Hurricane Idalia Recovery and Response Resources

This page will be updated with new links as they become available, check back often for new information and comment below if you know of a resource to add.

This blog includes sections on:

  1. Volunteer & assistance resources
  2. Marine stakeholder, business, and landowner information
  3. Spotting scams and reporting fraud
  4. Insurance guidance
  5. Beaches & water quality
  6. Displaced/derelict vessels
  7. Navigational hazards
  8. Mold/flood damage & safety
  9. Helpful apps
  10. Mental health assistance
  11. Other notifications

See https://www.floridadisaster.org/ for additional updates.

Volunteer & Assistance resources

  • Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs)
    • Suwannee County – Agricultural Coliseum Exhibition Building 2, 1302 SW 11 Street, Live Oak, FL 32064, Open 9AM-7PM, Monday-Sunday
      Levy County – Inglis Community Center, 137 Hwy 40, Inglis, FL 34449, Open 9AM-7PM, Monday-Sunday
    • Dixie County – Dixie County Public Library, 16328 SE US-19, Cross City, FL 32628, Open 9AM-8PM, Monday-Sunday
    • Hamilton County – Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce, 1153 NW US Hwy 41, Jasper, FL 32052, Open 8AM-8PM, Monday-Sunday
    • Lafayette County – Mayo Community Center, 150 NW Community Center, Mayo, FL 32066, Open 8AM-7PM, Monday-Sunday
    • Madison County – Career Source North Florida, 705 E Base Street, Madison, FL, Open 8AM-8PM, Monday-Sunday
  • The Florida Department of Health (DOH) is staging mobile field hospitals and emergency rooms in Taylor, Suwannee, and Madison counties. A mobile medical unit is up and running in Madison County. Seven strike teams are deployed supporting ground and aerial EMS transport.
  • Boil water notices: Notices can be found on the DOH website here. Instructions on safe water use during a boil water notice can be found here.”
  • The Florida Department of Children and Families’ (DCF) has released more than $104 million in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits early in preparation/response to Hurricane Idalia for over 327,000 households that would normally receive their September SNAP benefit between the 1st – 14th of the month. This applies to SNAP households located in one of the 49 designated counties in Governor DeSantis’ Executive Order. Eligible recipients will have the benefits automatically added to their EBT card. There is no need for recipients to apply.

Marine & Business Stakeholder information

  • Florida Sea Grant has compiled Hurricane Idalia disaster relief resources for your industries. https://www.flseagrant.org/resources-for-floridas-fisheries-and-aquaculture-industries-impacted-by-hurricane-idalia/
  • Updated Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program – The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan program provides short-term, zero-interest working capital loans that are intended to “bridge the gap” between the time a disaster impacts a business and when a business has secured longer-term recovery funding such as federally or commercially available loans, insurance claims or other resources.
      • Loans are available up to $50,000 per eligible applicant.
        • $100,000 higher limit for agricultural small businesses; and
        • $5 million set aside for agricultural small businesses.
    • Loans made under this program are short-term, personal loans using State of Florida funds – they are not grants and must be repaid. Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loans require repayment by the approved applicant. Owners may utilize funding from longer-term financial resources, such as U.S. Small Business Administration economic injury disaster loans, to repay the Emergency Bridge Loan.
    • The loans are currently available to businesses established before August 31, 2023, located in Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Colombia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion , Nassau, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia and Wakulla. More information and an application link are available at https://floridacommerce.my.site.com/RebuildFloridaBusinessLoanFund/s/loan-programs?program=emergency-bridge-loan.
  • FEMA Individual Assistance is available to individuals and households in need of financial and direct services who have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs. Impacted individuals with insurance and residents outside of declared counties are still encouraged to apply.
      • Individual Assistance is currently available in Citrus, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Suwannee, Taylor, Columbia, Gilchrist, Hernando, Jefferson, Madison and Pasco Counties.
      • Individuals can apply in multiple ways:

Beaches & Water Quality

  • Water and wounds. Nutrient rich water and wounds do not mix. Do not enter coastal waters if you have fresh cuts or scrapes.
    • UF EDIS Documents regarding Vibrio with water use/seafood safety
  • Red tide. Although hurricanes don’t cause red tide, elevated nutrients from post storm activities can trigger algal blooms including red tide if present in background concentrations and come in presence its fuel. Check red tide statuses here https://myfwc.com/research/redtide/statewide/

