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Governor Ron DeSantis Issues Updates on Response and Recovery Efforts to Hurricane Helene

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Government and Politics

September 28, 2024

From: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
TALLAHASSEE, FL -On September 28, 2024, Governor Ron DeSantis was joined by Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) Executive Director Kevin Guthrie, and FEMA Administrator Deanna Criswell in Dekle Beach to provide updates on recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene impacted Florida’s Big Bend region and Gulf Coast. As of this morning, approximately 457,858 Floridians are without power. The State of Florida has already restored 1,945,127 accounts.

Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order 24-209 on September 24, amending EO 24-208 and declaring a state of emergency for 61 counties.

To learn more, residents can visit FloridaDisaster.org/Guide. For updates on county resources available visit FloridaDisaster.org/Counties for a list of all 67 county emergency management contacts.

State Preparedness Effort

  • The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) activated the State Emergency Operations Center to Level 1 on Tuesday, September 24, and is leading coordination efforts for the State Emergency Response Team.
  • The State Emergency Response Team is engaged in over 2,000 missions to assist counties in their preparation efforts. These missions accomplish vital tasks like staging response resources, protecting critical infrastructure facilities like hospitals and utility stations, and coordinating personnel statewide.
  • Seven Urban search and rescue task forces are deployed.
  • A Point of Distribution Site (POD) will open today at Noon in Leon County and 34 others are planned:
    • 1492 J Lewis Hall Sr Ln, Tallahassee, FL 32305
  • Urban Search and Rescue Teams (USAR) have interacted with 560 survivors to ensure they are okay after Helene left the areas.
  • USAR teams have rescued 13 survivors.
  • The Florida National Guard (FLNG) has mobilized nearly 3,900 Soldiers and Airmen in preparation for Hurricane Helene.
  • The FLNG has rescued 30 residents throughout the impacted area. We have mobilized 15 route clearing teams and have 13 rotary wing aircraft prepared to provide SAR and/or damage assessment support. Mississippi is providing an additional 3 rotary wing aircraft later today.
  • The FLNG is providing logistics support, law enforcement support, route clearance, search and rescue, commodity distribution, flood mitigation, aviation and other support as needed by the state.
  • The Florida State Guard (FSG) is standing by with the following:
    • 250+ Soldiers ready to deploy.
    • 10 shallow water vessel boat teams
    • 7 flat-bottom-flood rescue skiffs
    • 2 amphibious rescue vehicles
    • 2 K-9 search and rescue teams
    • 12 UTV’s
    • 15 Cut and toss crews
    • 7 search and rescue teams
    • 2 UH-60 Blackhawk for daytime aerial assessment and logistics missions
  • The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Mutual Aid team is coordinating law enforcement missions including search and rescue and fuel for first responders.
  • FDLE is conducting status calls with DMS to ensure State SLERS radio communications systems are operative for law enforcement.
  • FDLE’s Aviation Unit conducted an aerial survey of impacted counties in coordination with the Air Operations Branch. FDLE has flown seven missions with five aircraft.
  • The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has more than 100 officers and support staff responding to areas of Florida impacted by Hurricane Helene.
  • Two Special Operations Group (SOG) teams, totaling 15 officers, from the NW Region responded to western coastal areas of the impacted area such as Franklin and Gulf counties, assisting residents in need and moved onto harder hit areas once areas were clear.
