TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis urges Floridians to prepare now as the National Hurricane Center recently upgraded Invest 91L to Tropical Storm Mindy. After reaching the Florida eastern Panhandle and big bend areas tonight, this system is expected to move across the southeastern United States and emerge over the western Atlantic by late Thursday.

CFO Jimmy Patronis said, "As we closely monitor Tropical Storm Mindy, Floridians must take this storm seriously and heed all watches and warnings from state and local officials. This storm is expected to impact North Florida tonight with heavy rain, which may cause flooding in over-saturated areas impacted by the outer bands of Hurricane Ida. As we saw with Hurricane Michael, storms can form and strengthen quickly, leaving little time to prepare. My PrepareFL.com website serves as a one-stop-shop for disaster preparedness information and tips to help Floridians ensure they are prepared to weather a storm and recover afterwards. Stay safe and prepare now, Florida!”

The Prepare Florida website includes:

• An Emergency Preparedness Toolkit designed to help you prepare a home inventory and organize your financial information before and after a disaster.

• A Natural Disasters – Are You Prepared guide to inform consumers on insurance and financial preparation in the event of a natural disaster.

• A guide to navigating the flood insurance claims process.

• Tips on what to expect after filing a homeowners insurance claim related to a hurricane.

Visit PrepareFL.com for more information and to start your storm plan today. CFO Patronis’ Insurance Consumer Helpline is available to assist Floridians with insurance issues and the claims process. Call the toll-free helpline at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (693-5236), to talk to a knowledgeable insurance specialist Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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About CFO Jimmy Patronis 
Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis is a statewide elected official and a member of Florida’s Cabinet who oversees the Department of Financial Services. CFO Patronis works each day to fight insurance fraud, support Florida’s firefighters, and ensure the state’s finances are stable to support economic growth in the state. Follow the activities of the Department on Facebook (FLDFS) and X (@FLDFS).