On December 14, 2023, Robert S. Gold, representing Last Stand, stressed Hurricane Evacuation Planning should prioritize public safety and environmental protection, echoing concerns voiced at the BOCC meeting. He urged inclusion of Key West in evacuation models with a 24-hour limit due to the increasing threat of rapidly intensifying storms. Gold called for reconsidering evacuation time limits considering evolving weather patterns and environmental capacity amidst infrastructure challenges and vacation rental expansion. He urged Key West's leaders to advocate for these concerns at county and state levels while prioritizing safety and containing development. Last Stand is eager to collaborate on this vital issue.

Keys Last Stand urges the BOCC and the KWCC to pay attention to the alarming trend of tropical storms rapidly intensifying into major hurricanes, as detailed in the provided articles. With climate change exacerbating these risks, coastal communities like ours face heightened vulnerabilities. In response, Keys Last Stand implores elected officials to maintain the Phase 2 evacuation time at 24 hours and include The City of Key West in evacuation models, considering its significant population.