WASHINGTON – Today, FEMA Acting Administrator Pete Gaynor warned that with the uncertainty of Hurricane Dorian’s track, residents of southeastern coastal states need to pay close attention to the potentially catastrophic storm and act accordingly.
“This is a serious storm. You can’t take your eye off it. You have to make preparations now,” Gaynor told CNN’s Dana Bash in one of a series of interviews with national news outlets by top FEMA leaders. “This is going to be with us probably till next Friday.”
Millions of people along the East Coast awoke Sunday to the news that Dorian had become a Category 5 hurricane, with sustained winds as high as 180 mph later in the morning.
“That kind raises everyone’s awareness a little bit more,” Gaynor said.
FEMA’s Deputy Administrator for Resilience Dr. Daniel Kaniewski stressed on “FOX & Friends” that Dorian is an incredibly dangerous storm.
“[It’s] a very large storm that’s going to have a dramatic impact on wherever it hits,” Kaniewski said. “Even if it doesn’t come ashore, which is too early to say, the amount of wind and water that is coming along with this storm will cause incredible storm surge and other impacts. Everyone needs to remain vigilant and prepared for any eventuality.”
On “FOX News Sunday” with Chris Wallace, Acting Administrator Gaynor spoke to the track of the storm and the impacts communities could feel even if the storm stays off the coast.
“You have to take this storm seriously. I know [storm] watches and warnings will be going up here shortly for a lot of the coast of Florida. And then into Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Georgia and the Carolinas,” he said. “It's coming your way. Take time to prepare now.”
Speaking with Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Acting Administrator Gaynor reiterated that residents should not take Dorian lightly.
“This storm has been particularly difficult, there’s been a lot of uncertainty…Again, the time is now for residents to really prepare,” Gaynor said. “The mistake most people make is they follow that thin black line and think that’s the exact location. You have to look at the cone of uncertainty… We are not out of this just yet.”
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