TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A county in Florida's Big Bend area told its residents who did not evacuate for Hurricane Helene to write their name and birthday on their body with a permanent marker.
The Taylor County Sheriff's Office emergency management division posted the advice on social media Thursday.
"If you or someone you know chose not to evacuate, PLEASE write your, name, birthday and important information on your arm or leg in A PERMANENT MARKER so that you can be identified and family notified," the post read.
At a Thursday night briefing in Tallahassee, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis responded to the advice given by the Taylor County Sheriff's Office. The governor said Florida state policy does not ask people to write on their bodies, but he also reminded residents that, as of around 6 p.m., they still have time to leave the area.
“Our state policy is not saying people have to use marker to do whatever,” he said. “If you do hunker down, I don’t think you’re going to have the local sheriff’s department. I don’t think you’re going to see state resources brought to there for the rescue until it’s safe to do so.”
DeSantis said residents who chose not to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Helene’s landfall will likely face wait times if and when emergency responders are needed.
The National Hurricane Center is calling Hurricane Helene an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 hurricane. As of 6:20 p.m. on Thursday, the NHC reports Helene's maximum sustained winds have increased to 130 mph.
“It’s a very real possibility that this storm will make landfall in Taylor County,” DeSantis said.
Even 10 feet of water rise could have “really serious consequences” to the county, he added.