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Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Update on Hurricane Recovery Efforts

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The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services continues to provide response and recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Michael.

Highlights of the department’s response efforts are below:

Florida Forest Service

  • Deployed 400 personnel to work on hurricane recovery, which included 155 sawyers to remove trees and debris from roadways to provide access to residents returning to their homes.
  • Working with FEMA to provide logistical, planning and operational support for the ongoing Urban Search and Rescue operations.
  • Providing logistical, planning and operational support to Bay County and Gulf County Emergency Management.
  • Providing logistical, planning and operational support to Florida Forest Service personnel at Chipola Forestry Center to maintain critical functions with hurricane response and recovery in the following counties: Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Walton and Washington.
  • Burn Bans
    • Burn bans are in place for the following counties: Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jackson and Liberty.
    • At this time, the Florida Forest Service is not issuing burn authorizations for piles larger than 8 feet in diameter in the following counties: Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Walton and Washington.
    • For updates on County Burn Bans, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.
  • State Forest Closure Updates
    • Pine Log State Forest, Point Washington  State Forest and Lake Talquin State Forest will be closed until further notice as damage assessments continue and roadways are cleared, with the exception of select areas that have been reopened:
      • Pine Log State Forest- Pine Log Sand Pond Campground is open and equipped with electric and water hookups.
      • Point Washington State Forest- East Lake Campgrounds 1 & 2 are open. These are primitive tent-only sites.
      • Lake Talquin State Forest- the Lake Talquin Tract, North and South Ochlockonee Tracts and the Joe Budd Tract have reopened.
  • A complete list of closures can be found here. 

Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness

  • Food, water and ice delivered to Points of Distribution in various locations throughout the Panhandle and Big Bend.
  • Requested 4,249,000 shelf-stable meals and 388 truckloads of water for distribution.
  • Received 316 infant/toddler kits to serve 3,1,60 children. Total request is for 544 kits for 5,440 infants/toddlers.
  • Providing 104 truckloads of ice for missions throughout the state.
  • Secured and delivered 10 truckloads of Meals, Ready to Eat (276,000 meals).
  • Working closely with the USDA and school districts to assess needs for school meals and nutrition programs.  

Division of Consumer Services

  • Inspecting all gas stations in impacted areas to ensure no fuel quality issues, such as water intrusion into underground tanks, exist following the storm.
  • Conducting inspection sweeps of gas stations in impacted areas looking for credit card skimmers, which department inspectors typically find in large numbers following disasters. 

Division of Animal Industry

  • Working closely with SART partners to determine small animal needs in Bay, Gulf, Franklin, Calhoun and Washington counties.
  • Suspended movement requirements for pets and livestock to allow citizens to evacuate and return quickly and easily.
  • Staged veterinarians at the Bay County Humane Society to provide services to pets.
  • Supporting 3 animal shelters in Bay County.
  • Requested 4 tankers of cane syrup to supply food sources for bee hives in impacted counties.
  • Working with Florida Backyard Beekeepers Association to secure and deliver 35,000 pounds of bee pollen.
  • Set-up donation and distribution sites for animal supplies and water in the following locations:
  • Bonifay Forestry Station;
  • Chipley Forestry Station;
  • Jackson County Agriculture Center in Marianna;
  • VOAD Distribution Center in Lynn Haven; and
  • Washington County Agricultural Center in Chipley.

For more information and tips on hurricane preparedness, visit FloridaDisaster.org.

During an emergency, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services provides necessary food and water to affected areas and helps protect animals and pets. The department’s Florida Forest Service is responsible for incident management and assists emergency responders in clearing debris and distributing supplies. Additionally, the department’s Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement provides law enforcement services to police departments and county sheriff’s offices as necessary.

For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.