As communities across Florida’s Gulf Coast recover from Hurricane Helene, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Marco Rubio and Sen. Rick Scott are meeting with local leadership and residents to assist with the coordination of relief efforts.
Yesterday, Gov. DeSantis joined state leaders at the Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) in Dixie County.
“Horseshoe Beach and nearby communities have been hit hard by Hurricane Helene and two other major storms in the past 13 months,” DeSantis said. “The state of Florida is bringing the resources they need for recovery right to their doorstep.”
The MARC in Horseshoe Beach provides essentials like food, water, ice, and supplies, as well as specialized services for people with disabilities, seniors, families with infants and children, and business owners affected by the storm. DMV services and employment assistance are also available, and Hope Navigators are on site to help. The Florida Division of Emergency Management is also providing temporary housing trailers to residents whose homes have been destroyed in the storm.
DeSantis encouraged residents in need of these services to stop by the MARC at the Horseshoe Beach Ball Park.
Sen. Scott toured Charlotte County after spending the prior day in Lee County. During Scott’s tour fo Punta Gorda to survey damage from Hurricane Helene, he received a briefing from Congressman Greg Steube, Sheriff Bill Prummell, Charlotte County Emergency Management Director Patrick Fuller, and other local emergency management officials regarding response and recovery efforts.
“Congressman Steube and I continue to fight in Washington to pass our Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act needed to ensure the full recovery of families in all impacted communities,” Scott said. “I’m also working every day with local, state, and federal partners like FEMA and the SBA, to coordinate resources and direct assistance to those in need. I’m also grateful for the law enforcement, National Guard, emergency management officials and first responders for their work here on the ground.”
Scott contacted FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, requesting that the agency coordinate closely with the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) on housing recovery. Thousands of Floridians are still without power, and many who evacuated their homes have sadly returned to inhabitable or destroyed homes.
Following a letter from Senators Scott and Rubio, President Biden approved a Major Disaster Declaration for Florida on Saturday night. Biden’s approval comes after last week’s pre-landfall emergency declaration for potentially impacted Florida counties at the senators’ request.
