Florida Gov.Ron DeSantis deployed state crews early Saturday to clear major highways and bridges after Isaias made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane, but former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate warned that deadly dangers can persist long after the hurricane passes.Hurricane Isaias made landfall along the Florida Panhandle late Friday, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power as intense winds continued across the Southeast.
FOX Weather reported four storm-related deaths across Florida and Alabama.Despite the widespread outages, DeSantis said crews made early progress clearing major roads and restoring power.EXCLUSIVE: WOMAN WHO STOLE $1.7M MEANT FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS GETS PRISON TIME AS DHS CRACKS DOWN ON FEMA FRAUDA fallen tree blocks a street as wind and rain from Hurricane Isaias approach Pensacola, Fla., on Oct.9, 2026.
The hurricane was forecast to make landfall along the northern Gulf Coast as a Category 2 storm.(Joe Raedle/Getty Images)HURRICANE ISAIAS THREATENS GEORGIA VS.
ALABAMA SEC SHOWDOWN AS TRUMP PLANS TUSCALOOSA VISIT"We scrambled assets at 0300 for road clearing and also for search and rescue, should that have been needed.Fortunately, we have not gotten requests for our search and rescue assets.
I think that's cautiously a good sign," DeSantis told "Fox & Friends Weekend.""We have had people clearing the key arteries like Interstate 10 and the key bridges from when it was pitch black at three or four in the morning.And they're [going to] continue to do that," he added.The governor said Florida had positioned 16,000 utility workers ahead of landfall to speed up power restoration and reduce the risk of prolonged outages."I'd much rather have that than let the storm go by and say, 'Oh, well, we need 10,000 linemen.
Let's see if they can get here by Monday morning,'" DeSantis said.DEM GOV LASHES OUT AS TRUMP HUD SCRUTINIZES NEARLY $2B IN DISASTER FUNDS OVER FRAUD CONCERNS"So the more you can stabilize everything, and yes, of course, ...