Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Declares State of Emergency

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Governor Ron DeSantis issued issued Executive Order (EO) 24-156 (Emergency Management  – Invest 97L) declaring the following 53 counties under a state of emergency: 

Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington counties.

The Executive Order noted that, based on meteorological reports, highly conducive environmental conditions are forecast to organize and develop Invest 97L into a tropical depression over the weekend and early next week over the eastern Gulf of Mexico near the Florida Peninsula.

The State of Emergency makes funding available to assist local and state agencies responding to the disaster area, activates the Florida National Guard, as needed, and gives agencies the discretion to modify rules, deadlines, and licensing requirements where appropriate.