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DBPR Secretary to Host Virtual Town Hall

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MEDIA ADVISORY

Monday, September 18th, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s (DBPR) Secretary Jonathan Zachem will host a virtual town hall to discuss unlicensed activity awareness and the department’s efforts following Hurricane Irma.
WHAT: DBPR Virtual Town Hall
WHEN: 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
NOTE: Please register for the Town Hall Meeting here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Commissioner Adam Putnam Issues Emergency Order

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Commissioner Adam H. Putnam Issues Emergency Order Waiving Fee to Replace
Concealed Weapon and Security Guard Licenses Damaged or Lost in Hurricane

In the wake of Hurricane Irma, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam today issued an emergency order to waive the fees to replace Florida concealed weapon licenses and security guard licenses that were lost or destroyed during the hurricane.
“Hurricane Irma devastated Florida, and the last thing someone needs to worry about is paying a fee to have their concealed weapon license or security guard license replaced,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam.
Consumers who wish to request a replacement concealed weapon or security guard license must submit a statement to the department explaining that their license was lost, damaged or stolen. This statement must be notarized.
Requests for replacement concealed weapon licenses should be mailed to: The Division of Licensing, P.O. Box 6387, Tallahassee, Fla., 32314-6387. Requests for replacement security guard licenses should be mailed to: The Division of Licensing, P.O. Box 5767, Tallahassee, Fla., 32314-5767.
For more information on Florida concealed weapon and security guard licenses, visit FreshFromFlorida.com/CWL.

Florida Polytechnic University Classes Resume Monday

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Florida Polytechnic University classes will resume on Monday, September 18. The University received only minimal damage from Hurricane Irma, and power has been restored.
“We understand this storm has had a massive impact throughout the state. It is our continued hope that our students, faculty and staff remain safe,” said Maggie Mariucci, Director of External Affairs. “We are addressing the minimal damage and look forward to having everyone back on campus Monday.”
Florida Poly school officials are thankful for the help of local and state officials in their campus recovery efforts. Students should continue to check their email, University social media channels and Blackboard Connect (My Poly Alert) for any storm-related updates.

Assisted living facilities, nursing homes and hospitals are receiving frequent wellness checks

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Before, during and following Hurricane Irma, health care facilities throughout Florida have been implementing emergency plans to keep patients safe. The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration and the Florida Department of Health is conducting frequent and vigorous outreach to facilities every day, which includes daily calls with hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities. In-person wellness checks are being conducted for facilities when contact cannot be made or any facility that reports distress. All facilities are being directed to contact 911 if patients are in jeopardy. AHCA is staffing the facility hotline 24 hours a day at 1-888-419-3456. Both AHCA and DOH are working around the clock to ensure all ALFs, nursing homes and hospitals have the resources they need.
Health care facilities have been provided with multiple pathways to communicate their needs with state officials and local emergency officials. This includes convening daily calls with facilities in advance of, during and after the storm. Reporting includes the online facility reporting database, FLHealthSTAT. These multiple mechanisms allow health care facilities to communicate needs to state emergency officials, including power outages, generator availability, fuel needs, spot coolers, ice and any other needs.
Hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities in Florida are required to have emergency operation plans. Requirements vary by facility type, but are all based in statute and rule. A complete list is available here. Hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities are required to submit and receive approval for their plans from either the county emergency management or local county health department (this varies among counties and/or facility type).
Facilities that are not regulated by the state, such as retirement communities, are advised to call local emergency management or 911 if you are in need of support.
Power restoration remains a top priority for the state, particularly for facilities that serve vulnerable populations. As of this morning, more than 70% of power in the state has been restored.
STATUS AS OF 1 PM FRIDAY, SEPT. 15
Assisted Living Facilities:
193 are utilizing generators
1,978 have power
182 have reported as being closed
177 have reported post-storm evacuations
Nursing Homes:
34 are utilizing generators
669 have power
10 have reported being closed
40 have reported post-storm evacuations
Hospitals:
2 are utilizing generators
299 have power
8 have reported being closed
7 have reported post-storm evacuations

