I was asked to make a Milton megathread, so that is what I am doing. I’m going to be somewhat busy this evening, so I don’t think I’ll be able to quickly or easily update the thread with new information, but here are some resources:
Rotating live feed of multiple Tampa Bay webcams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWisr5zg3so
Higher resolution Naples pier feed: https://naplespanorama.org/
Live amateur storm chaser coverage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-V_YnmER0Y
WFLA News 8, St. Petersburg, FL’s live feed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WXtB4zjhME
NOAA Milton resources: https://www.noaa.gov/milton
National Hurricane Center: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/index.shtml
FEMA’s Hurricane Milton page: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/current/hurricane-milton
FEMA hurricane safety information: https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes#before
Florida government updates on Milton: https://www.floridadisaster.org/disaster-updates/Hurricanemilton/
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Milton page - https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/Emergency-Operations/Hurricane-Milton/
If anyone has any others to add within the next two or three hours of this posting (3:18 pm EST, Wednesday October 9), I’ll be able to add them.
Just as a note - it’s important to be aware of https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/09/inmate-evacuation-hurricane-milton-jail-prison-florida
Prisoners are people who have been found guilty of crimes (sometimes accurately, sometimes not) and are serving out some portion of their lives in punishment. There is no excuse for recklessly endangering their lives regardless of the crimes they committed and there was ample advanced warning to arrange for and safely evacuate inmates to another location.
It is an absolute fucking travesty they’re being left to die - don’t forget to send your good will/prayers/whatever that they make it through alive and in good health regardless of their crimes… and if you’re a local or can put pressure on the system (especially if someone you know personally is being subjected to this) after the fact with a lawsuit or other action - please do so.
This should not be happening.
Sure they left the prisoners behind, but the cops worked “around the clock” to make sure they moved their “evidence, paperwork and supplies” somewhere safe before the storm hit.
I guess they didn’t learn their lesson from when thousands of prisoners were abandoned in their cells during Katrina.
Did the authorities responsible for that go to prison themselves?
If not, then the Florida prison officials apparently did learn from it.
Were there no buses available to take them to other facilities? I guess they would argue that there is no way to securely transfer that many people that quickly. I wonder if there is an evacuation protocal requirement by the state that the prisons are not complying with, or if this was always the plan?
My personal cynical take? It’d cost too much money and the for profit prisons didn’t want to pay it.
I’m sure they’ll spin some bs about security but prisoner transfers happen all the time and people’s lives are on the line.
That’s fucking awful. What is wrong with Florida?
Republicans. And methamphetamine.
Oh God, that’s horrifying. Thanks for highlighting this.
if this leads to incarcerated people coming to harm, I know that there will be people who will say that was a good thing and that makes me feel sick. As someone who has been a victim of violent crime, I thought that the perpetrator receiving a prison sentence would help me to heal from the trauma. I was wrong, and increasingly I understand that there is no justice to be found through retributive punishment, just more injustices heaped onto people.
Thank you for posting this. This truly is a travesty.
Your advice is excellent.