Maxwell Frost warns about misinformation online about FEMA as Milton nears

frost
'I want to assure everybody in our community that Florida has strong federal support.'

U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost called out fake news spreading online about the federal relief efforts as Hurricane Milton nears Florida.

Frost said he wanted to address “misinformation we’re seeing online, even in our own community, about resources that are available to individuals directly from the federal government. It’s important that people know that there’s a process to this that hasn’t been done yet.”

Hurricane Milton is making landfall over the next few hours and then passing through the state.

“After the storm, the state will request this individual assistance from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), and FEMA will then go through a process to be granted or not granted. That process hasn’t happened yet,” Frost said at an Orange County press conference Wednesday on hurricane preparedness. 

“And so if you see something online about … a $1,200 number, the $750 number, it’s all misinformation. There is no number. It hasn’t been approved yet. It hasn’t been requested by the state. And I think it’s important for people that keep that in mind.”

Federal resources, including 300 ambulances and helicopters, urban search and rescue teams and more are in Florida to help post-Milton.

“I want to assure everybody in our community that Florida has strong federal support in terms of this storm and our previous storm and the cleanup that’s going on,” the Orlando Democrat said. “There are many federal resources prestaged already and ready to jump into action.”

On Monday, Frost hitched a ride on the government’s Hurricane Hunter plane that flies into the storm to collect data that helps forecasters understand the system.

Frost called the nine-hour flight a frightening reality of Milton’s strength.

“The extreme turbulence we experienced on the flight really underscores how ferocious and huge the storm is,” Frost said Wednesday. “I want to make sure that people don’t take this lightly.”

Gabrielle Russon

Gabrielle Russon is an award-winning journalist based in Orlando. She covered the business of theme parks for the Orlando Sentinel. Her previous newspaper stops include the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Toledo Blade, Kalamazoo Gazette and Elkhart Truth as well as an internship covering the nation’s capital for the Chicago Tribune. For fun, she runs marathons. She gets her training from chasing a toddler around. Contact her at [email protected] or on Twitter @GabrielleRusson .


7 comments

  • Michael K

    October 9, 2024 at 6:40 pm

    Of course, Florida has strong federal support.

    Leave it to a twice-impeached pathological liar who hates America to spread lies and hate to sow division. Trump is a weak candidate who avoids fact-checking and is allergic to truth and decency.

    • Manuel

      October 9, 2024 at 7:57 pm

      You misspelled Kamala.

      • GeorgeGreenfield

        October 10, 2024 at 2:36 am

        I have made $200 reliably in one day.That was my ideal day in my life and my boss was to a great degree content with me..CNN is additionally awed from my work and is outstandingly happy..check also unpretentious parts by open the affiliation and tap on HOME TECH OR MEDIA………
         
        Begin here>>>>>>>>> Payathome9.Com

  • Manuel

    October 9, 2024 at 7:57 pm

    I’ll take a redneck in a boat over FEMA anyway.

  • Dont Say FLA

    October 10, 2024 at 7:17 am

    Anyone hears Turnip J Truck donated so much as one dime to Florida hurricane relief, rest assured that is misinformation.

  • Michael K

    October 10, 2024 at 8:15 am

    Imagine you are applying for a job at a large organization. You start spreading inflammatory lies and false conspiracy theories to stoke division and undermine trust in the organization you hope to lead. You’ll do anything to take advantage of vulnerable and gullible people, no matter the harm, no matter the cost, no matter the consequences, so long as you think it serves your interests.

    As a member of the hiring committee, would you put your faith and trust in a man like that?

  • yew oweme

    October 10, 2024 at 12:55 pm

    trump doesn’t donate, ever.

Comments are closed.


#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, William March, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Jesse Scheckner, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704