Nelson urges financial companies to waive fees and penalties Hurricane Irma victims

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Sen. Bill Nelson urged leaders of a dozen financial companies to provide a moratorium on late fees and other penalties for Floridians affected by Hurricane Irma.
Following is the text of the letter sent yesterday to the companies:

September 14, 2017

Mr. Kenneth Chenault
Chairman and CEO
American Express Company
American Express Tower, 200 Vesey Street
New York, NY 10285
Dear Mr. Chenault
As you know, Florida is beginning to come back from the depths of Hurricane Irma, a monster storm that swallowed much of the state, flooding neighborhoods and knocking out power for millions of people.
As we begin the recovery process, it’s important that consumers not be saddled with late fees and other unnecessary costs—particularly those without the means to deal with such costs. Therefore, I ask that you provide a 60-day moratorium on late fees, interest accrual, penalties, and any other unnecessary costs, to give people time to recover and get back on their feet.
I’ve been heartened by the many stories of Floridians helping Floridians as I crisscross the state and survey the damage. I ask that you follow their example and do all you can to ease the burden on those suffering from the storm. Now is the time to lend a helping hand to your fellow Americans—to help them meet their immediate needs without the added stress of excessive financial demands.
I look forward to hearing your response to this request and stand ready to work with you to serve the people of Florida. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

DSC to reopen and resume classes Monday, 9/18

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Daytona State College will resume operations, activities and classes – including online – on Monday, Sept. 18, as regularly scheduled on all campuses.
College instructors and staff will work with students impacted by the storm to help them catch up on work missed during the college closure. Any students or employees still without power are welcome to use the college’s fitness center showers at the Daytona Beach Campus Lemerand Center. The Center for Women and Men can also assist students in need with snacks from the food pantry and other possible support.
For further updates, the DSC helpline is available: 386-506-4357.

FEMA/NFIP Announce Enhanced Claims Filing Process for Flood Insurance Policyholders Affected by Hurricane Irma

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The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation is sharing guidance issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) addressing the claims process for its National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders affected by Hurricane Irma. Five bulletins were issued on September 12th to applicable insurance companies and insurance adjusters with information on a variety of subjects.
A summary of the applicable information and links to each bulletin are provided below:

  1. Proof of Loss (POL) Waiver/Extension (Applicable to Standard Flood Insurance Policies) – The POL is waived for the initial claim payment. However, if the policyholder disputes the payment or submits a request for additional payment, they must file a POL with supporting documentation by one year from the date of loss.
  2. Advance Payments (Applicable to Standard Flood Insurance Policies) – The policyholder can request an advance payment of up to $5,000 for covered flood damages prior to the adjuster’s inspection. The policyholder may also request up to $20,000 prior to the adjuster’s inspection if they provide photographs along with receipts or canceled checks verifying covered out-of-pocket expenses or their contractor’s estimate of covered damages.  After the adjuster’s inspection, the policyholder may request a larger advance payment of up to 50% of their contractor’s estimate of covered repairs.
  3. Enhanced Claim-Handling for Prior Loss and Contents Claims (Applicable to the Standard Flood Insurance Policy Dwelling Form Only) – The adjuster may group personal property by category. Also, where there is evidence of completed repairs to damage from prior flood losses, the NFIP is not requiring the adjuster to obtain the prior loss claim file before adjusting the claim.
  4. Extension of the Grace Period for Payment of NFIP Premiums – The 30-day grace period for premium receipt is changed to 120 days for policies expiring within a specified date range. Please review the bulletin for further details.
  5. Enhanced Claim-Handling Process for Building Losses Insured (Applicable to the Standard Flood Insurance Policy Dwelling Form & Group Flood Insurance Policies)– The adjuster may use a building valuation loss adjustment to support a large advance payment or if the policy limit is exceeded, conclude the claim in a timely manner.

