More gasoline is headed to stations in Florida. | AP file
Published on October 9, 2024 at 11:39 am
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Despite assurances that gas stations in Jacksonville and Florida, there are reports that many stations are running out of gasoline as residents prepare for Hurricane Milton.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday that Florida has more than a million gallons of gasoline and diesel staged around the state to be used as needed after the storm. But he said high demand has seen some stations run dry.
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“The Florida Highway Patrol has facilitated 106 long-distance fuel tanker escorts with sirens getting through traffic, totaling almost a million gallons of gasoline from ports in Tampa, Jacksonville, Everglades and Manatee” DeSantis said.
Some of the high demand for gas came from people trying to fill up before evacuating, while others want gas for their generators.
Expect gasoline lines
DeSantis on Tuesday advised people to anticipate lines at gas stations and slow speeds on highways.
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“Be prepared that you’re not going to be able to go 75 miles an hour to get out of Dodge on the interstates right now,” DeSantis said during a news conference at the state Emergency Operations Center. “You probably could have done that in the wee hours of this morning … It is going to be a little slower. That’s just the reality.”
The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday issued a designation at Port Tampa Bay, SeaPort Manatee, Port St. Pete, Port Key West, Port Everglades, PortMiami and Port Canaveral that allows fuel operations to continue on the land sides of the ports. But vessel movement was halted because gale force winds were expected within 24 hours.
Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue said fuel continues to flow.
“Since Saturday, Port Tampa Bay has received six shipments of fuel,” Perdue said. “So, the terminals are fully operating on the land side and fuel is continuing to be distributed.”
But the demand for fuel has resulted in gas stations running out quicker than normal.
DeSantis said additional fuel is enroute to Florida.
“There is no fuel shortage. Fuel continues to arrive in the state of Florida by port and what we’re doing to bring it in on the ground,” DeSantis said.
To speed delivery, DeSantis said 27 fuel trucks were escorted Monday night by the Florida Highway Patrol to deliver fuel to stations.
“We’re also working with fuel companies such as RaceTrac, Wawa, Shell and Walmart to ensure fuel trucks are working 24/7 to keep fuel delivered as it comes into our ports,” DeSantis said.
To speed evacuating traffic, tolls were lifted Monday throughout the Tampa Bay and Orlando regions, including on Florida’s Turnpike from Interstate 75 to east of Orlando. On major highways, road shoulders were opened to provide additional lanes.
On Sunday, state Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie suggested evacuations could exceed the 6.8 million people who evacuated in advance of Hurricane Irma, a Category 3 storm that ran up the spine of the state in 2017.
