Florida is currently dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, with significant efforts underway to restore power and replenish fuel supplies for millions of affected residents. Governor Ron DeSantis held a news conference in St. Lucie on Thursday to provide updates on the situation.
As of the latest reports, power has been successfully restored to approximately 700,000 customers, but a staggering 3.4 million customers are still without power, as per data from PowerOutage.us.
Governor DeSantis highlighted the proactive measures taken by the state, such as pre-staging 50,000 linemen across Florida to expedite power restoration efforts. This coordinated operation is crucial, especially in light of the challenges posed by Hurricane Helene just weeks prior.
In addition to power restoration, the Florida Highway Patrol has been assigned the task of escorting fuel tankers, using sirens on their patrol cars, to replenish the dwindling fuel supply. The mass evacuation of residents before Hurricane Milton led to a significant decrease in available fuel, necessitating urgent replenishment.
Governor DeSantis stressed the importance of continuously bringing fuel into the state to meet the high demand. Currently, Florida has approximately 1.5 million gallons of diesel fuel and 1.1 million gallons of regular gasoline in reserve to kickstart the replenishment process.
