Florida Governor Ron DeSantis addressed the ongoing recovery efforts in a news conference held in Plant City on Saturday.
According to DeSantis, the following have been repaired: approximately 90% of all stop lights; all major highways and bridges have reopened; all airports have reopened save for the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport; and 18 school districts that were closed are scheduled to resume on Monday.
While the state is working to alleviate the present gas shortage, DeSantis devoted most of his news conference to discussing this topic.
DeSantis declared that, at three locations along the western coast of Florida, any resident in need can get up to ten gallons of free petrol from the state.
Gas distribution sites:
Sites will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Plant City: 1810 S Park Rd Plant City, FL 33563
Bradenton: 280 Kay Rd Bradenton, FL 34208
St. Petersburg: 800 1st Ave S St. Petersburg, FL 33701
DeSantis also stated that the state has plans to establish additional gas distribution sites in a different area of Pinellas County and in Hillsborough County, which is “closer to the heart of Tampa.”
DeSantis declared that Sarasota County will establish “at least one” gas distribution site, and that the state is amenable to the possibility of establishing additional sites contingent upon demand.
The Florida Highway Patrol is escorting fuel cargo from the Port of Tampa Bay and Port Canaveral to service stations throughout the region. DeSantis stated that the state is prepared to provide generators to assist gas stations in pumping the gas that has been delivered.
“If they [gas stations] don’t have the power to run the pumps, then it’s an academic issue,” DeSantis pointed out. “What we’re doing in the state of Florida Kevin Guthrie [Executive Director, Florida Division of Emergency Management] and his team, they have generators that can be deployed.”
The state discharged nearly 500,000 gallons of gasoline and 400,000 gallons of diesel directly into the supply chain to service stations prior to Hurricane Milton’s landfall. The opening of gas distribution sites is an additional measure.