ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — U.S. President Joe Biden has approved Florida's State of Emergency declaration as Hurricane Helene prepares to make landfall in the Sunshine State this Thursday, the White House said in a news release.
Biden's approval will allow the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts for those affected by the hurricane and reimburse counties for evacuation and shelter operations, White House officials said.
FEMA says the hurricane is expected to bring heavy rain, life-threatening storm surge, strong winds and urban flooding to affected areas, officials said in a separate release.
"Now is the time for people to activate their hurricane plans and prepare for the storm’s effects," FEMA officials stated.
The following counties are receiving federal assistance, according to the White House (Tampa Bay counties are bolded):
- Bay
- Calhoun
- Charlotte
- Citrus
- Collier
- Dixie
- Franklin
- Gadsden
- Gilchrist
- Gulf
- Hernando
- Hillsborough
- Jackson
- Jefferson
- Lafayette
- Lee
- Leon
- Levy
- Liberty
- Madison
- Manatee
- Monroe
- Pasco
- Pinellas
- Sarasota
- Suwannee
- Taylor
- Wakulla
FEMA is reminding Florida residents to finish all preparations before Helene hits on Thursday and keep important documents safe.
To learn more hurricane safety tips from FEMA, click here.
To learn more about Hurricane Helene and its current trajectory, click here.