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SunRail Will Run Full Schedule Tuesday

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Fares still waived

SunRail will run its regular schedule Tuesday, September 19, 2017; beginning with the 5:06 a.m. southbound train. As SunRail resumes regular service, it will continue to waive fares on Tuesday. As SunRail trains run, crews will continue to perform work along the rail corridor, but SunRail will make every effort to keep travel delays to a minimum, by navigating the corridor safely, while the work takes place.
SunRail is also working to provide additional days of service/credit to SunCard pass holders that were affected by the service suspension. Please contact Customer Service Center at 855-724-5411, Monday – Friday from 5:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. for further assistance. SunRail urges passengers to register their SunCards at SunRail.com, if they have not done so already. This will expedite the process and ensure that all passes that were valid during the suspension are adjusted accordingly. SunRail appreciates your patience as it completes this process.
As regular service resumes, please be careful around trains, railroad crossings and on SunRail platforms. Be smart. Be safe.
For more information, log on to www.sunrail.com.

Consumer Alert: Managing your finances after Hurricane Irma

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The Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) encourages Floridians to take time to assess their finances following Hurricane Irma. Managing your financial obligations during this time may seem like the furthest thing from your mind; however, it is important to keep your finances in order. 
Whether you have a mortgage loan, non-mortgage loan, credit card or other expense, every Floridian experiencing financial distress as a result of Hurricane Irma should:

  • Proactively reach out to your lender to make them aware of your circumstances immediately.
  • Make sure to explain your situation in detail. Your lender may be willing to work with you.
Many of Florida’s financial services providers are proactively working with customers. Visit your lender’s website for more information. Given the volume of customers impacted by Hurricane Irma, contacting creditors may be difficult, but be persistent and make every effort to get in touch with them. The links below will help you locate and contact your financial services providers. If you are unable to find your provider’s information through these resources, please contact the OFR for assistance at (850) 487-9687 or via Twitter @FlFinancialReg.

Gov. Scott: Counties must aggressively prioritize debris clean-up as we recover from Irma

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Governor Rick Scott today directed every county impacted by Hurricane Irma to submit a detailed debris clean-up plan to the Florida Division of Emergency Management (DEM) by noon on Tuesday, September 19th. Following a major storm like Hurricane Irma, it is incumbent on each Florida county to immediately execute its debris clean-up plan so other restoration efforts, such as power restoration, are not hindered by the presence of debris. Plans submitted to DEM will be posted publicly on the Division’s website. All plans must include an estimated date of completion. Any county that plans to request reimbursement for debris removal following Hurricane Irma must submit a plan.
Governor Scott said, “Today, I am directing every Florida county impacted by Hurricane Irma to submit a detailed debris clean-up plan no later than noon tomorrow, September 19th. Let me be clear – debris removal is a function handled and directed at the local level and following a storm like Irma, it is my expectation that every county immediately and aggressively begins work to clear debris in its communities. That is what Florida families and businesses expect.
“Every county should already have a debris clean-up plan in place as part of its emergency response plan and it should already be executed. Any county experiencing issues with the vendors involved in debris clean-up should immediately execute an emergency procurement to get a different vendor. Today, more than 370,000 homes and businesses in Florida are still without power and while utility companies are working non-stop to turn the lights on, the presence of debris can hinder work and delay restoration which is unacceptable. Within seven hours of the storm leaving the state, the Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) had cleared all major interstates and turnpikes. DOT has been working around the clock to clear all state and many local roads and assist in recovery efforts. As we all work to recover from Irma, the state stands ready to assist communities in any way possible.”

CONSUMER ALERT: Know What You Are Signing for Repairs After Hurricane Irma

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Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier is encouraging Floridians who are now dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Irma and assessing damage to their homes and businesses to be aware of what they may be signing for repair work. A homeowner who has a loss may contact a contractor, water extraction company, roofer, or a plumber to assist with emergency repairs. After assessing the damage, the homeowner may be presented with a document to sign before repair work begins, which could also contain what is known as an Assignment of Benefits (AOB). If signed by the homeowner, it may give the repair vendor the right to exclusively communicate with the insurance company, negotiate and endorse insurance claim payments and file a lawsuit against the insurance company, with or without the homeowners knowledge. AOBs have been a cost driver leading to rising homeowners insurance rates across the state due to unnecessary litigation associated with certain AOB claims.
“As Floridians return to their communities and begin the tedious process of evaluating damages to their homes and property following Irma, it is vital that they pay attention to any requests that may involve an AOB,” stated Commissioner Altmaier. “Homeowners are encouraged to file a claim directly with their insurance company to maintain control of the rights and benefits provided by their insurance policy in resolving a claim.”
The following are a few tips to assist homeowners:

