Last Updated: 8:46 a.m.
President Joe Biden on Friday approved a major disaster declaration for 34 Florida counties that suffered damage from Hurricane Milton, including Flagler, Volusia, St. Johns and Putnam counties. The declaration will help individuals and local governments to shoulder recovery costs, including–for governments–reimbursements for the majority of costs incurred by damage sustained or services provided during the storm and the recovery period.
“Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster,” the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) states. That includes under-insured or uninsured homeowners and renters. But FEMA assistance is not a substitute for insurance.
The assistance for individuals and households is called Individual Assistance (IA). But the bulk of FEMA’s grants are for Public Assistance (PA), which reimburses state and local governments when disaster costs are too much for them to absorb. FEMA will reimburse at least 75 percent of the eligible costs with a local match of 25 percent.
For example, the Flagler Beach pier was severely damaged and eventually condemned by hurricanes starting with Matthew in 2016 and Irma in 2017. Flagler Beach was reimbursed for the bulk of the reconstruction cost. The pier is to be demolished and a concrete pire built, starting later this year.
Just as significantly: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers just finished “renourishing,” or rebuilding, 2.6 miles of shorefront from South 6th Street to South 28th Street in Flagler Beach, plus an additional 0.6 miles paid for through the county with state funds. Hurricane Milton severely eroded that newly rebuilt beach. But now that the stretch between South 6th and South 28th is a federal beach, the federal government will repair the damage entirely at federal expense.
“The project is eligible to receive federal money for emergency repairs to the beach,” Jason Harrah, the Army Corps’ project manager, told local officials in 2018, as officials were preparing to sign on to what amounts to a 50-year cost-sharing contract to keep renourishing the beach. Harrah’s words at the time were as prophetic as they were intended to be another way to encourage local governments to sign on. Those damaging storms, he said, “can happen any time during the 50-year life and does not count toward any of the costs shown here. So if we complete this project in the next year and a half, two years, God forbid another storm comes in in 2022, 23, once that storm is named, and once it’s declared as a disaster, the federal government provides us money to move forward with design and construction of repair of that beach at 100 percent federal cost.”
Biden has now issued that declaration.
Beyond the beach, disaster-related costs include repairs to damaged infrastructure, public services and facilities. That means costs of repairing the roof damage Flagler Beach City Hall sustained can now be mostly reimbursed by FEMA. But so will a substantial cost of local personnel’s overtime and costs related to the emergency response. In FEMA’s words, “These dollars may help repair roads and bridges people use every day getting to work and school. Grants are used to repair utilities and water systems. The dollars also help to rebuild hospitals, schools and universities and restore damaged public parks and beaches. Grants reimburse communities for cleanup and debris removal. And, they are used to reimburse emergency services such as police, fire and emergency management for extraordinary expenses for overtime pay to protect and assist community residents during a disaster.”
If you applied to FEMA after Hurricanes Debby or Helene and have additional damage from Hurricane Milton, you will need to apply separately for Milton and provide the dates of your most recent damage. Apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply using the FEMA mobile app or by calling FEMA’s helpline toll-free at 800-621-3362. Lines are open every day and help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. To view an accessible video on how to apply visit Three Ways to Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube.
In addition, for a period of 90 days within the first 120 days from the start of the incident period (which started Oct. 5), assistance for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program is authorized at 100 percent. That means local governments will get all their debris-removal costs reimbursed.
John E. Brogan is the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in Florida.
Scams have shadowed the recovery efforts in Flagler County as elsewhere. Fraudulent “representatives” of the American Red Cross are claiming to be in the area to offer assistance. Flagler County Emergency Management has confirmed with the state that they are not currently in the area. Please do not give any personal information to these people, and report them promptly to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at 386-313-4911. Official representatives from FEMA and the Red Cross will never approach you before you reach out to them first.
Residents on the west side of the county continue to face flooding issues as the waters of the St. Johns River basin further swell Crescent Lake and Dead Lake. Flagler County officials have made a sand and sandbag distribution station available again on Sunday at Hidden Trails Community Center, 6108 Mahogany Blvd in Bunnell. Inmate crews from the Flagler County jail will be on-site to assist with filling from 11 am to 4 p.m. or until supplies are depleted.
Also, for those in need of food and water on the west side of the county, MRE food–meals ready to eat–clean water, protective tarps, and empty sandbags will be distribution at a distribution station today (Sunday) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or until all resources are distributed. Additionally, resource boxes with canned goods and can openers will be available starting at 10 a.m. Look for the Red Roof at 245 CR 305 in Bunnell. The food boxes will contain four 15-ounce food entrees, soups, tuna cans, vegetables, beans, and so on. Keep in mind: Grace Community Food Pantry’s usual Sunday distribution at Education way is cancelled today.
As of Sunday morning, just under 1 million customers in Florida were still without power, including 4,570 households and businesses in Flagler County, or 6 percent of the county’s customer total. As of Saturday morning there were more than 800,000 Spectrum customers without service. The company did not release the local figure.
As for debris clean-up: To allow adequate time for residents and contractors to complete post-storm clearing and cleanup efforts, Flagler County has tentatively coordinated dedicated post-debris pickup for disposal beginning Monday, October 21. WastePro plans to resume commercial and roll-off pickup on Monday, and residents may utilize this for early debris removal as well. Ensure that household garbage is adequately separated from debris, and avoid blocking ditches and swales to prevent flooding and support stormwater drainage. When placing curbside, do not block driveways, roadways, mailboxes, or utility poles.
In Palm Coast, debris removal will begin on Oct,. 16. See details here.
Stormwater drainage and wastewater treatment systems are still at capacity throughout the county. Residents are asked to limit water system to emergent, essential use (handwashing, drinking, flushing toilets sparingly) to allow the system to recover and return to functional levels. That’s expected until Monday.
What You’ll Need When You Apply for FEMA Aid:
A current phone number where you can be contacted.
Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying.
Your Social Security number.
A general list of damage and losses.
Banking information if you choose direct deposit.
If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name.
If you have homeowners, renters or flood insurance, file a claim as soon as possible. FEMA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance. If your policy does not cover all your disaster expenses, you may be eligible for federal assistance.
If you applied for assistance for multiple disasters, please note that each event may require a separate home inspection. During these inspections, the inspector will document damage and causes individually.
FEMA is contacting registered applicants, including those affected by multiple disasters, to help them navigate the process more effectively. These calls may come from unfamiliar area codes or phone numbers. If you are concerned about verifying that FEMA is trying to reach you, call 800-621-3362. FEMA representatives never charge applicants for disaster assistance, FEMA services are free.
As part of the Major Disaster Declaration, President Biden also authorized FEMA Public Assistance for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including Direct Federal Assistance, for 34 counties and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program statewide.
For the latest information about Florida’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4834. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.
