DeSantis Declares Emergency, Biden Approves Federal Assistance Ahead of Hurricane Milton

President Joe Biden announced that he ordered federal assistance to supplement the State of Florida after Governor Ron DeSantis announced an emergency declaration ahead of Hurricane Milton:

Milton is currently northwest of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, and is expected to cross the eastern Gulf of Mexico and head toward the west coast of Florida. The National Weather Service’s National Hurricane Center stated the Category 5 hurricane is forecast to arrive on Florida’s gulf coast Wednesday.

The White House press release stated DHS and FEMA have been ordered to coordinate relief efforts with Florida state, tribal, and local response, with John E. Brogan of FEMA appointed to coordinate Federal operations:

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that an emergency exists in the State of Florida and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Milton beginning on October 5, 2024, and continuing. The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe…. Mr. John E. Brogan of FEMA has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.