After Hurricane Maria ravaged the island of Puerto Rico, millions were left without shelter, electricity, or clean water. This caused many residents to flee to Florida for relief. More than 37,000 Puerto Ricans visited Florida’s Multi-Agency Resource Center for help. On October 2, 2017, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed an Executive Order declaring a State of Emergency for every county in Florida to free up funds to help the people of Puerto Rico. The offer was extended through January 27, 2018. It will now be extended once more.
Governor Scott said, “To ensure Florida has every available resource to continue to assist families displaced by Hurricane Maria, I am extending Executive Order 17-259, declaring a State of Emergency in all 67 Florida counties. Puerto Rico was devastated by Hurricane Maria and many families lost everything. As Puerto Rico rebuilds, Florida remains committed to doing everything we can to help the families impacted by Hurricane Maria and aid in the recovery process.”
This will ensure that all 67 counties in the state can keep welcoming families displaced by Hurricane Maria. Florida is coordinating with FEMA to provide services such as housing assistance, crisis counseling and unemployment assistance.
The details of the Executive Order can be found here.
For WeatherNation, Meteorologist Karissa Klos