Hello, Friends —

This week, President Trump approved a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Florida, which will help us recover quickly and efficiently from the damage caused by Hurricane Sally.

The declaration makes Escambia County eligible for Public Assistance, which is grant reimbursement for all categories of Public Assistance work, including debris removal and emergency work, and permanent work, which helps rebuild damaged infrastructure.

Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, and Washington Counties were approved for “Public Assistance Category B,” which provides assistance for “emergency protective measures,” including things like overtime for first responders, sandbag filling, etc.

Individual Assistance, which is grant assistance for individuals and households, is still under review. When the status of this changes, I will let you know.

Now that the disaster declaration has been approved, please make sure your claim documentation is prepared; this is necessary in order to apply for FEMA assistance.

Here’s how to begin:

Document the waterlines of the flooding damage that occurred in your home or on your property. The more addresses to indicate water damage from the hurricane will increase the individual assistance you receive from FEMA. Please also list any furniture or other belongings you have lost in the storm.
Do not wait to clean up the damage to your residence. After taking photos, immediately start removing water from your home, as mold grows quickly.
Contact your insurance provider and file your claims individually. You will need your insurance claim information prior to applying for FEMA assistance.
After the determination from your insurance company on the settlement has been received, you can file with FEMA. Please note that you MUST give FEMA the settlement information from your insurance when filing for assistance.
Call 1-800-621-3362, go to disasterassistance.gov, or use the FEMA app to file for assistance with FEMA.

For more information, please check FEMA.gov, disasterassistance.gov, floridadisaster.org, or my website.

HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES RECOVER

The Small Business Administration is making low-interest disaster loans available to businesses and residents of areas affected by Hurricane Sally. Small businesses, and most private nonprofit organizations, in counties affected by the hurricane will be eligible to apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans. For more information, please visit sba.gov or https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Additionally, on Wednesday, Governor DeSantis activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program for small businesses damaged by Hurricane Sally. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) administers the Emergency Bridge Loan program, which will provide short-term, zero-interest loans to small businesses that experienced physical damage or economic injury during Hurricane Sally. The application period opened today and runs through November 14, 2020, or until the available funds are expended. For more information, see here and here.

BUSINESS DAMAGE SURVEY

In an effort to expedite the recovery process for businesses damaged by the hurricane, the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and State Emergency Response Team have activated the Business Damage Assessment Survey. The program will gather information through the survey from businesses affected by Hurricane Sally and share the results with various local, state and federal agencies to implement appropriate disaster relief programs. Any business affected by the storm is encouraged to complete the Business Damage Assessment survey, available at FloridaDisaster.biz.

DEO is currently surveying businesses in the counties affected by Hurricane Sally. To access the business survey, please click HERE (select “Hurricane Sally” from the drop-down menu). Completed surveys will be used to determine which emergency support programs might be beneficial to aid recovery efforts in the area. Local, state and federal officials will use this information to provide any needed assistance programs needed for recovery.

RECOVERY RESOURCES

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR HOME IS DAMAGED

Contact your insurer as soon as possible to report the damage. Have your policy number ready. Damage associated with wind and other severe weather is typically covered under a standard homeowners, renters or business policy. Property owners with flood damage need to contact their flood insurer to file a flood-related claims. If you have flood damage but do not have flood insurance, federal disaster assistance may be available in the form of grants and loans if a federal disaster is declared.
Photograph or videotape the damage to share with your insurer and keep a copy for your records.
Make temporary repairs if it is safe to do so. If there are holes in your roof or your windows are broken, be sure to cover them as quickly as possible to prevent further damage.
Save receipts for any materials you purchase to assist with repairs. You may submit them to your insurer for reimbursement.
Do not throw away any damaged items until an adjuster visits your home. Keep in mind that due to COVID-19 and social distancing, you may collaborate with an adjuster via a video call instead of in-person.
Many standard homeowners and renters policies provide reimbursement of additional living expenses when the property is determined to be uninhabitable due to damage. This provision helps pay for things like temporary housing, restaurant meals, overnight parking and laundry service. Check with your insurer or agent for a list of what your policy will cover.
Watch out for crooked contractors and third parties posing as contractors who often go door to door after disasters preying on homeowners in desperate need of repairs.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR HOME IS FLOODED