For more information on the NFIP, visit their webpage. For additional resources, visit the Office’s “Flood Insurance Resources” webpage.

Palm Harbor woman claims $1 million prize in $10,000,000 FORTUNE Scratch-Off game

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The Florida Lottery announces that Toni Tartaglione, 67, of Palm Harbor, claimed a $1 million prize in the $10,000,000 FORTUNE Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee. She chose to receive her winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $792,000.00.
Tartaglione purchased her winning ticket from Publix, located at 35439 U.S. Highway 19 North in Palm Harbor. The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.
The $25 Scratch-Off game, $10,000,000 FORTUNE, launched in February 2016, and features more than $623 million in total cash prizes, including 46 prizes of $1 million and four prizes of $10 million. The game’s overall odds of winning are one-in-2.88.
Scratch-Off games are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, comprising approximately 65 percent of ticket sales and generating more than $734 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in fiscal year 2015-16.

Commissioner Adam Putnam Surveys Damage in Florida Keys, Visits Emergency Operations Center

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Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam
speaks with State Representative Holly Raschein at EOC.

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam today surveyed damage in the Florida Keys and visited the Monroe County Emergency Operations Center to meet with those officials involved in emergency response and recovery efforts.

Gov. Scott: Our Focus is Getting Keys Residents Back Home

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Governor Rick Scott, and several state agency heads, today held meetings in the Florida Keys focused on how to assist Monroe County to quickly open the Keys to residents. Hurricane Irma made landfall on Cudjoe Key as a Category 4 storm on Sunday. Governor Scott toured damage in the Keys on Monday and Wednesday. The decision on when it’s safe for residents to return is made by Monroe County, but the Governor has committed full support of the state to help expedite that process. Local officials have indicated that a decision regarding residents returning will be made soon.
Governor Rick Scott said, “Florida is 100 percent focused on helping Monroe County get their residents home quickly and safely. This requires everyone working together and communicating around the clock. We are aggressively directing state resources to the Florida Keys. The power must get back on and the sewage system must be quickly fixed to ensure there are no health and safety issues. Residents of the Florida Keys need to be able to return to their normal lives.”
The Governor was joined by the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, the Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation, the State Surgeon General, the Director of the Division of Emergency Management, and the Executive Director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The Governor was also joined by members of FEMA, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the U.S. Navy.

STATE RESOURCES CURRENTLY BEING DIRECTED TO THE FLORIDA KEYS

FWC

  • FWC has 155 officers and 34 vessels in Monroe County including Special Operations Group (SOG) officers. 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 actively coordinating a multi-service effort to conduct life-saving operations in the Florida Keys. Guard Soldiers and Airmen are providing critical capabilities including road and runway clearance to support the delivery of critically needed supplies.
  • The Florida National Guard also established a Logistical Staging Area in Marathon with 76 National Guard members to distribute supplies to six points of distribution in Monroe County to ensure supplies, such as food and water, are quickly provided to those who need them.
  • Florida Army National Guard has staged assets in Opalocka, where they are actively conducting aerial operations to deliver life-saving supplies to the Florida Keys.
  • The Florida National Guard is currently operating two Command Post Nodes and two Joint Incident Site Communications Capability systems which support satellite communications systems to provide desperately needed communication capabilities in the Florida Keys. The Guard is working closely with Monroe County to identify any additional needs.

Florida Department of Transportation

  • FDOT damage assessment teams and debris removal crews are assessing damage and cleared U.S. 1 down to Key West. FDOT has also completed bridge inspection on 26 off-system bridges at the request of Monroe County.
  • FDOT is closely coordinating support of debris removal in off-system roads in Monroe County. Crews are out now in Big Pine Key and working their way into other locations as directed by the county.
  • FDOT worked with ATT to install temporary towers so those with ATT phones should have normal connectivity.
  • Current damage repairs include:
    • Mile Marker 74.5 – Sea Oates Beach temp work was complete yesterday by 3 PM.  Permanent pavement was finished Thursday.
    • Mile Marker 37 (four-lane divided section) – Embankment work was finished Thursday.  Permanent pavement repairs will be completed Friday.
    • Inspection of all shoulder failures was competed Thursday. Work will be scheduled beginning next week.
    • Traffic signal repairs will begin Friday and signage repairs and installation will begin next week.