  • FWC officers are conducting welfare checks and search and rescues in coastal communities in Dixie, Levy and Taylor Counties with shallow draft vessels and specialized high-water vehicles.
  • A team of officers from the Southwest region assisted Pasco County law enforcement with high water evacuations due to storm surge conditions on Thursday night. Approximately seven people were rescued by FWC teams. Additionally, FWC officers rescued eleven people and six pets in Charlotte County due to high water conditions.
  • The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has over 2,100 FDOT team members working directly on storm response.
  • Damage assessment teams are active in the field and are surveying impacts.
  • 61 Cut and Toss crews have worked since 3 a.m. and have completely cleared I-10 in under 6 hours of the storm making landfall.
  • Cut and Toss Operations
    • 807 crews are active in the field and have already cleared over 12,000 miles of roadway.
    • 129 Bridge Inspectors have inspected nearly 1,400 bridges across the impacted areas.
    • FDOT is directly coordinating Cut & Toss Crews with Utility Response Crews to aid in swift utility restoration.
  • Westbound Gandy Bridge has reopened. One lane of eastbound Gandy Bridge has reopened.
  • Howard Frankland Bridge has reopened in both directions.
  • Sunshine Skyway Bridge has reopened in both directions.
  • Gandy Bridge has fully reopened in both directions.
  • Courtney Campbell has reopened in both directions.
  • A 10-mile stretch of State Road 789 in Sarasota County and Manatee County has experienced extreme damage and the roadway is inaccessible. Crews are working to assess the entire corridor and have implemented an emergency contract to quickly perform repairs.
  • State Road 24 heading into Cedar Key was heavily damaged earlier this morning. Crews have completed repairs and reopened the roadway.
  • Crews repaired damage from erosion at Courtney Campbell Causeway.
  • Crews are working to clear sand and debris from the roadway on Gulf Blvd in Pinellas County.
  • Crews have reviewed nearly 8,400 traffic signals statewide. 180 signals across the impacted areas are not operational, however, crews are actively working to restore power to these locations.
  • Debris pick up has begun in South Florida- 42 crew members are FDOT has committed to perform debris pick up within fiscally constrained counties.
  • FDOT Secretary issued FDOT Emergency Order on September 23, 2024.
    • FDOT has lifted weight restrictions and is allowing bypass of weigh stations for emergency response vehicles, including utility vehicles staging for rapid response.
  • FDOT’s Post-Storm Statewide Response Efforts include:
  • Road Ranger service has been expanded to assist motorists along critical roadways.
  • Resources deployed in the field or available as needed:
    • Over 858 generators
    • Nearly 49 pumps
    • Over 262 pieces of heavy equipment and trucks are actively in the field for response efforts
    • 43 Drone team members staged to make assessments where needed
    • 5 ITS trailers
  • FDOT encourages drivers to download the FL511 app or visit FL511.com for road/bridge closures and potential detours that may be activated.
  • Remember to never drive through flooded areas. The area of the roadway beneath the water may be washed out or may conceal debris or even power lines. Turn Around; Don’t Drown.
Transportation Modes
Seaports
  • Port of Port St. Joe, Port Tampa Bay, SeaPort Manatee, and Port St. Pete are closed waterside while awaiting Coast Guard Channel survey.
Airports
  • All airports have reopened.
  • Please check with airlines directly on the specific status of flights.
Rail
  • Passenger Rail:
    • Amtrak is operating. Please check with Amtrak directly for service impacts.
    • SunRail is operating.
  • Freight Rail:
    • Railroads in the impacted areas are assessing damage and conducting inspections.
Transit
