Governor Ron DeSantis signed Executive Order 26-202 on Monday, declaring a state of emergency across 25 Florida counties as Tropical Depression Nine sets its sights on the Gulf Coast. Forecasters expect the system to gain strength over the coming days, and state officials are wasting no time getting ahead of it.
The declaration gives the Florida Division of Emergency Management and the Florida State Emergency Response Team (SERT) the authority to pre-position personnel, equipment, and relief supplies before the storm arrives. Current forecasts suggest a tropical storm or even a hurricane could make landfall along the central Gulf Coast later this week, bringing dangerous conditions that extend well beyond the storm’s direct path.
“Today, I signed an Executive Order issuing a state of emergency ahead of potential impacts from Tropical Depression 9. This order will allow the Florida Division of Emergency Management to stage critical preparedness resources and ensure Florida is ready to respond,” DeSantis said. “Floridians should take this time to get disaster plans in place and ensure their hurricane supply kit is stocked.”
State officials cautioned that North Florida faces a serious combination of threats, including heavy rainfall, strong winds, coastal flooding, and isolated tornadoes. Making matters worse, recent storms have already saturated the ground across the region, meaning any additional rain significantly raises the risk of dangerous flash flooding.
SERT is actively staging equipment in Tallahassee and the Santa Rosa area, ready to move resources wherever they are needed most. Supplies already stockpiled include generators, fuel reserves, temporary flood barriers, Tiger Dams, sandbags, tarps, flood clean-up buckets, pallets of boxed water, and shelf-stable meals.
The emergency declaration covers the following 25 counties: Baker, Bay, Calhoun, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Walton, Wakulla, and Washington.
State officials are urging residents throughout all designated counties to review their emergency checklists and visit FloridaDisaster.org for the latest updates and preparation guidance.
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