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Recovery Efforts

Montford Dedicates First Commerce and Tourism Committee Meeting to Hurricane Recovery Efforts

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Senator Bill Montford, Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Tourism, will lead the committee’s first meeting on hurricane effects and recovery efforts across the business community in Florida.
“Hurricane Irma was a catastrophic storm, the likes of which Florida has never seen,” said Senator Montford. “We continue to face the long and complicated process of recovery statewide, from our businesses and tourist industry, the school systems, to agriculture and infrastructure, there was not an entity left untouched. It is important that we focus on fully understanding the impacts so that the Legislature can stand with local governments, businesses and citizens on the road to recovery. I have invited several representatives from the business community, as well as the governmental entities that focus on commerce and economic development to our first meeting. I also welcome all of my Senate colleagues to attend and participate in the panel discussion if they have questions specific to their districts. Vice Chair Gainer and I are committed to ensuring that Hurricane Irma will not stunt economic development in Florida.”
The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee will meet on Monday, October 9th in Senate Office Building Room 110. The panel will consist of representatives from the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Florida United Businesses Association, CareerSource Florida, Visit Florida, Florida Small Business Development Center Network, and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. The panelists will provide a brief overview of the impacts of the storm as well as efforts in recovery, and will be prepared to answer specific questions from Senators.
Senator Bill Montford
Senator Bill Montford (D-Tallahassee) represents the Florida Senate’s third district, which includes the following counties: Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Hamilton, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla. Senator Montford was first elected to the Senate in 2010 and subsequently re-elected in 2012 and 2016. He serves as Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Tourism, Vice Chair of Communications, Energy, and Public Utilities and member of Appropriations, Appropriations Subcommittee on Pre-K – 12 Education, Health Policy and Rules.

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