Federal funding is available for several Florida counties in the wake of Hurricane Ian as Gov. Ron DeSantis’s request for a major disaster declaration was approved Sept. 29 by President Joe Biden.
The declaration allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency to give individual assistance for survivors in “Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota counties,” a news release said.
“It also provides 100% federal funding for debris removal and emergency, life-saving measures for 30 days in those counties,” the FEMA release said.
According to the release, the federal government deployed a search and rescue coordination group made up of FEMA Urban Search and Rescue teams, the Department of Defense, Customs Border and Protection, Florida and the U.S. Coast Guard. These teams helped to coordinate rescue efforts with local officials.
The FEMA release also offered safety suggestions, including staying off the roads, avoiding downed power or utility lines and staying out of floodwater.