  • Read your insurance policy and know what your responsibilities are following a loss.
  • Contact your insurance company prior to signing any document that may contain an AOB.
  • If the homeowner elects to sign the AOB, read everything carefully and do not feel pressured to sign it.
  • Beware of language that allows all proceeds of the claim to be made to anyone other than the homeowner or the homeowners mortgage company.
  • Do not sign the document if there are any blank spaces.

For more information, read the Office’s “Post-Loss Assignment of Benefits (AOB) Fact Sheet” or visit the Office’s “AOB Resources” webpage.

CFO Patronis: Be Scam Smart #AfterIrma

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Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis today warned Floridians of scammers looking to take advantage of those impacted by Hurricane Irma. Floridians should be vigilant in verifying the identity of those claiming to represent government and relief agencies, and should ask questions to fully understand all contracts with insurance and repair companies.
CFO Patronis said, “As Florida continues the recovery process following Hurricane Irma, I urge all consumers to be scam smart and on the lookout for opportunistic scammers who try to prey on vulnerable people during this time. Regrettably, there are individuals who will attempt to take advantage of our fellow Floridians.”
Below are tips to help protect Floridians from scams:

  • Ensure you understand all documents a contractor requests you to sign, including assignment of benefits agreements. Ask questions until you fully understand who is responsible for payment.
  • Verify the identity of individuals claiming to represent government and relief agencies or insurance companies. Official personnel should display their ID badges, should provide identification without hesitation upon request, and say why they are in the area (i.e. surveying damage, assisting residents, etc.). If you suspect that someone is impersonating official personnel, contact the local police department or sheriff’s office immediately.
    • Beware of imposters going door-to-door claiming to be FEMA representatives, asking for money to assist with the filing of federal flood claims. FEMA does not charge for this service and does not go door-to-door in this capacity.
      • Reports of such activity were reported in North Florida following Hurricane Hermine.
    • Beware of robocalls from imposters claiming to represent FEMA, asking consumers to hang up and dial a 1-800 number to make an insurance payment ASAP to prevent policy cancellations.
      • Reports of such activity have been reported in Texas following Hurricane Harvey.
  • If you have damage to your home or vehicle, contact your insurance company as soon as possible to file a claim.
  • Beware of fly-by-night repair businesses and hire only licensed professionals. To verify a contractor’s license, visit the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s website –www.MyFloridaLicense.com.
    • Also, ensure that contractors carry the proper liability and workers’ compensation insurance by checking the Department’s Division of Workers’ Compensation database.
    • Beware of contractors requesting that you pay more than half of the cost upfront. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
  • If considering the assistance of a public insurance adjuster, verify that they are licensed.
    • Be sure that you understand how much a public insurance adjuster is charging and what services are included before signing a contract.
    • When there is a state of emergency declared by the Governor, there is a cap of 10% on the fee a public adjuster can charge. The cap applies to all residential and commercial residential claims related to the event for one year.
    • To verify an insurance agent’s or adjuster’s license, visit the Hurricane Irma resources webpage at www.MyFloridaCFO.com.

The Department of Financial Services’ Insurance Consumer Helpline (1-877-MY-FL-CFO) is available to assist home and business owners with all insurance-related questions and concerns. Reports of suspected fraud can be reported via the Helpline. Insurance experts are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

Commissioner Adam Putnam, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and Other Officials Survey Damage to Florida Agriculture

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Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, Senator Marco Rubio, Congressman Tom Rooney and Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart today surveyed agricultural damage from Hurricane Irma and met with affected farmers in Clewiston, Fla.

