PART OF MY SAFE FLORIDA HOME, WE ALLOW RESIDENTS TO RECEIVE FREE WIND MITIGATION, HOME INSPECTIONS AND ENSURES THEY CAN MAKE THE NECESSARY FIXES BEFORE HURRICANE SEASON GETS UNDERWAY. I RECENTLY SIGNED FLORIDA HOUSE BILL 715. EARLIER THIS MONTH. THAT MAKES IT EASIER FOR FLORIDA HOMEOWNERS TO DO THESE REPAIRS RIGHT NOW, FLORIDA LAW ALLOWS LICENSED ROOFING CONTRACTORS TO INSTALL, REPAIR, MAINTAIN, ALTER, OR EXTEND ROOFING SYSTEMS, BUT RESTRICTS THEM FROM PERFORMING MAJOR STRUCTURAL WORK BEYOND ROOFING UNLESS THEY HOLD ADDITIONAL LICENSES. WELL, THIS BILL EXPANDS THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT ROOFING CONTRACTORS CAN DO TO INCLUDE ROOF TO WALL CONNECTIONS FOR STRUCTURES WITH WOOD ROOF DECKING, ROOF TO WALL CONNECTIONS ARE THE STRUCTURAL LINK BETWEEN A BUILDING’S ROOF AND ITS WALLS, SOMETIMES CALLED HURRICANE STRAPS, THESE ARE CRITICAL, A CRITICAL ASPECT OF WIND MITIGATION, AND ARE OFTEN ELIGIBLE FEATURES FOR DISCOUNTS ON HOME INSURANCE PREMIUMS. SO BY EXPANDING THE LIST OF AUTHORIZED INSPECTORS AND INSTALLERS TO INCLUDE ROOFING CONTRACTORS, WE’RE PROVIDING A GREATER OPPORTUNITY FOR CONSUMERS TO HAVE THESE WIND MITIGATION DEVICES INSTALLED. WE ALSO RECENTLY SIGNED LEGISLATION WHICH, YOU KNOW, HASN’T BEEN NECESSARY. WHILE I WAS GOVERNOR, BUT IN STATE OF EMERGENCIES, YOU WOULD OCCASIONALLY HAVE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS USE THAT TO UNILATERALLY SAY YOU CAN’T PURCHASE FIREARMS. WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO? HONESTLY, IF A STORM IS COMING, SOME PEOPLE MAY WANT TO PURCHASE FIREARMS TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM LOOTERS. AND SO I WOULD ALWAYS OVERRULE THAT WITH EXECUTIVE ACTION. BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO DO THAT. SO THE BILL THAT I SIGNED ENDS THAT IT PROTECTS FLORIDA’S SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS FROM BEING, QUOTE, SUSPENDED DURING DECLARED EMERGENCIES. AND AGAIN, AS LONG AS I WAS HERE, WE WOULD OVERRULE THAT. BUT THE REALITY IS, IS WHO KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE PROTECTING OUR CITIZENS SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS. SO THAT IS ALSO IN THE BOOKS. SO ALL THAT BEING SAID, WE’RE STARTING HURRICANE SEASON. I’D URGE YOU TO PREPARE. NOW. THE REALITY IS, IS HURRICANE SEASON GOES FROM JUNE THROUGH NOVEMBER. RIGHT NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT WHEN THESE STORMS COME, MAJOR HURRICANES ARE ARE RARE IN JUNE AND JULY AS WE GET INTO MID-AUGUST THROUGH PROBABLY MID-NOVEMBER OR MID OCTOBER, THAT’S REALLY THE PEAK. I’D SAY THE END OF SEPTEMBER. THE TWO WEEKS OF SEPTEMBER, FIRST WEEK OF OF OCTOBER IS LIKE IS LIKE THE REAL PEAK. WE’VE HAD BIG ONES IN AUGUST. OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN STILL HAVE THEM AFTER THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER. YOU CAN HAVE THEM IN JUNE. BUT THE REALITY IS THERE’S A THERE’S KIND OF A RHYTHM TO THIS. SO YOU DO HAVE TIME. I DO ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WILL BE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, TAX HOLIDAYS THAT WILL BE ENACTED SOON. OBVIOUSLY, IT’S GOT TO BE ENACTED THIS MONTH BECAUSE YOU GOT TO GET A BUDGET DONE BY THE END OF THE MONTH. SO HOPEFULLY WE’LL BE ABLE TO TO GET THAT DONE. AND THEN YOU’LL BE ABLE TO SAVE MONEY ON THAT. BUT LET’S PREPARE AS IF WE’RE GOING TO HAVE MAJOR EVENTS, AND THEN LET’S HOPE THAT WE GET A RESPITE THIS YEAR. AND IF WE DO, THAT’LL BE GREAT FOR THE PEOPLE. FLORIDA. IT’LL BE GREAT FOR THE STATE. IT’LL BE GREAT FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. BUT WE CAN’T JUST SIT THERE AND AND HOPE FOR THE BEST AND, AND GO INTO HURRICANE SEASON ILL PREPARED. SO WE’VE BEEN PREPARING EVER SINCE THE END OF LAST CYCLE. WE’VE BEEN PREPARING FOR THIS HURRICANE SEASON AT THE STATE LEVEL. YOU GUYS HAVE SOME OF THE BEST LOCAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE FOLKS ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY. I MEAN, WE HAVE THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY. I MEAN, FOR FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. SO, SO FEEL COMFORTED IN THAT. BUT JUST UNDERSTAND THOSE FIRST THREE DAYS, FIVE DAYS, SEVEN DAYS, NO ONE’S GOING TO HAVE MORE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON HOW YOU RESPOND TO THE STORM THAN WHAT YOU PERSONALLY DO TO PREPARE FOR YOURSELF, YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS, YOUR PETS, AND ANYONE ELSE THAT THAT THAT NEEDS ASSISTANCE.