Story highlights Long warned that residents are primarily responsible for their own well-beingWashington (CNN) As Hurricane Irma bears down on Florida's southern coast, the nation's emergency management chief is warning that 'millions' of residents could be without power, in some instances for weeks. "We could see millions of people without power in Florida for multiple days in some areas, maybe weeks, and so I think it's very important to set the expectations of citizens," Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Brock Long told CNN's Rene Marsh at his agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C., Saturday. Long also made clear that residents living in the hardest-hit areas who decided to stay in their homes despite evacuation warnings, will likely not receive immediate aid from federal first responders. And for those in the Keys: "You're on your own until we can actually get in there, and it's safe for our teams to support local and state efforts," Long said. "The message has been clear -- the Keys are going to be impacted, there is no safe area within the Keys, and you put your life in your own hands by not evacuating."

Source: CNN September 09, 2017 19:49 UTC