All Hands On Deck” DeSantis Prioritizes Power Restoration After Hurricane Sally

September 18, 2020

During a visit to Escambia County Thursday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said power restoration and reconstruction were the next priorities after of Hurricane Sally.

“We have all hands on deck,” DeSantis said. “We want to make sure to continue to keep people safe, rescue if needed, get that power back on.”

“Power is a major, major initiative and priority at this point,” he said.

DeSantis said clearing debris is a problem, and he’s instructed the Florida Department of Transportation and the Florida Highway Patrol to “do whatever you need to do” to make sure utility trucks can get to damaged areas.

And he also asked residents to stay off the roads until travel is absolutely necessary.

“If you’re somebody that is just kinda going out to drive to drive, now may not be the best time to do that,” DeSantis said. “It’s really slowing down being able to get all the utility trucks where they need to be.”

Meanwhile, the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) has deployed hundreds of generators, water pumps and light towers to help relieve the area of outages and flooding. The generators, among other purposes, will be used to service key structures and traffic lights. The light towers will allow utility crews to continue restoration efforts overnight.

The DEM has also supplied the region with 972,000 water bottles, 279,000 meals, and several mobile feeding kitchens.

DeSantis was joined by Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez, FDEM Director Jared Moskowitz, Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Kevin Thibault, Congressman Matt Gaetz and numerous local officials.

Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

11 Responses to “All Hands On Deck” DeSantis Prioritizes Power Restoration After Hurricane Sally”

  1. Niknak50 on September 20th, 2020 7:35 am

    Reading the comments here one can see many people are wanting to do less and less for themselves and want the government to do more and more. They expect FEMA to show up a couple of hours after a storm with goverment tits for them to suck on. Don’t know if ne.com will lrint this.

  2. Skip on September 19th, 2020 9:43 pm

    They are doing the best they can be thankful

  3. Lifendason on September 19th, 2020 7:26 pm

    I know the linemen are working hard and I appreciate them very much. But, something just doesn’t seem right of the handling of this. I mean when Ivan hit FEMA was at my door within that week asking me what I needed. Thank God that the generator they help me buy then I am using today.

    I just think it could have been handled better.

  4. cecil F. palmer on September 19th, 2020 5:00 pm

    .Been living in Escambia County, FL for over 60 years and am amazed that we do not have a decent Emergency Radio station. Once the power goes out, you are own your own. Shame the Commissioner’s and councilmen can’t see this problem. Two days later when power is restored they all come on and fawn over each other and how great they did. .Fire them all. Being informed in an emergency is crucial. This is totally unacceptable,

  5. Prepared on September 19th, 2020 11:24 am

    I’m baffled by these comments. No Gulf Power trucks? They have 7k trucks in the area. There were over 150k people without power in Escambia County. If they have service restored to 95% of the customers by Tuesday, then that beats the restoration during Ivan. And as far as Sheriff Morgan saying the first 72 are on you: Yes! Take some responsibility for protecting yourself and having the essentials you need. It’s called “Hurricane Season” for a reason. While you may want to blame politicians (who have their own set of flaws), law enforcement and Gulf Power but seems like the only people who dropped the ball are the people ill-prepared. Today, I am still without power but am using my generator. I have gas for said generator. I have a grill. I have food to last my family for a week. My parents are the same. It’s called preparedness.

  6. Alice Knutson on September 19th, 2020 12:33 am

    Who received food, ice, water listed in today’s meeting story? Got ice,water Donated by Winn Dixie today. Only help We found. No power, no internet, no news.
    RADIO STATIONS No longer announces
    Weather, or emergency help, How does victims get information, or announcements? WHERE
    iS FEMA to help with food, water, ice
    And helping financially with home repairs? Someone dropped The ball this time, it was local, state
    Politicians that’s who. Gulf Power also dropped The ball
    No sign of gulf power trucks, Usually out of town help is already here on standby. Fema usually here waiting for storm to pass. Does Sheriff Morgan let the cat out of bag saying the first 72 is on us. It wasn’t before. Before every
    Department in Escambia County was ready and information was sent out on tv, and local radio stations during the storm and after them Until it was finished. No longer, Escambia County no longer knows how to handle an emergency or contact it’s citizens without power or internet service. We need a local emergency radio station to find answers.

  7. South Flomaton4Ever on September 18th, 2020 10:11 pm

    Failure as a governor

  8. Kimberly Griffith on September 18th, 2020 10:08 pm

    I have had a live wire down on the side of my house since Sally came through. I’m having a hard time trying to understand how that is not an emergency. Estimated date for the problem to be fixed is September 22. I guess in the meantime we just sit back and hope that no one gets hurt , or killed as a result.

  9. Gloria Gutierrez on September 18th, 2020 3:19 pm

    Please help so this never happen again

  10. Gloria Gutierrez on September 18th, 2020 3:17 pm

    On 4/30/2014 we have a bad weather in Pensacola Fl our subdivision that utilities are underground half of ha power half no have power At that time I call Gulf Power they explain each green box is for 4 houses four hoses had power 4 houses no power etc Sally came and the same happen the same houses than in 2014. 4 houses on 4 houses has to be an error of the Ingenier from Gulf Power and the electrical inspection from escambia county I report this on 2014 Gulf Power assur me that they was to take care of the problem 5 weeks ago I ask for an inspector for check where I can finish my fence no even a call. We are without power because when I call and report in 2014 they never came with an electrician inspector to check what was the problem we have elderly few need Oxigen

  11. Ronald Kirkland on September 18th, 2020 9:56 am

    What about century Fl we’re always forgotten