With a little more than two months left in the 2017 hurricane season, Florida’s emergency management head is leaving his job “to pursue an opportunity in the private sector,” the Governor’s Office announced Tuesday. Gov. Rick Scott announced Bryan Koon’s resignation as director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management (DEM), effective next Sunday.
With tropical storm-force winds less than 24 hours away, Hurricane Irma also is expected to bring storm surge of 6-12 feet to the state’s southern coasts, Gov. Rick Scott said Friday night. “Our state has never seen anything like this before,” he said. The governor spoke at an evening news briefing from the state’s Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee. “Think about that: It could cover your house,” Scott told reporters. “This storm surge will rush in; it could kill you.”
No rest for Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday, as his daily agenda shows a schedule packed with planning items in advance of Hurricane Irma‘s track toward the state.
Some coastal residents always put off emergency preparations until storm clouds loom on the horizon. The National Hurricane Center is going to try giving those people a deadline this year, issuing experimental advisories showing when tropical-storm force winds may hit particular communities to help them understand when it’s too late to put up storm shutters or evacuate. The forecasters’ advisories will be fueled by more data than ever, thanks to new weather satellites and an expanded network of underwater gliders.…
For the coming year, the state of Florida is asking Washington D.C. to give more than $41 million for domestic security. That request is prompting one Pensacola Republican to ask if any amount from the feds can indeed make Floridians totally safe. “Is this the attitude of the American people and Floridians, that we’re willing to spend whatever it takes to be safe in a free society? And can we really do that to make us completely safe? “asked freshman…
Alberto Moscoso, formerly press secretary for the Department of Corrections, now is communications director for the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM). Moscoso, who also holds the title of Public Information Officer, started the new job Nov. 18, according to a Tuesday press release. “We are excited and proud to welcome Alberto,” said Bryan Koon, the state’s director of emergency management. “His experiences serving both our country and our state will provide our team with the diverse skill set essential to accurate…
Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency and authorized the release of state funds in the wake of severe tornado damage in the Escambia County city of Century last week which saw wind gusts of over 150 miles per hour tear through the Panhandle town, causing severe damage to numerous houses and buildings. Scott, in issuing Executive Order 16-54, acknowledged the emergency circumstances in Century and authorized state officials to step in to cope with the disaster. The order names the…