Duval Times

Senator Rick Scott, accompanied by Congressman Brian Mast, visited St. Lucie County to receive a briefing from Sheriff Keith Pearson on the response to Hurricane Milton. The Senator has been in regular communication with federal and local officials to ensure adequate resources are available for those affected by the hurricane. He encourages residents needing assistance from agencies like FEMA or the SBA to reach out to his office.

On Thursday, Senator Scott discussed recovery efforts with President Joe Biden, emphasizing the need for full funding of disaster relief agencies such as FEMA, SBA, HUD, and USDA. Scott also communicated with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman regarding the ongoing response efforts.

Scott's visit to St. Lucie County follows his tour of other affected areas including Volusia, Lake, Pinellas, Sarasota, Hillsborough, Lee, and Charlotte counties where he surveyed damage and met with local officials.

The Florida congressional delegation sent a letter to President Biden urging prompt approval of Florida’s Expedited Major Disaster Declaration request after Hurricane Milton's landfall. Following this appeal, President Biden approved the request enabling individuals in 34 counties to apply for assistance through FEMA.

Senator Rick Scott stated: “Although Hurricane Milton made landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida, this storm was massive and impacted nearly the entire state of Florida—especially here in St. Lucie where Congressman Mast, Sheriff Pearson and I saw firsthand the devastating and unprecedented impact of Milton's tornadoes.”

He added that he has asked President Biden to expedite damage assessments so that recovery work can commence swiftly: "I told the president that I am completely focused on making sure that FEMA, SBA, HUD and USDA are fully funded for disaster recovery."

Ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall, Senator Scott maintained daily communications with the National Hurricane Center (NHC) for updates while traveling along Florida’s Gulf Coast. He received briefings from sheriffs and emergency management officials in various counties urging safety measures.

Additionally, Senators Scott and Rubio wrote letters advocating pre-landfall emergency declarations which were subsequently approved by President Biden. They also addressed potential obstructions at Port Tampa Bay due to its significance in receiving petroleum products vital for Florida's economy.

For assistance related to federal agencies following Hurricanes Milton and Helene or more information on response efforts from the Florida Division of Emergency Management visit Senator Scott’s website or follow @FLSERT online.