The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is urging Florida residents to brace for Hurricane Milton, which is expected to intensify into a significant storm before reaching Tampa Bay on Wednesday.
Milton follows closely on the heels of Hurricane Helene, which struck Florida as a Category 4 hurricane in late September, causing extensive damage and resulting in the loss of at least 200 lives. Current forecasts suggest that Milton may remain a hurricane while traversing central Florida and moving into the Atlantic, potentially sparing areas affected by Helene.
In a statement, FEMA reassured Floridians of its readiness to assist with any resource requests. “Hundreds of FEMA staff are currently working on recovery efforts from Helene while preparing for the upcoming storm,” the agency noted.
While urging residents to take the forecast seriously, FEMA highlighted the risk of severe storm surges and high winds, along with heavy rainfall in the days leading up to Milton’s landfall. It also encouraged individuals to prepare their homes and check on vulnerable neighbors, particularly the elderly or those requiring extra help.
The impending arrival of Milton coincides with political tensions surrounding the response to Hurricane Helene. Former President Donald Trump and his GOP supporters have criticized President Biden’s administration over FEMA’s funding allocation, incorrectly suggesting that disaster relief funds were redirected to assist migrants. However, it’s important to note that funds for migrant support are drawn from a separate budget unrelated to FEMA’s disaster relief budget.
Despite FEMA’s immediate ability to respond, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas expressed concerns about the agency facing financial difficulties as the hurricane season progresses. While Congress recently approved a $20 billion replenishment of FEMA’s funding, it fell short of the additional support requested for disaster recovery programs.
President Biden has urged Congress to allocate more funding to ensure FEMA can effectively respond to both immediate and long-term recovery needs. He emphasized that without additional resources, the agency would have to choose between meeting urgent needs and supporting extended recovery efforts.
Bipartisan calls for Congress to reconvene and discuss emergency funding have been made, but House Speaker Mike Johnson has stated that there are no plans to bring lawmakers back to vote before the upcoming elections. He mentioned that a full assessment of damages from the hurricanes would take time, and lawmakers would return immediately post-election to address the situation.