Shovel or scrape mud off floors, furniture, and walls before the mud dries. Then hose down the walls with clean water, starting from the ceiling.
Major appliances, such as refrigerators and stoves, can be washed and dried completely. In most cases, they will not be damaged unless they were operating at the time the water covered them.
Diluted chlorine bleach can be used to clean household items, appliances, walls, and floors and will help control odors.
Wood furniture should be dried outdoors, but not in direct sunlight. Remove drawers and other moving parts before they dry.
Food utensils and equipment should be washed thoroughly and sterilized before using. Any food that is open and exposed to flood waters should be discarded.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR VEHICLE IS FLOODED

Be cautious about starting a vehicle that has been exposed to flood waters, and if your vehicle is missing report it to the police.
If the water got above the floorboards, or the seats are wet, do not try to start the car. The electrical system is the most sensitive to water damage and trying to start the car could cause more damage.
Open the hood and check the air filter. If it is wet, do not try to start the car.
Report the loss to your auto insurer and protect the car from further damage by covering any broken windows.

What to expect after filing a homeowners claim relating to a hurricane

The flood insurance claims process

Emergency financial preparedness toolkit

CONTACT INFORMATION

The following are web sites and contact information for various federal and state agencies:

Escambia County:

County Website
Escambia County Zone Map
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bereadyec/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/myescambia

Holmes County:

County Website
Holmes County Emergency Management
Facebook: Holmes County Emergency Management
Twitter: @HCSO_FL

Okaloosa County:

Santa Rosa County:

Walton County:

Traffic and road information:

GAETZ IN THE NEWS

The Daily Caller — September 23, 2020

Rep. Matt Gaetz Alleges Bloomberg Is Buying Votes Of Convicted Felons

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz called for an investigation Tuesday into former democratic presidential candidate and billionaire Mike Bloomberg for allegedly paying off outstanding debts of convicted felons in exchange for votes.

Florida Politics — September 23, 2020

Republicans see potential economic boon in clean energy

Gov. Ron DeSantis recognized the week with a proclamation and members of Florida’s congressional delegation, including Reps. Matt Gaetz, Francis Rooney and Mario Diaz-Balart, cosponsored a resolution doing the same. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and other state Democrats have joined in support as well.

Newsmax — September 24, 2020

Florida AG Seeks FBI Probe of Bloomberg Payments to Help Felons Vote

More than $20 million was raised for the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, which coordinated the effort. Bloomberg helped bring in $16 million and also donated $5 million, the Post noted. Tuesday night, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said he believed a “criminal investigation” into the matter was in the works.

Newsmax — September 23, 2020

Matt Gaetz: GOP Must Help Trump ‘Achieve Full Potential’

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said his party needs to help President Donald Trump “achieve the full potential of this presidency” by being more unified.

Florida Politics — September 22, 2020

Matt Gaetz calls on Mitch McConnell to prove his ‘utility’ with Supreme Court nomination

Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to crack down on wavering Republican Senators and deliver President Donald Trump his third Supreme Court nomination. Gaetz’s remarks came during a Monday night interview with FOX News’ Tucker Carlson, where he challenged McConnell to strip funding and committee assignments from dissenting GOP lawmakers. “Mitch McConnell views his entire legacy as the Senate Leader as tied to the judiciary,” Gaetz told Carlson. “He literally wrote a book about it. And if he is unable to deliver this result for the President, one has to ask: what is the utility of Mitch McConnell?"

Cheddar — September 21, 2020

Rep. Gaetz: Senate Should Have Voted on 2016 Obama Supreme Court Pick

The death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has sparked debate in Washington, DC over how quickly the Senate should vote on a nominee for the now-vacant Supreme Court seat. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) weighs in on 2020 versus 2016, TikTok, and the MORE Act.