I’m pretty sure declaring a state of emergency is part of the usual routine for the state government to use its own resources to prepare for the storm. Allows police and fire to enact their playbooks for these disasters, hospitals etc. I think it’s kind of like official signaling and not as much a “crisis” as you think. The storm would have to be a lot stronger for us to really panic.

That being said what most people don’t realize is the people building in untenable locations are massive condominiums and out of towners who accept the risk for “the beach life.”

Vast majority of Floridas Economy is further inland.