Florida National Guard Activated Ahead Of Hurricane Irma

TALLAHASSEE, FL — As Florida braces for potential impacts from Category 5 Hurricane Irma, Gov. Rick Scott is enlisting some help. Scott announced Tuesday the activation of 100 members of the Florida Air and Army National Guard ahead of the storm. All 7,000 members are expected to report for duty on Friday.

The guard members activated Tuesday are being asked to assist with ongoing preparation for the storm, Scott said in a statement.

“Per my direction, they will be stationed throughout the state,” Scott said. “I have also directed all 7,000 guard members to report for duty this Friday, however, if resources are needed before then, I stand ready to activate as many guard members needed to support our aggressive preparedness actions.” (For more hurricane news or local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Tampa Patch, and click here to find your local Florida Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

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On Monday, Scott declared a state of emergency that includes all 67 counties in Florida. The state has also activated its price gouging hotline as officials across Florida urge residents to prepare.

“With Hurricane Irma now a Category 5 storm, we must do all we can to prepare our families and communities for any potential impact from this major weather event,” Scott said Tuesday. “We do not know the exact path of this storm, but weather can change in an instant and while we hope for the best, we must prepare for the worst.”

• Also see: Hurricane Irma Threatens Florida, Tropical Storm Jose Forms

Scott on Tuesday also lifted weight and driver restrictions for the state's highways. That move will enable quicker delivery of essential supplies, such as water and fuel, Scott explained on Twitter.

As of the National Hurricane Center's 11 a.m. Sept. 5 update, Irma was packing maximum sustained winds of 180 mph as she headed toward the Leeward Islands. The potentially catastrophic storm was following a path that is expected to bring it into contact with Florida by the end of the week.

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Image of the projected earliest arrival times of tropical-storm force winds courtesy of the National Hurricane Center.