Florida Governor Mistakenly Calls Fuel-Finding App 'Go Buddy,' Not Gas Buddy

As Hurricane Irma swiftly approaches the state of Florida, residents are preparing for the impact. Gov. Rick Scott ordered the evacuation of several counties including Miami Dade and Monroe where evacuations were mandatory as of Thursday. A statement from his office said further evacuation orders were expected as the storm neared.

Those who had the means to evacuate were making their way north before the full force of Irma hit home. But the gas supply was proving to be an issue for some. Some were having a difficult time finding gas at station on their way out of town or enough to get to their final destinations. While the state works to bring more gas to the state, the app GasBuddy is helping track which stations still have gas left and which are best for evacuees to bypass.

The app is free in the App Store and on Google Play for those looking for more information about the gas stations around them. Even during times without evacuations in order, the app can help users find the least expensive gas around them. The app was also updating fuel availability statistics in the app, this can be accessed on the homepage of the app.

The data provided in the app can actually be viewed in a web browser as well. It shows prices and information on the last time someone checked in from that station and whether there is gas there.

When a station is out of fuel, a small symbol of a gas pump with a slash through it appears next to the station name and address in the app. This can be helpful for those trying to evacuate so they can plot a route out that has stations along the way that have gas and they won’t have to waste any time, or gas, stopping at stations that are all out. There's also a symbol for stations that don't have any power.

During a press conference Thursday Gov. Rick Scott accidentally misspoke and called the app “Go Buddy” instead of GasBuddy when advising residents on how to find fuel to evacuate. Scott made a statement Thursday in which he said the state of Florida was working hard to get more fuel to the stations that need it. His office is even working on arranging military and police escorts to get fuel en route to the sunshine state even more quickly. Scott was also offering gas station employees police escorts out of evacuation counties if they stayed and kept the stations open as long as possible.