City of Winter Haven Declares State of Emergency due to Hurricane Milton
by James Coulter
At a special meeting hosted on Mon. Oct. 7 at 4 pm, Winter Haven city commissioners voted unanimously to approve a resolution declaring a state of emergency for the City of Winter Haven due to Hurricane Milton.
On Sat., Oct. 5, 2024, and on Sun., Oct. 6, 2024, a state of emergency had been declared through Executive Orders 24-214 and 24-215 issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis. On Mon., Oct. 7, 2024, Polk County declared its own state of emergency by issuing a Declaration of State of Local Emergency 42-01.
The City of Winter Haven, as recommended by the City’s Manager’s Office and in consultation with the EmergencyManagement Executive Policy Group, was recommended to, “pass a resolution declaring a local state of emergency for Winter Haven, to help expedite any preparations, response, and recovery efforts needed in response to Hurricane Milton.”
The resolution states: “Whereas, given the inherent risks presented by Hurricane Milton, including dangerous heavy rainfall, flash flooding, strong winds, and the potential for tornadic activity in Polk County and the Greater City of Winter Haven area, the City Commission finds that conditions warranting emergency action under the State Emergency Management Act and the City’s Charter and Code of Ordinances are present…Hurricane Milton constitutes a serious threat to the lives and property of residents of Winter Haven. A State of Local Emergency is declared to be effective for all territory within the legal boundaries of the City of Winter Haven.”
The action will not result in any financial impact on the city, as the memo states: “Expenditures specific to preparation, response, and recovery will be tracked and filed for reimbursement through State and Federal agencies where eligible.”
Hurricane Milton has grown to a Category 5 storm with up to 175 mph winds. It is expected to make landfall in the state of Florida by Wednesday evening.
The regular city commission meeting has since been rescheduled for next week on Mon. Oct. 14 at 6 PM.
