Pence makes Irma plea: This is ‘storm of historic and epic proportions’

Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday urged Floridians to listen to local officials as the state prepares for the impact of Hurricane Irma, now a Category 3 hurricane.

“It’s important to remember that this is and continues to be a very dangerous storm,” Pence said during a visit to the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

{mosads}“And we urge everyone within the sound of our voice to heed the warnings of local officials, whether that be to shelter in place or if in the farthest northern parts of the state, there’s still an opportunity, according to local officials, to move out of the way and to evacuate to a safe shelter,” he continued.

Pence’s warning comes as Irma, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, is working its way up the west coast of Florida with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph.

“But people need to take this storm with great seriousness. It is a storm of historic and epic proportions,” Pence said.

The vice president said the federal government is prepared to stand with local and state officials for both the “live-saving mission” and for recovery efforts after the storm.