Gov. Kevin Stitt Witnesses Tornado Damage Firsthand In Seminole

As the sun came up over Seminole Thursday morning, emergency crews from the city, county, tribal nations and the state were on site at a makeshift command post.

They were all working together to help get Seminole back on its feet.

Governor Kevin Stitt said Thursday morning he wanted to come to Seminole County to get a firsthand look at the destruction. 

Stitt toured the badly damaged The Academy of Seminole charter school less than a mile from here. He met with a teacher who huddled in the school’s vault with her three children as the tornado ripped off the roof and toppled temporary buildings. 

Stitt said state structural engineers are on the ground to help assess the damage. State law enforcement is helping block off areas downtown where the smell of natural gas is in the air.

He said the state will be here to help, every step of the way. 

Now, Seminole remains without power this afternoon, which includes critical infrastructure like the water treatment plant. The generators the governor mentioned will be heading to those facilities to help get them back online. In the meantime, there is a boil order in place.