The FEMA chief told Florida Keys residents that they'll need to fend for themselves.
“The message has been clear — the Keys are going to be impacted, there is no safe area within the Keys, and you put your life in your own hands by not evacuating.”
In all, 7 million people have been urged to evacuate the major hurricane, which is predicted to bring heavy rains, storm surge, and winds.
“What we have to do is set citizen expectations. We are not going to be there right after storm passes. We need to be sure that the roadways are clear, we need to get trucks in to get stuff there,” he added. “And that’s why we ask people to be prepared for three days, and you know hopefully in these landmark events, citizens will start to take these preparedness measures seriously. All over the country, we’re asking you to be prepared. We cannot be there right after the storm,” Long added.
The National Hurricane Center says Irma should hit Florida sometime early Sunday morning, and it’s likely already slamming portions of the Florida Keys.
“This is a sobering, scary situation,” Dr. Rick Knabb, a hurricane expert with The Weather Channel, said Friday night.
Gov. Rick Scott painted a grim---but necessary---picture.
“The storm’s here,” said Gov. Scott Saturday morning. “This is a deadly storm, and our state has never seen anything like it.”
“It’s going to be very difficult to survive this if you’re in the Keys,” Scott said, according to the Weather Channel. “I’m begging you to get out.”