Today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency issued a federal disaster declaration for Leon County. Such a declaration will help provide assistance to individuals and households in Tallahassee and Leon County affected by Hurricane Hermine. In addition, Leon County will receive assistance for emergency work and repair or replacement of disaster damaged facilities.
"This declaration will help citizens and local governments as we continue to recover," said Leon County Commission Chairman Bill Proctor. "Shortly after the storm, County and City crews were in the field assessing the damage caused by high winds and downed trees. By documenting the community-wide damage, including more than one hundred homes, we helped secure FEMA assistance and aid for our residents."
Further details will follow about the FEMA assistance and how disaster survivors can register to receive aid. Usually FEMA establishes disaster recovery centers in affected communities, sets up websites and offers a FEMA mobile app, while also allowing survivors to register via phone. All information on next steps will be found at www.LeonCountyFL.gov/EIP once FEMA makes a further announcement.
“Not only was Hermine the first hurricane we faced in over three decades, but it was more powerful than Super Storm Sandy that battered the Northeast United States,” Mayor Andrew Gillum said. “This storm had an immense financial impact on our community – with recovery costs already exceeding $10 million. This declaration is paramount to our local recovery effort and will go a long way toward mitigating the costs incurred by our residents, businesses, and the local government.”
Prior to Sept. 2, 2016, Tallahassee / Leon County had not been struck by a hurricane since 1985, and a hurricane had not made landfall in the State of Florida since 2005.
"In the Leon County Emergency Operations Center, our goal has been to bring aid to disaster survivors and to return our community to normal," said Leon County Sheriff Mike Wood. "Through around the clock coordination of County, City and nonprofit resources, we ensured our community was safe, secure, and in the best possible position to receive individual and public assistance. We remain committed to serving the community before, during, and after disaster--and this declaration is a big step towards recovering."
For more information, contact Mathieu Cavell, Leon County Community and Media Relations, at (850) 606-5300 / cmr@LeonCountyFL.gov .