EDITORIAL: Gov. DeSantis proved himself a steady, strong leader in his first hurricane

Sep. 5--On the job eight months, Gov. Ron DeSantis displayed the steady and reassuring leadership of a tested veteran in preparing Florida for Dorian.

Guiding this massive and disconnected state through the life-threatening emergency of a Category 5 hurricane is one of the most stressful and important responsibilities of a Florida governor.

It's frightening. The reality is that it's one of the few things that we as Floridians all experience together, and we rely on one person to set the tone and direction: the governor, communicating clearly, forcefully and compassionately.

All of us who remember Andrew, Opal, Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne, Wilma and Irma may forget that the state's relentless population growth means there are always lots of people here who are experiencing a hurricane for the first time.

Clutching our TV remotes, desperate for accurate information, we depend on strong, steady leadership, and DeSantis provided it.

This is how government is supposed to work. There's no handbook on how to do it. But DeSantis, a former prosecutor, Navy veteran and Harvard-educated lawyer, was prepared, and he made a strong impression on county emergency managers who are on the front lines of response and recovery.

Unlike his predecessor, Rick Scott, DeSantis did not appear compelled to control all storm-related communication. His willingness to share the spotlight with others was a sign of self-assurance.

As preparations took shape, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez made several appearances on Spanish-language radio and TV in South Florida, as did former Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera.

But DeSantis also allowed his emergency management secretary, Jared Moskowitz, to do press interviews. And First Lady Casey DeSantis, an accomplished TV anchor, recorded a social media message in the same measured tone as her husband. "Florida is our home. It is hard to leave," she said. "But your safety comes first."

Speaking of safety, DeSantis largely deferred to local emergency managers to lead the call on evacuations, unlike Scott, who was much more aggressive in encouraging Floridians to heed evacuation calls. "Get out now," Scott told residents two years ago during Irma. More than 6 million people wound up leaving their homes that year -- many stuck on interstates for worrisome hours on end -- in what became the largest civilian evacuation in Florida history.

DeSantis also allowed reporters to monitor daily conference calls among local disaster officials that are often filled with vital nuggets of information. A modest gesture, to be sure, but a positive step.

Reporters were also allowed to monitor DeSantis' phone calls with legislators, something never provided in the previous administration. And as a result, journalists were better able to quickly tell you what was going on.

After this lumbering monster of a storm inflicted unimaginable destruction and despair on the Bahamas, it swerved to the right, and a hurricane-weary state breathed an almost audible sigh of relief.

While DeSantis showed strong and decisive leadership, it's too soon to give him a definitive grade for his performance.

Important tests lie ahead, such as the unnecessarily long waits to process insurance claims and the struggle by cities and counties to pay recovery costs while they await relief from state and federal governments.

Floridians also deserve to know why, two years after Irma and the preventable deaths of 12 elderly residents at a Hollywood nursing home, many nursing homes still don't comply with a state law requiring homes to have backup generators. The owners of these homes are putting people's lives in danger. It's time they're held accountable.

To be sure, there will be another hurricane, and another and another. At the bow of the ship this past week, DeSantis proved that in an emergency, you can have confidence in him.

Editorials are the opinion of the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board and written by one of its members or a designee. The Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor Rosemary O'Hara, Sergio Bustos, Steve Bousquet and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson.

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