Duval Times

Senator Rick Scott visited the Pasco County Emergency Operations Center in New Port Richey, Florida, this morning. He received a briefing from Sheriff Chris Nocco, local law enforcement leaders, and emergency management officials about the response and recovery efforts for Hurricane Helene.

Senator Scott expressed gratitude towards the emergency management officials and first responders for their continuous efforts. "I want to thank the emergency management officials, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco and first responders for working through the night to ensure Florida families here have what they need to stay safe as we begin to recover from Category 4 Hurricane Helene," he said.

He highlighted the extensive damage caused by intense rain and storm surge along nearly the entire Gulf Coast of Florida, resulting in power outages and damage to homes. He urged residents to heed local law enforcement's advice due to ongoing hazards like downed power lines and standing water. "Please make sure you are listening to your local law enforcement. There are still many downed power lines and hazards, like standing water, that can harm you—so stay vigilant," Scott added.

Scott assured Floridians of his support at the federal level and emphasized collaboration with FEMA on recovery efforts. "I am here to emphasize that Floridians can count on me to be their partner at the federal level and will continue working with FEMA on Hurricane Helene response and recovery efforts," he stated.

Throughout this week, Senator Scott has maintained daily communication with the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and has been in contact with FEMA for updates on Hurricane Helene. Before Helene made landfall, he received briefings from officials in Bay County, Franklin County, Taylor County, and Levy County.

Earlier this week, Senators Scott and Marco Rubio sent a letter to President Joe Biden requesting an immediate pre-landfall emergency declaration for potentially impacted counties in Florida. President Biden approved this request on Tuesday afternoon.

Senator Scott encourages all Floridians seeking information and resources on Hurricane Helene response and recovery to visit his website at https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/hurricane-season-resources. Updates from the National Hurricane Center can be found at nhc.noaa.gov or @NHC_Atlantic on X (formerly known as Twitter), while information from the Florida Division of Emergency Management is available at floridadisaster.org or @FLSERT.