Rick Scott: Hurricane preparedness saves lives

During my eight years as Governor of Florida, I saw firsthand the destruction left behind by multiple devastating hurricanes — Michael, Irma, Hermine, Matthew. If there is one thing I learned, it’s that Florida is resilient. In times of crisis, the people of our state come together.

I remember being in the Panhandle after Hurricane Michael devastated towns like Panama City, Mexico Beach and Apalachicola. I saw people coming together. Nobody was asking what Party they were or who they voted for in the last election. They were asking if people needed food or water or a tarp for their roof.

Our federal, state and local partners also come together in times of need and work hard to recover from these storms.

Florida is resilient because we prepare for storms. I cannot stress this enough: preparedness saves lives.

Hurricane season begins June 1, and I am asking every family and business in Florida to get a plan and a disaster preparedness kit TODAY.

This year’s state Disaster Sales Tax Holiday begins Friday, May 31, and extends to Thursday, June 6. This is a great opportunity for Floridians to fully stock their disaster supply kits with vital supplies, like food, water, flashlights, batteries and other necessities — tax-free.

I’m also urging every family and business to make or revisit their emergency plans. You can find resources and information on creating a personalized emergency plan at www.ready.gov.

As your Senator, I’ll do everything I can at the federal level to protect Florida’s families and businesses. I’ve led the effort to get disaster funds to Florida following Hurricane Michael, and I’m glad the Senate passed this funding last week. I am also regularly in touch with FEMA to identify ways we can better prepare Floridians ahead of a storm, and quickly get them the federal resources they need should disaster strike.

We should never let our guards down or underestimate the threat of severe weather. In case of a storm, always stay tuned to your local news reports and follow the direction of local law enforcement and emergency management officials. As I always say, you can rebuild your homes, but you cannot rebuild your lives.

Don’t put your family and loved ones at risk. Don’t wait to take action. Get prepared TODAY. Find more information on hurricane preparedness, visit www.rickscott.senate.gov/hurricane-preparedness.

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Former Gov. Rick Scott is the junior U.S. Senator from Florida.