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City of Sarasota declares local state of emergency for Invest 90L In response to the recent heavy rainfall associated with Invest 90L 2024 and in preparation for possible additional rain, the City of Sarasota has declared a local state of emergency. Jen Ahearn-Koch Jen.Ahearn-Koch@sarasotaFL.gov In response to the recent heavy rainfall associated with Invest 90L 2024 and in preparation for possible additional rain, the City of Sarasota has declared a local state of emergency. City Manager Marlon Brown approved the declaration in consultation and coordination with Sarasota County officials, Emergency Manager Todd Kerkering and Mayor Liz Alpert. The declaration provides the City with more flexibility regarding expenditures and resource allocations, which may be necessary with additional rainfall and potential flooding forecasted. The Florida Division of Emergency Management coordinated with Florida Commerce to open a survey for local businesses to report damage. Businesses that experienced flooding inside structures this week or whose operations are impacted due to flooding should complete the survey via this link: BusinessDamageAssessmentsSurvey - Florida Disaster. The information will be compiled and presented for possible assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA). Residential and commercial property owners who experienced flooding this week are encouraged to report it to the City of Sarasota via FloodInfo@sarasotafl.gov. The information collected will be included in a report submitted to the federal government for possible assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA). Hurricane Preparedness: • Residents should be prepared for hurricane season with enough food and water for each family member and pet for 3-5 days and plan for possible extended power outages. Hurricane season runs through November 30. • The State of Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday ends Friday, June 14. A list of tax-free items is available at www.FloridaRevenue.com/DisasterPrep. • Register for Alert Sarasota County to receive alerts and updates via text, email or phone. City of Sarasota residents should select ‘City of Sarasota’ in the dropdown menu to receive messages for their area. • Additional planning and preparedness information is available at www.Sarasotafl.gov/HurricanePrep and www.FloridaDisaster.org/planprepare. • Follow City of Sarasota social media channels and local news media for updates.