Fresh Take Florida
In St. Petersburg, along Florida’s Gulf Coast, the Mayor said he is worried that residents may wait too long to evacuate ahead of the approaching storm.
At a news conference late Tuesday, Mayor Ken Welch said the city could see storm surges of up to 8 feet — bigger than those experienced during Hurricane Idalia, which caused major flooding along Florida’s west coast.
“I worry about folks responding when we get an evacuation order, that is what I’m most concerned about,” Welch said.
A city fire official said once sustained winds exceed dangerous levels — about 40 mph — rescue trucks are grounded for the safety of emergency workers. Storm victims would need to wait until winds calm down before they could be rescued.
___
This story was produced by Fresh Take Florida, a news service of the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. The reporter can be reached at sophia.bailly@