Spotting Scams, Reporting Fraud & Price Gouging

Insurance guidance

Basic steps to respond after a disaster:

  1. Once you ensure your safety, assess damages. Take pictures. Use a list of contents if you had one from before the storm. This does not have to be an exhaustive assessment or list at the beginning, but you don’t want to lose the opportunity to document damages before things start to get cleaned up/repaired.
  2. File a claim by contacting your insurance company by phone or by internet as soon as possible. The sooner the process starts, the sooner you should be able to get it completed and get paid. Don’t worry, if you later realize you missed something in the claim, you should, with evidence, be able to add that to your claim. When you begin your claim, be sure to get a claim number that you will use through the entire process.
  3. When talking to your insurance company or agent, find out if you have coverage for additional living expenses (ALE) for things like hotel and food if you cannot live in your house due to damage.
  4. If necessary, do what is possible to secure the building against additional damages. Make sure to keep both pictures of before and after any temporary repairs and to keep track of expenses for emergency/temporary repairs. These should be reimbursable.

Displaced/Derelict Vessels and Marine Debris

  • FWC Directive For Vessels in Florida Waters/State Owned Land – more coming soon
    • Report storm damaged boats that might be lost or abandoned to your local law enforcement agency (preferred) or the FWC Division of Law Enforcement at 888-404-3922.
    • Callers should be prepared to provide the vessel’s registration number, current location and detailed description.
    • Vessel owners are encouraged to hire a salvage company to recover their vessel to provide the safest method possible for the vessel and the environment. The removal of displaced vessels can hasten the recovery and overall resilience of native marine plants and animals.
    • Owners of vessels that have become derelict have 45 days from the day the hurricane passed over the state to either remove their boats from waters of the state or bring it into a non-derelict condition. It’s important for boat owners to know that they have options regarding the future of their vessel.
    • Owners of displaced vessels who lack the resources to have their boat repaired, or if their vessel is determined to be beyond repair, may release ownership of their vessel. This process can be initiated by contacting the FWC and requesting to turn over a displaced vessel. An FWC representative will then contact the owner to explain the waiver process and facilitate the potential turnover of ownership.
  • Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) directive for reporting of vessel or other titled property and debris on uplands and marine debris – coming soon
  • Debris cleanup hotline: The public can report vessels that are displaced on public or private property using the Debris Cleanup Hotline [number coming soon]. The public can also report storm debris that has been pushed on land or is in the water.  When reporting a vessel, callers should be prepared to provide the vessel’s registration number, current location and detailed description of the vessel.  When reporting debris, callers should be prepared to provide a detailed description of the type of debris and its approximate size, and a current location with GPS coordinated being preferred.

Navigational Hazards

  • FWC reminds boaters: Use caution after Hurricanes

Mold/Flood damage & Safety

  • FIRE SAFETY: Florida Forest Service is asking Floridians in areas impacted by Hurricane Idalia to use caution when burning debris piles. Since smoke can travel great distances, be mindful of your neighbors as many are still without power and most homes have open windows. Burn piles must be less than 8 feet in diameter, extinguished one hour before sunset, and there are required setbacks from your house, forests, and roads. To learn more, visit BeWildfireReadyFL.com.

Mortgage Forbearance

  • If you cannot pay bills, contact lenders as soon as possible and ask for disaster recovery assistance. The lender may agree to temporarily change the loan terms.
  • Allows borrower to pause or lower mortgage payments
  • Must be granted by the lender.
  • Typically, won’t be charged late fees.
  • Repay missed payments, either in lump sum or with repayment plan
  • Find out details from the lender

Helpful Apps

Mental health assistance

Other notifications

  • The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) has FLHSMV has issued Emergency Order 082623, available at: flhsmv-eo-082623-invest-93l.pdf
    • waives specific requirements for commercial motor vehicles providing emergency relief;
    • waive the hours-of-service requirements for such vehicles; and
    • waives the replacement fees for driver’s license and identification credentials, vehicle registrations and titles, vessel registrations and titles, and temporary parking permits for impacted individuals.

Featured image by elroce – stock.adobe.com

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by Savanna Barry
Posted: August 30, 2023

Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Water
Tags: Cedar Key, Florida Sea Grant, Hurricane, InsideNatureCoast

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