Hurricane Dorian: Still dangerous but Florida spared worst, DeSantis says

Sep. 3--TALLAHASSEE -- Although Hurricane Dorian still poses some dangers to Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis and emergency management officials breathed a collective sigh of relief Tuesday afternoon as the storm weakened and forecasters predicted its center would remain offshore.

Dorian sat over the Bahamas for the past day and a half, wreaking destruction as a Category 5 storm with 185 mph sustained winds, but weakened to a Category 2 with 110 mph winds as of 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Its slow movement kept state emergency officials fretting how close it would get to Florida for days.

"I know it's been frustrating for a lot of folks, for Floridians to look and see, 'is it going to come in my direction, is it going to come in another?'" DeSantis said. "There were times throughout this process where it there were credible paths that took this thing to the west coast of Florida, to northwest Florida."

The remaining effects of Dorian will continue to pester the state as it is projected to take all day Wednesday before its outer bands leave the state. Potential flooding in northeast Florida remains a particular concern for emergency management officials.

That means evacuation orders for areas that have put them in place will remain in effect, but DeSantis indicated those will likely be lifted, starting in South Florida, as the danger from Dorian clears.

"This is going to be riding Florida's coast for the next day, day and a half," DeSantis said. "We just ask people to stay safe, remain vigilant. There will be some effects in the state of Florida. There'll be storm surge, there'll be some flooding, you may see wind damage depending on how close this gets. But at the end of the day being safe is the most important."

The bulk of resources that trekked to Florida -- about 17,000 employees from various parts of the country were dedicated to power restoration alone -- could begin moving out of the state and into other needed areas, as Dorian is projected to remain a hurricane as it hugs the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina, DeSantis said.

Federal resources, including the U.S. Coast Guard, are aiding the Bahamas, which suffered the brunt of Dorian's power.

DeSantis had an eye on making sure the state and local governments get reimbursed by the federal government for the preparation they took ahead of the storm.

"Once we deal with the immediate aftermath, our requests with FEMA and with the President is to make sure that all the counties and the state get the reimbursement for the protective measures that were taken," DeSantis said in a call with legislators Tuesday afternoon.

DeSantis noted that FEMA and some of President Trump's advisers were opposed to the 100 percent reimbursement for the first 45 days of Hurricane Michael impacts and a 90 percent reimbursement for after that deadline, but Trump supported it.

"Getting the reimbursements is important just to send a message to counties that, 'You did the right thing," DeSantis said. "My fear would be, which we've expressed to the federal government, is if FEMA doesn't play ball with us on that, then you're basically sending a message to the counties that 'well, if a storm is coming and you don't know if it's going to hit, maybe don't do as much.' And that's not the right way."

grohrer@orlandosentinel.com or (850) 222-5564

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