Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a State of Emergency for Florida as it appeared Hurricane Dorian could hit the East Coast on Monday morning as a Category 3 storm.

In his statement to Floridians, DeSantis said residents should have seven days of supplies available, including food, water and medicine. And he encouraged everyone to have a disaster plan in place.

This tracking map, which was released at 5 p.m. Wednesday by the National Hurricane Center, shows the latest path available for Hurricane Dorian.

By declaring the State of Emergency, DeSantis ensured that state and local governments have ample time, resources and flexibility to prepare for the hurricane. The State Emergency Operations Center will activate to a Level 2 on Thursday morning, which will enhance the coordination between federal, state and local emergency management agencies.

“I will continue to monitor Hurricane Dorian closely with emergency management officials,” said DeSantis, who is handling his first major hurricane since being elected as governor in November 2018. “The state stands ready to support all counties along the coast as they prepare.”

Jared Moskowitz, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said it’s extremely important for Floridians to continue to closely monitor news about Dorian because the storm’s exact path remains uncertain.

“Every resident along the East Coast needs to be ready,” he said. “The track of this storm has been changing and can continue to change rapidly.”

Regardless of where Dorian comes ashore – forecasters are predicting anywhere from Savanah, Ga. to Miami – the southeastern part of the country is expected to get four to eight inches of rain, with some areas experiencing as much as 10 inches, forecasters say.

Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a State of Emergency for Florida on Wednesday as it appeared that Hurricane Dorian could hit the state as a Category 3 storm on Monday.

Meanwhile, in the tri-county area, the emergency management staffs of all three counties swung into action on Wednesday. All were closely monitoring Dorian and continuing to wait for better information on when and where it will make landfall in Florida.

All three emergency management agencies also encouraged area residents to sign up for their alert warnings. To sign up for AlertSumter, click HERE. To sign up for AlertMarion, click HERE. To sign up for AlertLake, click HERE. Lake County residents also can call (352) 253-9999 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. beginning Thursday morning for up-to-date information about the storm.

Beginning Thursday at 7 a.m., Lake County residents will be able to pick up sandbags at five locations. Residents must bring their own shovels and are responsible for filling their own bags. They will be allowed to take 20 bags of sand per household, per 24-hour period.

Sandbags will be offered from 7 a.m.-8 p.m., prior to the hurricane making landfall, at:

  • Solid Waste Residential Convenience Center, 1200 Jackson St., Lady Lake;
  • Fire Station 10, 23023 State Road 40, Astor;
  • Fire Station 14, 18840 County Road 42, Altoona;
  • Fire Station 39, 31431 Walton Heath Ave., Sorrento; and
  • Fire Station 110, 6234 County Road 561, Clermont.

Additional sandbags may be made available by municipalities. Check with local cities for locations, availability and hours.

“Lake County Emergency Management is closely monitoring Dorian and communicating with national, state and local stakeholders to prepare,” said Director Thomas Carpenter. “Residents should have a communications plan in place, prepare a disaster go-kit, stock up on supplies, have a working NOAA weather radio and continue monitoring reliable sources for the latest information.”

In Marion County, sandbags will be available starting Friday at 7 a.m. Residents must fill their own bags and the five locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Those are:

  • Belleview Sports Complex, 6501 SE 107th St., Belleview;
  • Dunnellon City Complex, 11924 Bostick Street, Dunnellon;
  • Wrigley Field, 405 County Road E 316, Citra;
  • Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St., Ocala; and
  • Ed Crosky Recreation Center, 1510 NW Fourth St., Ocala.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Marion County Schools officials also announced changes for scheduled football games:

  • Forest High at Lake Weir High will be Thursday, Junior Varsity at 5:30 p.m. The varsity teams will play 30 minutes after the conclusion of the JV game.
  • North Marion High will host Palatka High on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The JV game will be rescheduled for a later date.
  • West Port High will host Dunnellon High Thursday at 7 p.m. The JV game will be rescheduled for a later date.