DSC Florida Symposium to focus on Sunshine State ethos

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Some of Florida’s best writers, researchers and artists will come together on Friday, Oct. 20, to examine the Sunshine State’s uniquely blended historical, artistic and cultural milieu during what promises to be an engaging and informative dialogue hosted by Daytona State College. Florida: The State of the Humanities. . .  A Symposium, to be held in conjunction with Daytona State’s annual Homecoming festivities, will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Hosseini Center on the college’s Daytona Beach Campus, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd. Admission is free and open to the public; however, registration is encouraged.
Symposium director, author and DSC photography professor Gary Monroe said the event’s presenting writers and artists will bring insightful perspectives about how Florida’s often quirky past is inextricably connected to its present.
“Florida has long been a place to invent and reinvent one’s self,” he said. “Whether scripted or visually documented, Florida’s narratives were built upon dreams and schemes. The humanities of our state deserve our attention. They convey the stories of our past and present; indeed, they can mold our future.”
Among the state’s leading humanities scholars slated to present are:

  • Steven Seibert, executive director of the Florida Humanities Council, who will speak about Humanities and the Workplace.
  • Rick Kilby, author of Finding the Fountain of Youth: Ponce de Leon and Florida’s Magical Waters, whose research yields refreshing insights into the myth and reality of Florida’s natural springs past and present.
  • Dr. Ben Brotemarkle, executive director of the Florida Historical Society, who will offer the Complete History of Florida (in less than an hour!).
  • Jean Ellen Wilson, a Ft. Pierce-based historian and author, who will share the story of Estes Wright, an unsung Florida civil rights pioneer whose 1930s Jim Crow-era murder was covered up for decades.
  • Seth Bramson, better known as “Mr. FEC,” who is the only person in the country to bear the official title of company historian with an American railroad – the Florida East Coast Railway. His book, Speedway to Sunshine, is the official history of the company. Bramson also teaches at Barry University, Florida International University and Nova Southeastern University.
  • Cathy Salustri, arts and entertainment editor of Creative Loafing Tampa and author of 2016’s Backroads of Paradise: A Journey to Rediscover Old Florida. Her presentation will focus on how President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration (WPA) efforts helped shape the state’s history. Her book takes readers on a nostalgic tour of what has become Florida’s post-Interstate backroads and scenic routes, historic sites, natural wonders and notable man-made attractions – comparing the past views with the present landscape and commenting on the changes along the way.
  • John Moran, co-director of the Springs Eternal Project, an exhibition that chronicles the decline of Florida’s springs due to pollution, excessive groundwater pumping and political neglect. Moran is among Florida’s leading conservation photographers, and has become a major voice in the fair use of our natural resources.
  • James Pearson, director of Daytona State’s Southeast Museum of Photography, will speak about the museum’s rise to national prominence and its place as a local cultural and educational stalwart of photographic excellence.

An exhibition of Florida Highwaymen paintings also will be displayed throughout the symposium, courtesy of Lisa Stone Arts. Additionally, attendees are welcome to view an exhibit by artist-photographer Carlos Betancourt in the Southeast Museum of Photography, which is housed in the Hosseini Center.
Volusia and Flagler public school teachers attending the symposium will be eligible for service credits. For details on how to register, call (386) 506-3837 or email [email protected].

Gov. Scott and HHS Secretary Discuss Hurricane Irma Recovery Efforts in Florida Keys

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Governor Rick Scott and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Tom Price today met with local and state officials in Monroe County to discuss Hurricane Irma response and recovery efforts in the Florida Keys. See updates on the state’s resources in Monroe County below.

STATE RESOURCES CURRENTLY BEING DIRECTED TO THE FLORIDA KEYS

FWC

  • FWC has more than 40 additional officers, including Special Operations Group (SOG), in Monroe County. These officers are working with National Guard members and an Urban Search and Rescue team to continue rescue operations in the Keys.

Florida National Guard

  • The Florida National Guard is operating seven points of distribution in Monroe County to ensure supplies, such as food and water, are quickly provided to those who need them.
  • The Florida National Guard is also manning the Logistical Staging Area in Marathon which distributes supplies to the points of distribution.

Florida Department of Transportation

  • FDOT damage assessment teams and debris removal crews areassessing damage and cleared U.S. 1 down to Key West.
  • FDOT is closely coordinating support of debris removal in off-systemroads in Monroe County. FDOT has cleared local roads in Big PineKey, Little Torch and Ramrod keys.
  • FDOT worked with ATT to install temporary towers so those with ATT phones should have normal connectivity.