  • Transit agencies in the impacted areas are assessing conditions and resuming service where possible. Please check directly with local agency providers for service impacts.
State-Owned Roads Closures (As of 6:30 a.m., 9/28/24) 
State Road closures listed below. For real-time updates, Check FL511.com. 
Closures
  • Columbia County
    • Debris on Roadway on US-441 Both Directions from SW Malone St to SW Balboa Pl. All lanes closed.
  • Gilchrist County 
    • Debris on Roadway on SR-47 Northbound at NE 40th Ct Rd. All lanes closed.
  • Jackson County 
    • Flooding on Caverns Rd Both Directions at Russell Rd. All lanes closed.
  • Jefferson County 
    • Debris on Roadway on Still Rd Southbound near N Jefferson St.
    • Debris on Roadway on W Washington Hwy Both Directions near Creekside Ct. All lanes closed.
  • Manatee County
    • Flooding in on SR-684 / Cortez Rd W East, at Gulf Dr. N (SR-789).
    • Flooding on SR-684 / Cortez Rd W West, at Gulf Dr N (SR-789). All lanes closed.
    • Flooding on SR-64 / Manatee Ave East, at Gulf Dr.. All lanes closed.
    • Flooding on SR-64 / Manatee Ave West, at Gulf Dr.. All lanes closed.
    • Pinellas County
    • Flooding on 75th Ave Northbound near Mangrove Ave. All lanes closed.
    • Flooding on Edgewater Dr Southbound from President St to Locklie St. All lanes closed.
    • Debris on Roadway on Gulf Blvd Both Directions at 183rd Ave. All lanes closed.
    • Debris on Roadway on Gulf Blvd Both Directions at Whitehurst Ave. All lanes closed.
    • Debris on Roadway on Memorial Cswy Eastbound at Island Way. All lanes closed.
    • Debris on Roadway on Memorial Cswy Northbound near Island Way. All lanes closed.
    • Flooding on N Pinellas Ave Both Directions at Anclote Rd. All lanes closed.
    • Flooding on Pasadena Ave Southbound at Sunset Dr S. All lanes closed.
    • Debris on Roadway on Pinellas Bayway Southbound at Palma del Mar Blvd S. All lanes closed.
    • Emergency Vehicles on Pinellas Bayway Both Directions at Sun Blvd. All lanes closed.
    • Emergency Vehicles on Pinellas Bayway Rd Both Directions near Granada St. All lanes closed.
    • Flooding on S Pinellas Ave Southbound at Meres Blvd. All lanes closed.
    • Flooding on S Pinellas Ave Northbound at E MLK Dr. All lanes closed.
      Emergency vehicles in Pinellas County on SR-60 East, at Dr. Kiran C. Patel Blvd. All lanes blocked.
    • Emergency Vehicles on Tom Stuart Cswy Southbound at Duhme Rd.
  • Sarasota County
    • Flooding on SR-789 North, at Sunset Drive. All lanes closed.
    • Flooding on SR-789 South, at Sunset Drive. All lanes closed.
  • Taylor County
    • Debris on Roadway on SR-51 Both Directions near US-19 Southbound. All lanes closed.
  • The Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs (FDVA) The VISN 8 Clinical Contact Center is operational 24/7/365 for virtual care and tele-emergency care and support to Veterans enrolled for VA Health Care in Florida. 1-877-741-3400. Visit https://department.va.gov/integrated-service-networks/visn-08 for more information.
  • Robert H. Jenkins Jr. Veterans’ Domiciliary Home in Lake City lost power and is currently on generator.
  • Volunteer Florida: Disaster Legal Hotline is open to assist and refer callers: 833-514-2940
  • Samaritan’s Purse hotline: 1-833-747-1234 free assistance for homeowners affected by the disaster. Volunteers may be able to assist with removal of personal property and furniture, flood cleanup, sanitizing with shockwave treatment, chainsaw work and Debris Clean-up, temporary roof tarping.
    • 2-1-1 is open and ready to receive calls. Individuals can call for up-to-the-
    • Red Cross Hotline is open to assist: 1-800-Red Cross
    • Florida Baptists Disaster Relief Public Assistance: 904-253-0502 or text Helene to 27123. Free Assistance for homeowners affected by the disaster. Volunteers may be able to assist with Storm Debris Cleanup, Temporary Roof Tarping, Chainsaw work, and muckouts.
    • Crisis Cleanup number: 844-965-1386
 
