Sheriff Warns Florida Residents 'Help's Not Coming' Once Hurricane Ian Hits

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister warned that "help's not coming" to those who don't follow mandatory evacuation orders as Hurricane Ian approaches Florida.

Hurricane Ian, which grew to a Category 3 storm as it hit Cuba on Tuesday, continues to gain strength over the Gulf of Mexico as it heads toward Florida, where it is expected to bring heavy rain and life-threatening storm surge. The storm is expected to make landfall in Sarasota on Wednesday and continue into the Tampa Bay region.

Several counties have issued evacuation orders as the hurricane approaches. Hillsborough County, home to more than 1.4 million residents and the city of Tampa, issued an evacuation order for coastal areas. The order requires people who live in areas prone to flooding to evacuate by 9 p.m. on Tuesday.

Local officials are pleading with residents to leave the area before the storm brings life-threatening conditions to the region. Chronister told residents to "heed the warning and get out while you can" during an appearance on WFLA

"I think a lot of times you see the wind damage and it seems to garnish the most attention," he said. "But in a storm like this, the biggest killer is flooding."

He warned that if residents in these areas ignore evacuation orders and stay behind for the storm, police will not be able to help them until after the storm subsides and they can safely return to evacuation areas.

"Here's the worst part. There will be time where the winds are going to be as dangerous as they are. Someone's going to pick up the phone and say, 'Listen, I had that moment. I think I want to leave,' or 'I need help,'" he said. "And help's not coming."

He said local police will be on patrol "until the last very minute when it becomes dangerous." But once the storm makes landfall and becomes too dangerous for officers to stay in the area, he will have to pull them back, he said.

Florida Braces for Life-Threatening Hurricane Ian

His remarks came as millions of Floridians prepare for the life-threatening storm to make landfall on Wednesday. Though it is likely to directly hit Sarasota, the storm's impacts will be felt far beyond the city south of Tampa.

"This is imminent," Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Tuesday morning. "Understand the impacts are going to be far, far broader than just where the eye of the storm happens to make landfall."

At least 2.5 million Florida residents have fled their homes to reach safety ahead of the storm.

"The danger to life and limb is really from that surge and that flooding more so than the wind," DeSantis said. "It's hard to say how deadly. The purpose of evacuation is to protect lives. The more people that heed that, the less likely you are to see fatalities when you have flooding or storm surge in those areas."