Rick Scott Visits Lee County for Briefing on Hurricane Helene Response & Recovery Efforts, Surveys Damage

Watch Senator Rick Scott's remarks HERE and HERE. <_o3a_p>

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. -Today, Senator Rick Scott visited Fort Myers Beach in Lee County to survey damage from Hurricane Helene and receive a briefing from Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers, City of Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson, Congressman Byron Donalds and local emergency management officials regarding response and recovery efforts. Senator Scott has been in constant contact with federal officials, local leaders, law enforcement and emergency management officials in communities throughout the state that are impacted by Hurricane Helene to ensure they have the needed resources as they respond to the storm and help Floridians recover.Senator Scott is urging those in need of assistance with a federal agency, like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Small Business Administration (SBA), or any other federal issue, while recovering from Hurricane Helene to contact his office HERE.<_o3a_p>

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Senator Rick Scottsaid, "While Hurricane Helene made landfall hundreds of miles north of Lee County in the Big Bend, communities here still experienced feet of devastating storm surge that caused significant damage to homes and businesses. Many folks are still recovering from Hurricane Ian and Helene has only made that work more difficult. I just visited Fort Myers Beach to survey damage and receive a briefing from Sheriff Marceno and local law enforcement. My heart goes out to all the Floridians impacted by this storm and I'm working every day with local, state, and federal partners, like FEMA and the SBA to coordinate resources and direct assistance to those in need. I'm grateful for the law enforcement, National Guard, emergency management officials and first responders for their work here on the ground.<_o3a_p>

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"Floridians are resilient, and while so many families are facing unimaginable loss, I will stand alongside them every step of the way as they recover, and I will fight for every federal resource they need to do so. Please make sure to continue to follow the direction of local authorities and stay safe while the storm surge continues to recede, they work to get roads back open, power back on and families back home. I have nine offices throughout the state and my team and I are standing by ready to help. If you or someone you know needs assistance with a federal agency, like FEMA, the SBA, or any other federal issue, while recovering from Hurricane Helene contact us HERE. If there is one thing I know, it is that Floridians can get through anything when we come together and the resolve of our state will ensure we rebuild and recover to be even stronger than before."<_o3a_p>

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This week, Senator Scott has had daily calls with the National Hurricane Center (NHC) prior to Helene's landfall and been in contact with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the days after to receive the latest updates on HurricaneHelene. Prior to Helene's landfall, Senator Scott received briefings from law enforcement and emergency management officials in Bay, Franklin, Taylorand LevyCounties and urged Floridian to heed warnings, evacuate and prepare. Since Helene's landfall, Senator Scott has visited in Pasco, Pinellas, Hernando, Levy and Manatee Counties to receive a briefingfrom the sheriff and emergency management officials in each county on local response and recovery efforts. <_o3a_p>

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On Saturday night, following Senator Scott and Senator Marco Rubio's letter to President Joe Biden urging his immediate approval of a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Florida, President Biden approved the request. This Major Disaster Declaration approval follows last week's approval of the State of Florida's request for a pre-landfall emergency declaration for potentially impacted Florida counties at the request of Senators Scott and Rubio. <_o3a_p>

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Senator Scott encourages all Floridians to visit his website at www.rickscott.senate.gov/hurricane-season-resourcesfor information and resources on Hurricane Helene response and recovery or from the Florida Division of Emergency Management at floridadisaster.org or @FLSERT. <_o3a_p>

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