I know there may be some concerns about what the process will look like for you as you recover from Milton and continue recovering from Helene. I've spoken to FEMA and want you to know, especially as more counties are approved for individual assistance because of Hurricane Milton, you must apply for assistance for Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton separately, meaning if you were impacted by more than one storm, you should treat each storm as an individual occurrence when applying for assistance and reporting damage. For more information on the counties available for individual assistance following Hurricane Milton, click HERE. For more information on the counties available for individual assistance following Hurricane Helene, click HERE. For more information on the counties available for individual assistance following Hurricane Debby, click HERE. There are three ways apply for FEMA assistance:
But remember, you MUST apply for each storm separately. Just because you applied for Helene or Debby assistance does not make you eligible for Milton, so take some time to apply again, and make sure you get every federal resource available to you after this storm, and if you have any questions at all, please contact my office for help. Floridians are resilient, and we will get through this together. My office is committed to making sure Floridians have access to the tools and federal resources necessary to rebuild. If you or someone you know needs help with a federal agency, click HERE. See more about the resources available to you, your family or your businesses as you recover from Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton below or click HERE. |
Federal Emergency Management Agency On October 11, 2024, President Joseph R. Biden Jr., granted a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Florida triggering the release of Federal funds to help people and communities recover from Hurricane Milton that began October 5, 2024, and continuing. For information on Hurricane Milton, click HERE. For information on Hurricane Helene, click HERE. For information on Hurricane Debby, click HERE. FEMA recommends homeowners and renters affected take the following actions:
For the latest information about Florida’s current disasters, visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster/ Housing Any Floridian in need of assistance with housing, please register for BOTH State and FEMA housing assistance through the links below.
Business owners and residents in declared disaster areas can now apply for SBA assistance. To learn more about the disaster assistance available, click HERE. Find a list of SBA's currently active Recovery Centers HERE. Need help with your application?
If you're searching for a family member affected by the storm, please complete the form at this link for the state where they live: https://rdcrss.org/3TSmO6K. To locate shelters near you, text "SHELTER" & your zip to 43362. You can also visit http://redcross.org/shelters. Find information on the most recent tax relief provisions for taxpayers affected by disaster situations in Florida HERE. See FAQs for disaster victims for information about the definition of an affected taxpayer. To learn more about Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) updates, visit HERE. United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as provided available resources on how to prepare, recover and build long-term resilience during disasters. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has issued flexibilities and waivers to multiple states in response to Hurricanes Milton and Helene, including Florida, which can be found HERE. Agricultural producers are encouraged to contact their local Farm Service Agency county office after they evaluate the impact on their operation. Click HERE for resources for farmers, ranchers and other growers who are reporting losses. A list of FSA county offices can be found HERE. To learn more about the USDA's response to Hurricane Milton, click HERE. Florida Division of Emergency Management The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) has outlined all available resources for Floridians and will continue to update as resources become available. Having a stocked disaster supply kit is vital during Hurricane Season, which runs until November 30th. If you're recovering from Hurricane Milton, please take advantage of the over 30+ Points of Distributions open in impacted counties! Check locations here: http://arcg.is/0ff050. Visit HERE for more information. Crisis Cleanup If you need help with damages caused by Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton, call Crisis Cleanup: 844-965-1386. Volunteer Resources
Activate Hope Disaster Assistance Form Serving as the emergency response arm for the Hope Florida initiative, Activate Hope pulls together the private sector, nonprofits, and government resources to help Floridians get back on their feet following a natural disaster. Activate Hope helps connect Floridians with outside resources to provide food, household goods, home repairs, and more. Individuals in need of immediate housing assistance, including FDEM temporary housing trailers, can visit HERE or call 1-833-GET-HOPE. The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan program provides short-term, zero-interest working capital loans that are intended to “bridge the gap” between the time a disaster impacts a business and when a business has secured longer term recovery funding such as federally or commercially available loans, insurance claims or other resources. Loans are available up to $50,000 per eligible applicant. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) provides state resources for post-storm recovery. As of October 13, 2024, FDACS has not begun accepting or processing applications for Hurricane Milton. However, if you are an agricultural or aquaculture producer who has experienced damage from Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Debby, you can apply for a Disaster Recovery Loan HERE. |