TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – It's been 10 years since a six-week assault on the state from four hurricanes which caused problems with the ability for Floridians to get gas at fuel stations.
The state vowed to make sure it wouldn't happen again, but was the promise kept as Florida moves into peak hurricane season?
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The state's Department of Agriculture said every gas station is inspected every year and complaints about non-compliance are investigated immediately. Penalties for violating the rule could include up to a $250,000 fine.
The four hurricanes 10 years ago crippled the state and caused billions of dollars worth of damage. Long lines formed at gas stations that couldn't run their pumps without power.
The Department of Agriculture is tasked with enforcing that gas stations on evacuation routes have generators.
"There were about 1,000 stations that had to upgrade to have the capability to have alternate power," said Erin Gillespie, of the Florida Department of Agriculture. "Those were stations in large counties by population that were on evacuation routes."
All newly built gas stations since 2007 have to follow the rule as well. The Department of Agriculture said every gas station in the state is currently in compliance.
The Florida Petroleum Council said generators will help if the situation happens again today, but it's not a be-all, end-all solution.
Executive Director David Mica said while electricity was a problem, so was supply and demand.
"Had we had power 10 years ago it really wouldn't have helped the situation much because we would have just sucked that supply out of the ground even quicker," said Mica.
The council agrees the state is better off today than in 2004, but they warn Floridians still need to prepare themselves for the next storm and have a plan in place at all times.