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Trailers arrive as DeSantis announces more aid for school employees

In Fort Myers, governor announces 2,400 trailers ordered

By Nathan Mayberg - | Jan 19, 2023

Gov. Ron DeSantis File photo by Nathan Mayberg

On Sept. 28, the home of Fort Myers resident Barbara Morgan was flooded with six feet of water by Hurricane Ian. Forced out of her home, she stayed with family as she awaited her next steps.

On Thursday, she was hugging Gov. Ron DeSantis in front of her new state-issued trailer next to her home at a press conference publicizing the distribution of the state trailers and more aid for school employees.

Morgan said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided her $2,500 for three months of rent to find shelter after Hurricane Ian but said there was no home in the area available for less than $2,500 for one month.

Morgan can stay in the new state trailer for six months.

Morgan embraced DeSantis with a hug and said “thank you to the whole team, the whole staff.”

“Everybody’s been just so wonderful,” Morgan said. Morgan said there were a couple glitches with the trailer and after making a call they were fixed within a couple hours.

Desantis said the state has delivered more than 140 trailers so far and FEMA has delivered approximately another 80 trailers. DeSantis said he believes another “couple thousand people” could use trailers and said the state has ordered more than 2,400 trailers.

“We’re not satisfied with where we are now. We want to do more,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis said he has instructed Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie to work with local governments and cut through “red tape” to get more trailers delivered.

One of the reasons for the delay in the delivery of trailers has been a FEMA rule which prevents the agency from funding trailers in special high hazard area floodways such as in Fort Myers Beach. The agency recently announced they would be making exceptions to the rule.

DeSantis said the state delayed putting trailers on Fort Myers Beach because it would put the state’s participation in the National Flood Insurance Program at risk.

Town of Fort Myers Beach Interim Manager Keith Wilkins said “FEMA reported to us that they have approved some trailers, but the representatives didn’t have the exact number at that time. It’s on the order of less than 10 at this point but the process is ongoing, so that number will change perhaps daily if not weekly.”

Aid for school employees

On Thursday, DeSantis also presented an oversized check to school employees from the region representing an additional $1 million to aid school employees in the region impacted by Hurricane Ian.

Those funds were raised by private donations to the Florida Disaster Fund and will go to support organizations in Lee County, Collier County, Hardee County, DeSoto County and Saratoga County.

The funds can be used for food, gas, home repairs and other items.

DeSantis said more than $63 million has been raised through the Florida Disaster Fund. The fund previously allocated $2 million for school employees in October.

DeSantis also announced Thursday that he has directed the Department of Children and Families to utilize $13.8 million in grant funding to support and expand mental health resources for Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian. That includes on-site counseling and mental health support for survivors. DeSantis said the agency has provided more than 120,000 meals to Florida families impacted by Hurricane Ian.

DeSantis also announced that the Florida Division of Emergency Management has obligated more than $500 million in public assistance funding to communities impacted by Hurricane Ian. DeSantis said the state has qualified for $100 million in federal hazard mitigation program funding.

Guthrie urged those who have not yet done so to apply for the state’s housing recovery programs at IanRecovery.fl.gov/unite.

Fort Myers Beach Observer Editor Nathan Mayberg can be reached at Nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com.

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