Health and Human Services
  • The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) continues its recovery efforts with post storm calls and wellness checks to clients, providers, partners in affected areas verifying status and ask about immediate needs caused by the storm and develop plans to resolve.
  • APD operated facilities in Marianna and Chattahoochee maintained power through the storm, while the Gainesville facility is without power and operating on generators. All residents and clients are safe.
  • 14 evacuated APD licensed Group Homes have also reported they are safe, and APD will continue to work with providers to see about storm damage and immediate needs.
  • APD is mapping Group Homes, clients in Supported Living Facilities, and clients living in family homes in affected areas for priority follow up and wellness checks by APD teams and provider staff.
  • APD is working with partners and the State Emergency Response Team to ensure the functional and access needs of disaster survivors are met.
  • APD Hope Florida Navigators, APD emergency recovery teams, and leadership will be deploying to Taylor, and Madison County’s Hope Florida distribution locations today.
  • The Florida Department of Health’s (DOH) is deploying over 470 emergency response vehicles. Staging is currently in Leon, Liberty, Osceola, Pinellas, and Polk counties.
  • At this time, one Boil Water Notice has been reported for Marion County as a result of Hurricane Helene.
  • DOH has Special Needs Shelters available in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene. A press release has been sent statewide for additional information on special needs shelters. To find a shelter near you, please visit the county emergency management page here.
  • DOH and the Agency for Health Care Administration initiated Patient Movement Mission to support medical transport and evacuations of health care facilities.
  • The State Surgeon General signed Emergency Order 24-002, which:
    • Waives competitive procurement requirements in order to procure commodities, goods, and services expeditiously in response to the emergency.
    • Permits emergency medical transportation services to operate across county lines.
    • Permits Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians, and Medical Directors, as defined by Chapter 401, Florida Statutes, licensed in other U.S. states, territories, or districts to practice in Florida in response to the emergency without penalty.
    • Authorizes a reporting extension for the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.
    • Authorizes an extension of the upcoming licensure renewal deadlines for Nursing Home Administrators, Radiological Personnel, and Athletic Trainers until October 31, 2024.
  • DOH and the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) sent information regarding early prescription refills permitted under Executive Order 24-209. This information was sent to the public, health insurers, managed care organizations, pharmacy benefit managers, pharmacy chains, and health care providers.
  • The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) has activated reporting in the Health Facility Reporting System (HFRS) and has requested that all health care providers report their census, available beds, evacuation status, and generator status information. This information allows AHCA to assist health care providers in transferring patients if needed and ensure that health care providers in impacted areas have the necessary resources and adequate power.
  • AHCA has made 40 phone calls to health care facilities in the impacted area, to check their status.
  • As of this morning, 90 health care facilities have reported evacuations. This includes:
    • 44 assisted living facilities
    • 27 nursing homes
    • 6 hospitals
    • 6 residential treatment facilities
    • 2 residential treatment centers for children and adolescents
    • 2 adult family care home, and 3 intermediate care facility for developmentally disabled
  • 100% of operating long-term care facilities have a generator on-site. The Generator Status Map for long-term care facilities is available here.
  • As of this morning, there are 145 health care facilities on generator power across the state. This includes:
    • 3 hospitals
    • 71 assisted living facilities
      39 nursing homes.
    • 5 adult family care home
    • 1 hospice
    • 5 hospital emergency department
    • 5 intermediate care facility for the developmentally disabled
    • 9 residential treatment facilities
    • 1 residential treatment centers for children and adolescents
    • 6 crisis stabilization and short-term rtf
  • The Agency has waived all prior authorization requirements for critical Medicaid services until further notice.
  • AHCA has conducted 79 onsite post-incident assessment visits.
Infrastructure, Roads and State Closures
  • The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) cut teams and FDOT road clearing teams are providing aid to areas impacted by the storm.
  • FHP continues to mobilize drone assets to help assess post-storm damage and assist with rescue and recovery efforts in areas impacted by the storm.
  • FHP Troopers are assisting with escorting critical restoration and recovery vehicles from around the state to areas impacted by the storm.
  • FHP has mobilized 48 Quick Response Force team members to deploy to affected areas of Florida to assist with rescue and recovery efforts.
  • FHP and FDOT cut teams cleared all trees and debris from Interstate 10 and Interstate 75 and traffic flow has been restored.
  • 6 FHP drone teams and a fixed-wing aircraft are actively assisting with search and rescue efforts and storm damage assessment in Perry and Keaton Beach in Taylor County, and Cedar Key in Levy County.
  • FHP mobilized high-water vehicles to areas affected by the storm to assist with search and rescue efforts.
  • FHP is providing security at storm response fuel sites.
  • FLHSMV has 3 Florida Licensing on Wheels (FLOW) mobiles on standby to provide mobile credentialing services in impacted areas and to those affected by the storm.
  • Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) issued Emergency Order 24-05, in support of Executive Order 24-209 which: waives specific requirements for commercial motor vehicles providing emergency relief; and waives the replacement fees for driver’s license and identification credentials, vehicle registrations and titles, vessel registrations and titles and temporary parking permits for impacted individuals.
  • The Department of Children and Families (DCF) has contacted families and group homes serving over 10,800 individuals to ensure all children and families served are safe and to determine needs.
  • The Hope Bus will be at Taylor County Middle School, 601 East Lafayette Street, Perry, FL 32347 and The Bridge Church, 1135 US 90, Madison, FL 32340 Saturday, September 28, from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Supplies available will include baby items, snacks, water, and nonperishable items. Hope Navigators will also be onsite.
  • Through ESF 6, DCF worked with community partners to establish three field kitchens.
  • Current SNAP recipients who lost food due to Hurricane Helene can apply for food replacement. To learn more, visit myflfamilies.com/helene
  • The HOPE LINE is available to assist those in need of resources or other assistance after the storm. It is now available 24/7 for the next two-plus weeks at 833-GET-HOPE.
  • The Hope Bus will be at Taylor County Middle School, 601 East Lafayette Street, Perry, FL 32347 and The Bridge Church, 1135 US 90, Madison FL 32340 Saturday, September 28, from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Supplies will be available baby items, snacks, water, and nonperishable items. Hope Navigators will also be onsite.
  • Through ESF 6, DCF worked with community partners to establish three field kitchens.
  • Activate Hope has been deployed to help connect Floridians impacted by the storm with needed resources like food, supplies, home repairs, and more. Serving as the emergency response component of the Hope Florida initiative, Activate Hope connects the private sector, nonprofits, and government to help Floridians get back on their feet following a natural disaster. Fill out the form here to get help.
  • DCF has contacted over 5,800 licensed providers in impacted areas to check for needs after the storm.
  • The State Mental Health Treatment Facilities are fully operational.
  • The Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) continues to contact all Area Agencies on Aging partners to receive updates. Post storm call downs to clients are ongoing and there are currently no unmet needs.
  • The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) has been contacting school districts and state colleges following Hurricane Helene and is addressing needs to reopen as quickly as possible. Out of the total 68 school districts that announced closures due to Hurricane Helene, at a minimum 43 of those school districts will be reopen on Monday and the Department expects additional districts to open in the coming days.
  • The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is actively working to provide assistance to drinking water, wastewater and hazardous waste facilities. Outreach to these facilities to determine operational status is ongoing.
  • DEP’s online portal WaterTracker is now live for drinking and wastewater facilities to report their operational status.
  • DEP is working with Florida’s Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (FlaWARN), the Florida Rural Water Association and other response agencies to dispatch generators, fuel and pump trucks and other resources to assist drinking and wastewater facilities.
  • DEP and response agencies are working 1-on-1 with partially- and non-operational drinking and wastewater facilities to get them back to operational status as quickly as possible to meet the immediate service needs of the communities they serve. Areas under boil water advisories can be found at https://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/drinking-water/boil-water-notices/index.html.
  • DEP is working in conjunction with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Coast Guard to identify oil spills and hazardous material releases in coastal and inland waterways.
  • 94 Disaster Debris Management Sites have been authorized to operate for Hurricane Helene. These sites are a critical component of expediting clean-up and reducing environmental and public health impacts post-storm and meeting federal reimbursement requirements.
  • 12 Florida State Parks strike teams have been assembled to assist with assessment and recovery efforts at impacted parks.
  • More than 60 state parks have reopened following Hurricane Helene. DEP published a storm updates webpage to keep state park visitors updated of closures: FloridaStateParks.org/StormUpdates. Visitors with existing camping and cabin reservations at closed parks have been notified of their reservation status.
Resources for Employees, Businesses and Consumers
  • The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) has partnered with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association to encourage more than 71,000 Florida-licensed lodging establishments to relax pet policies and waive pet fees for evacuees.
  • DBPR has proactively communicated with more than 137,000 restaurant and lodging licensees to provide storm preparation and food safety resources.
  • DBPR has proactively contacted more than 2,300 prescription wholesale stakeholders to provide information on emergency provisions under Governor DeSantis’ Executive Order 24-211 that will help mitigate supply chain difficulties with prescription drugs and medical gas.
  • The Florida Disaster Contractors Network has been activated to connect homeowners with licensed contractors and suppliers to perform emergency repairs.
  • DBPR encourages Florida’s licensed contractors who provide post-storm construction-related services to register with its Florida Disaster Contractors Network at DCNOnline.org.
  • DBPR has distributed FloridaCommerce’s Business Damage Assessment Survey to nearly 1,000,000 licensees in impacted counties and encouraged them to report damages using the survey.