Florida Highway Patrol

  • FHP continues to provide multiple escorts to the Keys to ensure the quick delivery of relief supplies, such as food to local supermarkets, portable toilets, water and resources with the Red Cross.
  • FHP has assigned troopers to assist Monroe County with traffic response throughout the Keys.
  • FHP has six troopers assigned to the Key West Police Department to assist with area law enforcement.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)

  • FDLE coordinated repairs to the state law enforcement radio system in Monroe County.
  • FDLE has coordinated dozens of law enforcement missions for Monroe County including local EOC staffing, patrol and supply missions for generators and ice.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

  • At the state’s request, EPA issued a No Action Assurance to allow emergency and backup electric generating units in Monroe County to operate without meeting all pollution controls in order to facilitate the supply of needed electricity during and after Irma.
  • At DEP’s request, crews from Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina, as well as Miami Dade and Jupiter, have been deployed and are currently working on repairs along the 117-mile main line from Key Largo to Key West.
  • DEP continues to coordinate with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FDOT, U.S. Coast Guard, FWC, and FEMA on debris removal statewide. DEP contractors are mobilizing to county-identified debris sites. The State has received 27 debris reports in Monroe County, 21 of which are vessels.
  • DEP contractors are en route to assist DEP employees with debris cleanup and repairs to Florida State Parks in Monroe County.

Additional Resources

  • The Following resources are mobilizing to be deployed to Monroe County: baby supply kits for 1,000 babies and food and water to support more than 100 first responders.
  • The following resources have been deployed to Monroe County: 3 trailers of ice, food and water, 2 trailers of ice, 7 truckloads of ice and 32 truckloads of food and water, 100,000 Dehydrated Meals to Salvation Army Warehouse, 36,000 bottles of water and 415 portable restrooms.
  • Since Saturday, the Salvation Army has served more than 13,000 hot meals throughout Monroe County from their staging area in Marathon.

FEMA

  • At the state’s request, as of September 16, 2017, FEMA transferred more than 7 million meals and more than 5 million liters of water and 74 generators to Florida.
  • Florida Keys residents with homes damaged by Hurricane Irma and hotels able to accommodate those Monroe County residents are eligible for assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which has activated its lodging program. FEMA’s Emergency Lodging Assistance (ELA) program provides temporary shelter and lodging reimbursement for pre-qualified individuals. Program administrator CLC Lodging provides rule-based payments for qualified applicants at participating hotels.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

  • HHS response coordinators are working with federal and U.S. Virgin Islands territory agencies to identify long-term solutions for health care in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
  • HHS continues to provide the Disaster Distress Helpline (1-800-985-5990), which remains open 24/7 for free help coping with the stress of the storm.

Shelters

  • There are three shelters open in Monroe County.
    • Island Christian School
    • Marathon Middle High School
    • Sugarloaf School

Power Restored to 99 Percent of Public Power Customers Statewide

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The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) today reported that 99 percent of the state’s municipal electric utility customers have had their power restored following the devastation of Hurricane Irma. Approximately 18,500 municipal electric customers remain without power in Alachua, Duval, Marion, Monroe and Polk Counties.
With Hurricane Irma coming onshore in the Florida Keys as a Category 4 storm, Monroe County was the hardest hit and will take the longest to fully restore. Crews continue to work tirelessly to bring all Monroe County public power customers back online as soon as possible. Additional crews and resources have been sent to assist Keys Energy Services with their restoration efforts.
Municipal electric utilities with customers who remain without power are also assessing individual situations in their areas. Some customers without power may have sustained damage to their homes and businesses preventing power restoration. Any homes or businesses with damage to their weatherheads must first have those repaired or replaced by an electrician before power can be restored.
As of 12 p.m., FMEA reported the following county-by-county power outage information for its municipal utility members:

The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) represents the unified interests of 34 public power communities across the state, which provide electricity to more than 3 million of Florida’s residential and business consumers.

Gov. Scott to Discuss Hurricane Irma Recovery Efforts in Collier County

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MEDIA ADVISORY

Today, September 18th, Governor Rick Scott will meet with state and local officials in Collier County to discuss Hurricane Irma response and recovery efforts.
WHAT: Meeting on Hurricane Irma Response and Recovery
WHEN: 3:00 PM
WHERE: Collier County Emergency Management
8075 Lely Cultural Parkway
Naples, FL 34113