Governor: Flooding, outages 'the name of the game' as Ian nears Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie let residents know to expect a broad area of the state will be impacted in some way by Hurricane Ian, even in areas that don't suffer its direct landfall, at Monday morning's disaster preparedness update.

"This is turning into a very big storm," DeSantis said, "and the impacts will be far and wide... It's just the name of the game."

Despite warnings that flooding rains are expected to be widespread, and that power outages will be likely in many areas due to the storm's strong winds, he urged the public not to panic and not to "panic buy," rushing to stores for essential supplies.

He reiterated prior statements directing Floridians to "Know Your Zone," and to be ready to evacuate at a moment's notice. He said that while property damage could happen, it should not be residents' main concern at this time.

"Property damage is terrible, but can fix that, we can rebuild," he said. "We need you to take care of yourself."

For those who do not live in an evacuation zone, and for those who choose to "shelter at home," the advice is to "know your home," and to be aware of your residence's structural integrity to improve your overall chances of survival.

During Sunday's briefing, at which time Ian was still a tropical storm, DeSantis said that 2,500 Florida National Guard members have been activated and more are on standby for recovery response.

Make sure you have multiple ways to obtain the latest weather information, such as weather radios and news and weather apps.