DeSantis urges Feds: Include Madison County as a Major Disaster Area.

Florida Governor Ron ⁣DeSantis Urges Federal Government to Include ⁢Madison ‌County in ‌Disaster Declaration

During a press conference on⁤ September 1, Florida Governor Ron ⁣DeSantis highlighted the⁤ urgent need for the federal government to add ‍Madison County to its major disaster declaration. He emphasized that the county had suffered significant damage and deserved individual assistance.

“We definitely need to get the federal government to add Madison County to the individual assistance⁢ of that declaration,”‍ he said. “They got hit. They clearly⁣ merit⁣ it,‌ [and] I think we’re gonna probably​ get that because ⁢there was a lot of damage that had happened there.”

While the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had already approved the declaration for⁤ seven counties, Madison County was left out. Situated ‌between Taylor County⁢ and the Florida-Georgia Line, the county experienced extensive damage,⁣ including ⁤thousands of downed​ trees and complete‍ power loss.

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Governor DeSantis acknowledged that Madison County did not experience storm ‍surge like​ Horseshoe‍ Beach, but it still faced the impact of ​a ​strong storm. Many trees were knocked down, and some homes were damaged by fallen trees.

The governor assured that​ damage assessments would continue to be monitored, as the debris‌ could have ⁢affected​ numerous homes. He shared a story about a couple who had three fallen trees⁢ on their house, emphasizing​ the serious challenges‌ faced by affected residents.

“It doesn’t mean⁤ that the house‌ won’t‍ be habitable, but it does mean that⁢ these are some serious challenges,” he said. “So I want to make sure‍ that we’ve got support available for folks.”

Joining Governor DeSantis were Florida ‍Department of Children and Families ‍Secretary Shevaun Harris, Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-Fla.), and Florida State Representative Tom Fabricio, who is also a member of the ⁤Florida State Guard.

Secretary Harris announced the establishment of a Family Resource Support ‌Center in Madison County, which would provide crucial assistance⁢ to residents during the recovery process.

“These centers were‌ critical following ​Hurricane Ian,” she said. “These centers are staffed with skilled, passionate teams, including health navigators, crisis counselors, and program experts who specialize in helping people through ‍the ‌recovery process.”

Congresswoman Cammack drew attention to the anticipated agricultural damage in the region,⁤ emphasizing the impact on local ⁤communities⁢ and economies.

“In Suwannee County—along ‌with Hamilton, Madison, Lafayette, ‌Dixie, ⁤and Levy County—we are going⁣ to sustain tremendous agricultural losses,” she said. “Everything from our aquaculture⁣ industry⁢ to our row crops to our ‌timber‌ industries are all sustaining damages.”

Despite the destruction, Governor DeSantis expressed confidence in ‌the area’s swift recovery. He​ mentioned that the Waffle ‌House had reopened⁤ just a few hours after the storm, and most‍ retailers in the area had resumed operations, albeit with the help of ‌generators in the hardest-hit areas.

The governor took the opportunity to commend the first responders for their dedicated efforts in facilitating a rapid recovery.

“I want to ‌thank ⁢everybody,” Governor DeSantis ⁣said. “I mean, I’ve ⁤seen folks from all over the state that ​have searched this area to help. Whether it’s on our urban search and rescue teams, whether it’s sheriff’s ‌deputies from ⁣other parts ​of the state, police officers, firefighters, you name it.

“It’s really been a team effort, all hands‍ on deck, and we’re gonna ⁣keep doing ​that to be able to get everybody back on their feet.”

“As‍ the ⁣wife of a first⁣ responder,⁤ it is incredibly important that we re

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