As governor of Florida, I dealt with the aftermath of 9/11, major floods and fires, and an anthrax attack, as well as eight hurricanes and four tropical storms over just 16 months. Each crisis, however difficult, was a learning opportunity. Each made our state and local emergency responders better at their jobs and improved Florida’s capacity to deal with future problems.

The coronavirus pandemic is an unprecedented crisis, challenging all of us to protect our families’ health and survive the severe economic consequences...