LAKE CITY, Fla. — At one of the staging sites just outside the path where Hurricane Milton will soon make landfall, Governor Ron DeSantis took to a podium emblazoned with the seal of Florida.
It's just one week after he did the same for Hurricane Helene.
"There's a lot of folks that have not gotten a lot of sleep over the last few weeks. We have some more difficult days ahead," DeSantis said. "But we will absolutely get through it. We can handle this."
Crews worked overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning to remove over 250,000 cubic yards of debris on Florida's barrier islands from Helene. That's about half of what was left behind.
"That's going to mitigate some of the damage that happens when the hurricane comes in," DeSantis said.
State officials and linemen stood behind DeSantis at the Florida Power and Light center in Lake City during the press conference.
DeSantis spoke on the 2.4 million power restorations crews just completed for Helene, which was "as fast as its ever been done in the history of all hurricanes in the U.S.," he said.
Now, though, they may face an even bigger challenge with Milton. Any resident in the path of the storm is likely to lose power.
To help in the aftermath, over 50,000 linemen from across the country are pre-staged surrounding the hurricane's path. They plan to jump into action as soon as the storm is finished ravaging Florida's peninsula.
One of the problems plaguing Florida's west coast—which is expected to take the brunt of Milton—is gas station's running out of fuel while crowds try to evacuate.
DeSantis said ships have stopped coming into ports with more gas, though they're still finding ways to get fuel to drivers. They have 1.6 million gallons of diesel and 1.1 million gallons of gas on hand for the state of Florida.
In the days leading up to Milton, Florida Highway Patrol escorted 106 long-distance fuel tankers, which have brought in almost one million gallons of gas to areas who are about to be hardest hit.
DeSantis said he's in contact with President Joe Biden and the FEMA director. He's also working with a National Guard contingent, a group he said has never been amassed for a hurricane previously.
They're providing 6,000 Florida Guard soldiers, 3,000 from other states, 34 search and rescue aircrafts and 500 tactical vehicles to help in the aftermath.
"This is the largest storm mobilization in the State of Florida," DeSantis said.
He also said to listen to local emergency managers about when it's safe to go outside.
As bridges are closed or soon will be, the time to find shelter is now. There are almost 150 shelters open to the public with 30,000 people in them right now, but DeSantis said there is space for 200,000 people. To find a shelter near you, visit this website.
Until 5 p.m. or it's no longer safe, Uber is also providing free trips to shelters using the code "MiltonRelief1."
Kevin Guthrie with the Division of Emergency Management said there are over 100,000 assets in the field working to help post-Milton. He offered some safety tips at the presser:
- Use a generator properly. It must be operated outside the home, at least 20 feet away from doors or windows.
- If you have a carbon monoxide monitor, make sure it's on and charged.
- If you hear trees snapping or transformers popping, it could mean you're right on the edge of the hurricane's path. Treat it like a tornado. Go to the center or lowest point of your home and pull a light mattress over yourself to protect against debris.
- Do not attempt to clean up debris by yourself, especially with fallen trees and power lines. Report these to 911 or non-emergency lines.
- Call 1-800-342-3557 for after-the-storm information from the state.
"We do not need to have fatalities when someone is trying to go up a ladder, trying to use a chainsaw," Guthrie said. "We're going to have plenty of volunteer organizations able to help you right after disaster. Just let us help you. That's what we're here to do."
The Florida Department of Transportation is also preparing. As bridges shutter, bridge inspectors, damage assessment teams, and road crews are ready to make temporary repairs to get residents to safety after the storm.
"If you're going to get to a shelter, get there fast. Now is the time to hunker down," a representative said at the conference.
To get up-to-date traffic information after the storm, you can look at the map on this site.
"You never want to have to face these storms," DeSantis said, "But I can tell you, if you had to face 'em, these are the folks I'd want having our back."
► You can donate to the Florida Disaster Fund on their site here. Donations are tax deductible. You can also text "DISASTER" to 20222 to donate.
Watch the full press conference below:
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Previous 10 Tampa Bay reporting contributed to this article.