Gov. Rick Scott issues state of emergency as Florida could be impacted by Hurricane Matthew

Scott wants Floridians to be prepared for storm

HIALEAH, Fla. – As Hurricane Matthew's tracks bring it closer to South Florida, both state and local officials are starting to prepare - just in case. 

Gov. Rick Scott  announced that he'd issued a state of emergency for all 67 counties in the state on Monday while attending a briefing at the Emergency Operations Center in Hialeah. 

The action allows for the use of money and puts in motion the state’s response teams, should Matthew impact any part of Florida.

"We're preparing for the worst and hoping for the best," Scott said.

Scott stressed the need for people across the state to be prepared in the event that Hurricane Matthew changes its course.

"If Matthew directly impacts Florida, it will be massive destruction that we haven't seen in years," Scott said.

He also met with local leaders, including Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado, to discuss a plan of action. 

Scott said Floridians should be ready no matter the forecast. 

Curt Sommerhoff, the director of the Miami-Dade County Emergency Operations Center, echoed the message that Floridians need to keep an eye on the storm. 

"We need people to continue to monitor the storm and be ready to make preparations at their home," Sommerhoff said. 

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez is set to hold a news conference Tuesday to go over the county's response plan for Matthew. 


About the Authors:

Andrew Perez is a South Florida native who joined the Local 10 News team in May 2014.