Pinellas County Emergency Management director Cathie Perkins pleaded with Florida residents on Tuesday, October 8, to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton, emphasizing the certainty and severity of the incoming storm.In footage released on the county’s Facebook page, Perkins said: “I can’t stress enough that this is not an ‘if’ event. It’s a ‘when’ event, and we are into the final hours.”“We’re going to get hit, whether it’s a direct hit or it moves slightly, there’s just no ifs or buts about it. We’re going to get hit, and it’s going to be hard,” she added.Residents were urged to obey evacuation orders and go to their nearest shelter.Hurricane Milton, currently a Category 5 storm, was forecast to make landfall late on Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. Credit: Pinellas County Government via Storyful