  • DBPR’s Division of Hotels and Restaurants has begun disaster assessments in impacted areas. Emergency Response Teams across the state are completing outreach to impacted businesses to reinforce food safety protocols after the storm.
  • FloridaCommerce activated the private sector hotline at (850) 815-4925, open daily 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Inquiries may also be emailed to [email protected].
  • FloridaCommerce and the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) activated the Business Damage Assessment Survey in response to Hurricane Helene. Business owners can self-report physical and economic damage caused by Hurricane Helene. Survey responses will allow the state to expedite Hurricane Helene recovery efforts by gathering data and assessing the needs of impacted businesses. Businesses can complete the survey online by visiting FloridaDisaster.biz and selecting “Hurricane Helene” from the dropdown menu.
  • FloridaCommerce continues to work with the Florida Chamber, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and other private sector partners to consistently update business open/close status on FloridaDisaster.biz. FloridaCommerce staff have made more than 500 calls to rural and small businesses to help with this effort.
  • Walmart has donated $500 gift cards to shelters in Hamilton, Madison and Suwannee Counties for the purchase of pet food.
  • Lowes has deployed their Tool Rental Truck to assist in recovery efforts providing a rental option for power tools from chainsaws and pressure washers, to fence post augers and compressors. The truck is also staffed with small engine mechanics to support local communities with power.
  • VISIT FLORIDA Emergency Accommodation Modules on Expedia, Priceline and Booking.com will remain available to provide real-time hotel availability and lodging resources for impacted Floridians and visitors.
  • Comcast has opened more than 52,000 public Xfinity WiFi hotspots in Florida. The free and public hotspots are open for all, including non-Xfinity customers. For more information, click here.
  • CVS Health created pop-up pharmacies in impacted areas.
  • The Florida Department of State, Division of Elections, has contacted the United States Postal Service (USPS) about election information and vote-by-mail ballots. The Division of Elections recommended that Supervisors of Elections t contact their local district USPS to discuss a mitigation plan for ballot mailing, delivery, and return.
  • The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) worked with Florida’s ports and fuel industry partners to ensure adequate fuel supplies are available, and with Florida’s agricultural partners so producers have adequate resources. The Florida Forest Service staged equipment, like high-water vehicles.
  • The Commissioner of Agriculture, Wilton Simpson, has approved an Emergency Order temporarily suspending the intrastate movement requirements for animal transportation. In addition, the following states have waived their interstate import requirements for Florida pets, horses, and livestock leaving the state: Alabama, Georgia (does not include livestock), Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
  • Commissioner Wilton Simpson has approved an emergency rule authorizing out-of-state licensed security guards to protect people and property in Florida and has approved an emergency rule to aid the distribution of liquefied petroleum gas to disaster response and recovery operations.
  • Fuel inspectors are responding to impacted areas to ensure retail fuel dispensers are working properly and testing the quality of fuel.
  • Floridians are encouraged to visit complaints.fdacs.gov or call 1-800-HELP-FLA to report water-contaminated fuel issues to the department.
  • Food safety inspectors are responding to impacted areas to conduct damage assessments and ensure the safe operation of over 12,000 potentially impacted food establishments.
  • Agricultural partners can request critical assistance for  livestock and animals in critical need, please complete this form then send it to [email protected], or call 863-993-5460.
  • UF/IFAS is studying the agricultural losses and damages resulting from Hurricane Helene. Producers can share information about impacts experienced at your farm, ranch, or aquaculture operation here.
  • Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) launched the Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program for Florida farmers, ranchers, and growers impacted by Hurricane Helene to apply for low-interest and interest-free loans. Loans can be used by eligible agriculture and aquaculture producers to restore, repair, or replace essential physical property – including fences, equipment, greenhouses, and other buildings – or to remove vegetative debris.
  • FDACS is securing and providing critical resources to our agricultural producers, such as generators, fencing, feed/water, and veterinary supplies.
  • The Department of Revenue (FDOR) has issued Emergency Order 24-001: Taxing Authority Millage and Budget Hearings to assist local taxing authorities with altering their plans for annual budget hearings because of Helene. Department of Revenue bulletin PTO 20-07 provides further instructions for local taxing authorities during declared emergencies.
  • The Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) is posting updates publicly and in real-time at FDC.myflorida.com/weather-updates.
  • The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) have finalized storm preparations to ensure the safety and security of staff and youth in our care. This includes fueling all vehicles, moving vehicles in low-lying and flood-prone areas to higher ground, testing and ensuring adequate fuel supplies for generators in the event of loss of power, and ensuring food, medicine, and emergency supplies are stocked and ready.

    For previous updates see below:
    9/24/2024
    9/25/2024
    9/26/2024
    9/27/2024 (1)
    9/27/2024 (2)

    Follow FDEM on X, Instagram, and Facebook for updates and visit FloridaDisaster.org/Updates for information relating to Hurricane Helene.

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