The Okaloosa County government meeting on May 4, 2025, focused on preparations for the upcoming hurricane season, emphasizing the importance of safety and effective evacuation strategies. Officials discussed the lessons learned from past hurricanes, particularly Hurricane Michael, and stressed the need for residents to heed evacuation orders regardless of the storm's category.

One key point raised was the danger of underestimating hurricanes based on their category. Officials warned that even a Category 1 hurricane could pose significant risks if it brings a large storm surge. They urged residents to prioritize local impact forecasts over the storm's classification, highlighting that a 24-foot storm surge could be deadly, regardless of the hurricane's category.

The meeting also addressed the logistics of evacuating Okaloosa County, which has over 215,000 residents and a significant number of tourists. Officials noted that the county could evacuate within 48 hours, primarily by first directing tourists to leave. However, they acknowledged that construction and traffic could complicate this timeline, making it uncertain whether the evacuation would be completed as planned.

In conclusion, the meeting underscored the critical need for residents to stay informed and prepared as hurricane season approaches. Officials reiterated their commitment to communicating evacuation orders clearly and urged the community to take these warnings seriously for their safety.