Drew Dixon
President Joe Biden is declaring Florida a major federal disaster area in the wake of Hurricane Helene and the destruction it inflicted on the state.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced Sunday morning that federal disaster assistance is now available for multiple counties Helene raked as it plowed into the Gulf Coast and Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 storm Thursday evening. However, several counties not in the Big Bend area are also eligible for federal assistance as Helen pushed massive storm surges throughout most of Florida’s West Coast.
“The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Charlotte, Citrus, Dixie, Franklin, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Taylor, and Wakulla counties. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster,” a FEMA news release said Sunday.
Additional federal funding can help tribal lands, some governments, and nonprofit organizations, along with cost-sharing programs that sustained damage, but maybe not as much as the immediate impact areas of the hurricane. Those counties include Charlotte, Citrus, Dixie, Franklin, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Taylor, and Wakulla counties.
There are additional hazard mitigation programs available statewide and on a cost-sharing basis.
For now, John E. Brogan is the Federal Coordination Officer for those programs, appointed to oversee the federal recovery operations in the affected areas.
As of Sunday morning, there were at least 64 deaths blamed on Hurricane Helene in the United States. While the Big Bend area of Florida, especially Steinhatchee and Cedar Key, among other rural areas, sustained heavy damage more than most other areas, flash floods and wide-scale devastation in multiple states north of Florida saw equally stunning catastrophes.
3 comments
The Sage "E" AMERICA'S DEPORTATION CZAR
September 29, 2024 at 9:55 am
Just a quick Sage Wisdom Drop, America,
8iden is not in the mental state to even know there was a recent hurricane and Harris has one more shoe to drop before entering 100% dementia status … do Not Vote Harris.
The Sage “E” AMERICA’S DEPORTATION CZAR
Andrea
September 29, 2024 at 12:22 pm
You may need to be reminded that in May of this year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation that erased most references to climate change from state law. The new law took effect July 1.
“the law restructures Florida’s energy policy so that climate change and addressing planet-warming pollution no longer are priorities, and instead, the priorities now are reducing reliance on foreign energy sources and strengthening the energy infrastructure here against, as the measure says, natural and manmade threats.”
Michael K
September 29, 2024 at 12:07 pm
I remember when Hurricane Sandy hit. Then, Congressman Ron DeSantis voted against federal funding for the victims of Hurricane Sandy in New York and New Jersey, arguing that it was the state’s responsibility.
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