President Joe Biden is once again working with Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) on hurricane response.
Biden and DeSantis, two major rivals in the 2024 race for the White House, are working together for a second time in less than a year to respond to a natural disaster in Florida.
“As the president said to Gov. DeSantis in his own conversations yesterday, FEMA and the entire federal family are activated to support the people of Florida,” Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell said during Tuesday’s White House press briefing. “He also approved an advance emergency declaration.”
Biden and DeSantis spoke Monday and are coordinating how to handle Hurricane Idalia, which is bearing down on the Sunshine State’s southwest coast.
DeSantis is hosting a press conference on Tuesday in Tallahassee as Hurricane Idalia is expected to reach the state Wednesday.
Idalia grew into a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday morning. DeSantis has warned residents to prepare for a major weather event by stocking up on supplies and has extended a state of emergency across 46 counties.
Biden and DeSantis shared the stage in Fort Myers Beach last October in the wake of Hurricane Ian, and though politicos in Washington looked for sparks between the two, the event went smoothly.
Criswell said the same should be expected this time.
“When I spoke with Gov. DeSantis yesterday, my main question is always, ‘What are your main concerns?'” she said. “He shared with me what his posture at the state is going to be and where he has some great concerns. … I assured him that we have teams working side by side with our colleagues, our emergency management colleagues here at the state emergency operations center, to be able to quickly respond as needed.”
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Criswell also stressed that DeSantis is concerned about “vulnerable populations.”
“He shared with me the concern, again, about people taking this seriously and being able to evacuate as a result of the storm surge,” she said. “He has concerns about the vulnerable populations and making sure that we are providing any assistance we can to help them get out of harm’s way.”
