Hurricane Recovery Resource Guide
Weather  |  Sun - November 3, 2024 11:36 am  |  Article Hits:37  |  A+ | a-

 

 

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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.

Application deadlines: 
Hurricane Debby Nov. 12, 2024;
Hurricane Helene Nov. 27, 2024;
Hurricane Milton Dec. 11, 2024.

To find the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) closest to you, visit HERE.

Floridians May be Eligible for Transitional Sheltering in Hotels: https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20241017/floridians-may-be-eligible-transitional-sheltering-hotels

Once FEMA notifies eligible Floridians, find locations here: https://femaemergencyhotels.com/ to find participating hotels

Please call FEMA at 1-800-621-3362 if you are having trouble receiving information about your FEMA application, scheduling a FEMA inspector, or learning more about your housing options for recovery.

FEMA recommends homeowners and renters affected take the following actions:

  • Report any damage to your local emergency management agency.
  • Make sure to document any property damage with photos and contact your insurance company for assistance and next steps.
  • Keep repair receipts.
  • Be aware of safety concerns and separate debris for collection as instructed by local officials.

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For the latest information about Florida’s current disasters, visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster/current. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema

Housing

Any Floridian in need of assistance with housing, please register for BOTH State and FEMA housing assistance through the links below.

1. To apply for State Housing Program: Hope Florida (hopeflorida.com)
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.

2. To apply for FEMA Housing Program  
FEMA Assistance: Including Housing Assistance 

People with damage to their homes or personal property who live in the designated Individual Assistance counties should apply for assistance, which may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay.

There are three ways to apply for FEMA assistance:

Operation Blue Roof

Operation Blue Roof is a priority mission managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for FEMA. The purpose of Operation Blue Roof is to provide homeowners and permanently occupied rental properties in disaster areas with fiber-reinforced sheeting to cover their damaged roofs until arrangements can be made for permanent repairs. This is a free service to homeowners. Operation Blue Roof protects property, reduces temporary housing costs, and allows residents to remain in their homes while recovering from the storm.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has received a mission assignment for the Blue Roof Mission in the following counties:

  • Brevard, Citrus, Charlotte, DeSoto, Flagler, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Manatee, Martin, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Lucie, Sumter, Volusia

Eligible residents can apply now through Tuesday, Nov. 14. Sign Up form HERE. Check status & cancellation HERE.

Small Business Administration

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? 

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American Red Cross

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.

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Internal Revenue Services

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

  • Disaster Legal Hotline is open to assist and refer callers. The number is 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 & Debris Clean-up, temporary roof tarping.
  • 2-1-1 is open and ready to receive calls
    • Individuals can call for up-to-the-minute information including school closures and sandbag distributions.
    • Local Social Services Referral.
  • Red Cross Hotline is open to assist survivors: 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 Muck outs
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