News

Jacksonville, FL – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) issued the following statement today urging Floridians to prepare for Hurricane Matthew:

“If you’re in Florida, you need to start preparing for Hurricane Matthew right now. This is a dangerous and life-threatening storm, the likes of which our state has not seen in a decade. Florida is currently in Matthew’s path, and Floridians need to take today to prepare. Among the many websites with more information and helpful tips is my office’s website, Rubio.Senate.Gov. Now is the time to store enough food and water for at least three days, secure your house and belongings, and know your evacuation route. I also urge everyone to gather their hurricane and flood insurance information. To my fellow boaters, secure your vessels.

“‎Later today, my regional Senate offices in Miami and Palm Beach will be closing so that our Florida staff can make their own final preparations for this storm. We will execute our contingency plan to make sure we are available to respond to constituents in need, including local and state officials. We’ve also had staff at the Emergency Operations Center in Doral and Tallahassee getting the latest updates and keeping me informed of new developments.

“At some point today, I hope to speak with the Army Corps of Engineers about a number of things, but particularly the impact this storm could have on the Herbert Hoover Dike. Since last year, our state has faced significant environmental challenges, including excess rainfall requiring discharges in order to keep the dike from being overwhelmed. Now, this hurricane’s rainfall threatens to do even more damage, so I want to make sure the Army Corps is doing everything they can.

“We are already seeing the impact of this storm in Haiti. As a senator representing the largest Haitian diaspora community in the U.S. and as chairman of the Senate’s Western Hemisphere subcommittee, yesterday I spoke with American Red Cross President Gail McGovern about the organization’s humanitarian relief efforts abroad. I also spoke with Admiral Kurt Tidd, Commander of U.S. Southern Command, to discuss the military’s humanitarian relief efforts. In addition, our staff has participated in stakeholder briefings with USAID and been in touch with Haitian-American community leaders who care deeply about their homeland.

“This storm is dangerous, we need to take it seriously‎, and government at all levels must be ready to respond to both the impact here at home and abroad. My office stands ready to assist, but the single most important thing people can do right now is prepare and get their things in order.”