With Florida now under a state of emergency because of Tropical Storm Isaac, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus released a statement Saturday evening that virtually cancels day one of the 2012 Republican National Convention.
First, Gov. Rick Scott announced he was giving up his Monday night stage time at the convention to focus on the storm, expected to reach the Florida Keys on Sunday.
A short time later, Priebus released his statement saying "the Republican National Convention will convene on Monday, Aug. 27th and immediately recess until Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 28th."
Revised schedules for the four-day event had yet to be released.
With watches and warnings currently running up both coasts, the storm -- expected to bring rain and wind but otherwise remain west of Tampa and the convention -- is also forecast to head into Floridas Panhandle on Tuesday.
In his press release, Scott stated, As Tropical Storm Isaac approaches Florida and the possibility of hurricane-strength conditions becoming more likely for the Keys and Panhandle, I have made the decision to cancel my speech on Monday night at the Republican National Convention and will also cancel my other scheduled convention-related activities on Sunday and Monday, so that I can respond to storm-related matters.
As of 5 p.m. Saturday, Isaac was moving along the northern coast of eastern Cuba, with maximum winds at 60 miles per hour.
The storm was moving northwest at 21 mph.
The center of the storm, under its current track from the National Hurricane Center, is expected to reach the Keys Sunday afternoon, be in the Gulf of Mexico west of Tampa Monday afternoon, and reach the northern Gulf to make landfall on Tuesday afternoon.
Where this might occur is still rather uncertain ... with the track guidance spread between Southeastern Louisiana and the Central Florida Panhandle, according to the National Hurricane Center.
A hurricane warning is now in effect for the Florida Keys and the west coast of Florida from Bonita Beach south to Ocean Reef and for Florida Bay.
A hurricane watch is in place for Floridas west coast from north of Tarpon Springs to the Suwannee River.
Tropical storm warnings remain in place for Floridas east coast from Sebastian Inlet south to Ocean Reef and for Lake Okeechobee.
Floridas east coast north of Sebastian Inlet to Flagler Beach, and Floridas west coast from north of Bonita Beach to the Suwannee River are under a tropical storm watch.
Earlier Saturday, Scott issued an executive order that declared Florida under a state of emergency.
While Florida is facing another tropical storm, our State Emergency Response Team prepares for these types of weather events year round," Gov. Rick Scott stated earlier Saturday in a release.
"The executive order is a normal step in these preparations, activating resources to assist local officials in response to an emergency. Floridas emergency response officials are accustomed to protecting the 19 million residents and hundreds of thousands of visitors here every day. I am leading twice-daily briefings with local, state, federal partners as well as those involved with the Republican National Convention. Preparation is a key to success and all visitors can be assured they are safe in Florida.
Scotts order activates the Florida National Guard and waives the collection of tolls on the Florida Turnpike and other public roads as they are needed for the emergency.
Scott, who is holding two statewide conference calls a day as the storm approaches, on Saturday traveled to the Emergency Operations Center in Broward County for updates on the storm.
Emergency supply lines, including prepacked meals and generators, have been set up in Jacksonville and Orlando, to be sent to areas that may be impacted.
Bryan Koon, director at Florida Division of Emergency Management, said convention delegates from across the nation will receive information in their welcome packets about tropical storm watches, storm warnings and what to do when encountering rip tides if they head into the surf while in town for the Republican National Convention.
As governor of this great state, I am responsible for all 19 million residents and visitors and it is my duty to make sure we can quickly respond to the regions affected, Scott stated in the late Saturday afternoon release.
While Tampa Bay has gotten a lot of attention due to the upcoming convention, I will unilaterally focus on the safety of every resident and community throughout the state.
I am continuing to lead multiple daily briefings with local, state and federal decision-makers and RNC officials to share information so the best decisions can be made for each region. I also spoke to Governor Romney earlier today and briefed him on the storm and possible impact to the state. I have made Governor Romney and RNC officials aware of the resources our state can provide in the chance Tampa is affected. Like all decision-makers affected by this storm, the convention officials will make the best decisions for delegates and participants.
As we know in Florida, storm forecasts can and do change. As a result, I encourage all residents and visitors to pay close attention to local emergency management officials to ensure all necessary precautions are taken. Residents and visitors from the Florida Keys to the Panhandle need to make sure they have food and water for 72 hours and to check http://www.floridadisaster.org/ for up-to-date information.
Experts at the local, state and federal level prepare for storms like this every day. All visitors and residents can be assured every precaution will be taken to ensure their safety.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
