In a address at FEMA headquarters in Washington, DC, President Joe Biden said that while numbers are unclear, Hurricane Ian could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida's history. Early government reports indicate "significant loss of life." Biden urged residents to obey official instructions from officials to prevent further loss of life.

The deadliest known Florida hurricane to date was 1928’s Okeechobee hurricane which killed approximately 2,500 Floridians.