Florida Highway Patrol

  • FHP is providing traffic escorts to resources in route to the Keys, such as fuel tankers, food and water deliveries, mobile restrooms, and seven AT&T communication trucks to assist with communication coverage in Monroe County.
  • FHP has a squad of troopers assigned to Key West to assist with any local law enforcement needs.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)

  • FDLE is coordinating repairs to the state law enforcement radio system and establishing temporary communications for first responders in Monroe County.
  • FDLE has coordinated dozens of law enforcement missions for Monroe County including local EOC staffing and security.

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.
  • DEP staff requested an Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) for 10 crews to assist the 117-mile main line repairs need from Key Largo to Key West. Currently, Tennessee and South Carolina are working to deploy teams this morning, to be escorted by law enforcement once in Florida. One team from the City of Jupiter was on the ground yesterday to assist the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority in laying pipeline and assessing breaches. To further supplement work until additional teams arrive, Miami-Dade water and sewer department has assembled two teams to start work.

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 are in route to Monroe County: 3 trailers of ice, food and water, 2 trailers of ice, 7 truckloads of ice and 1 truckload of food, and 40 industrial portable restrooms.
  • The following resources have been delivered/supplied to Monroe County: 100,000 Dehydrated Meals to Salvation Army Warehouse, 36,000 bottles of water and 100 individual portable restrooms that have been place along every mile marker along US1.

Utilities

  • Monroe County utility providers:
    • Keys Electric (lower keys – South end of Seven Mile Bridge to Key West)
      • 31,183 accounts
      • 80% of all accounts are still without power
    • Keys Electric Cooperative (upper keys)
      • 32,500 accounts
      • 28% of all accounts are still without power

FEMA

  • As of September 12, 2017, FEMA transferred approximately 3.8 million meals and 3.4 million liters of water to states in the Southeast, at the states’ requests.
  • Current resources available to Florida include: more than 315,000 meals, more than 390,000 liters of water, and 150 generators

LOCAL UPDATES IN THE FLORIDA KEYS

The Port of Key West

  • Remains closed to all boat traffic until the U.S. Coast Guard has determined that all areas surrounding the port are safe. Submerged vessels are still blocking the main channel and the U.S. Coast Guard has determined that the area surrounding the port is unsafe.
  • The U.S. Coast Guard is patrolling the area and is preventing any boats from entering the restricted area.

Food and Water Distribution

  • Six distribution centers are established in Monroe County to ensure supplies, such as food and water, are able to be quickly provided to those who need them. Distribution sites will be open daily from noon until 6:00 p.m.
  • The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority has opened their storage tanks for water distribution.

Boil Water Order

  • A Boil Water Notice is still in effect across the Keys.

Medical Services

  • Mariners Hospital in Tavernier has opened its emergency room.
  • A medical care center has been established at Marathon City Hall with the support of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Grocery Stores

  • The Winn-Dixie and Publix grocery stores are open in Key Largo with limited hours.
  • The CVS Pharmacy in Key Largo opened Wednesday.

Fuel

  • Monroe County has reported that fuel remains limited in the Keys but gas stations are beginning to open up to the public, especially in the Upper Keys. The Marlin at MM 88, the Valero at MM 92 and the Circle K at MM 102 were open this morning.

Insurance

  • Citizens Property Insurance Corporation has opened a Catastrophe Response Center at the Murray Nelson Government Center in Key Largo. Policy holders can file claims, confirm coverage and receive advance payments for additional living expenses when appropriate. For more information, click HERE.