DeSantis declares state of emergency for 25 Florida counties ahead of Tropical Depression Nine

Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order Tuesday declaring a state of emergency for 25 Florida counties, including Escambia and Santa Rosa, as Tropical Depression Nine approaches the Gulf Coast. The order allows the Florida Division of Emergency Management to stage critical resources and prepare for potential impacts expected later this week.

According to the governor's office, the storm is forecast to strengthen into a tropical storm or hurricane with possible landfall along the central Gulf Coast. North Florida, including the Pensacola area, faces threats of heavy rainfall, strong winds, coastal flooding, and isolated tornadoes. State officials warn that recent significant rainfall has already saturated soils across the region, raising the risk of flash flooding.

The Florida State Emergency Response Team is mobilizing resources staged in Tallahassee and the Santa Rosa area, including generators, fuel, flood barriers, boxed water, shelf-stable meals, tarps, sandbags, and other emergency supplies. The state of emergency also covers Baker, Bay, Calhoun, Columbia, Dixie, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Walton, Wakulla, and Washington counties.

DeSantis urged Floridians to finalize disaster plans and stock hurricane supply kits now. More information and preparedness resources are available at FloridaDisaster.org, and residents can follow @FLSERT on X for live storm updates.