ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — Pinellas County Commission Chair Kathleen Peters says she is asking the federal government to combine hurricanes Helene and Milton into one FEMA disaster to help claims get through faster.
“I sent a letter to the state, which will then go to the White House asking for just at a minimum...to merge the two storms,” she said during President Biden’s visit to St. Pete Beach on Sunday. “Can you imagine if we had to separate our debris? This is Helene debris, and this is Milton debris.”
Currently, those impacted by both storms must apply for FEMA assistance separately. The close time frame of the two hurricanes complicates documentation and places added stress on people struggling to recover.
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"By merging the two storms into one disaster will help expedite a lot of the red tape to make this much a quicker recovery,” she said.
Peters also said on Sunday that she is asking the federal government for full access to FEMA Individual Assistance Programs, to provide safe, temporary shelter for vulnerable residents and for support in adding two more Disaster Recovery Centers in Pinellas County.
Storm debris is also a priority for Peters, who said she also wants an increase in federal cost share for storm debris removal.
Governor DeSantis said on Sunday in a Treasure Island news conference that local governments will now be required to report the number of cubic yards of debris they remove every day. Those numbers will be posted on a portal to monitor progress and for accountability, he said.
Emerald Morrow is an investigative reporter with 10 Tampa Bay on assignment for Hurricane Milton. Like her on Facebook and follow her on X. You can also email her at emorrow@10tampabay.com.