'Take it seriously' -FEMA preps for Hurricane Ian

STORY: Florida residents on Tuesday raced to gather supplies and fortify homes and businesses as Hurricane Ian crept toward the U.S.

Many boarded up windows and filled sandbags in hopes of staving off expected floodwaters.

"If they say, 'mandatory evacuation,' it's time to go!"

That message echoed from officials at every level as the Category 3 hurricane tracked northward toward Florida.

The National Hurricane Center warned that time is running out, as Florida governor Ron DeSantis urged residents to follow evacuation orders.

"Safety is paramount. When you're talking about storm surge like this, when you're talking about historic flooding, that water is a very, very difficult adversary."

FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell said the agency is most concerned about storm surge and the slow pace of the storm - forecast to creep across the state at 5 miles per hour as it makes landfall.

“And this is significant, because what this means is Floridians are going to experience the impacts from this storm for a very long time. // Take it seriously, do not underestimate the potential that this storm can bring."

Criswell said the federal government already has in place 128,000 gallons of fuel, hundreds of Army Corp of Engineer personnel, nearly 4 million meals and over 3 million gallons of water, along with Red Cross shelters, ambulances and medical teams.

The planning intensified after Hurricane Ian slammed into western Cuba on Tuesday, forcing evacuations, cutting power to nearly 1 million people and tearing roofs off homes.

"I mean, sincerely, whatever they need, contact me directly and they know how to do that."

President Joe Biden said he called mayors in three Florida cities to assure them they have federal support in the form of food, shelter, and help after the storm passes.