Gov. Scott Releases Updates on Hurricane Michael Response in Jackson County

Today, Governor Rick Scott is visiting the Jackson County Emergency Operations Center, as well as a Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Site and a point of distribution for food and water in Marianna. The following information has been reported to the State Emergency Response Team and includes specific actions the state has taken to aid the residents of Jackson County impacted by Hurricane Michael.

FEMA Individual Assistance and Public Assistance was approved October 11. Federal re-employment assistance is also now available for individuals in Jackson County.

FOOD AND WATER

• There are six points of distribution in Jackson County:
  • 3172 Main Street, Cottondale, FL 32431
  • 3018 Hwy 71 North, Marianna, FL 32446
  • 2562 Park Road, Alford, FL 32420
  • 2010 Legion Rd., Sneads, FL 32460
  • 5224 Brown Street, Graceville, FL 32440
  • 4207 Bryan Street, Greenwood, FL 32443
• There are two Salvation Army Kitchens/Canteens open in Jackson County:
  • 4445 Lafayette St, Marianna, FL 32446
  • 4534 Lafayette St, Marianna, FL 3244

FUEL

• There are two fueling stations set up in Jackson County for first responders and utility crews to rapidly refuel so they can continue working.

COMMUNICATIONS

• Currently, 92.77% percent of cellular service coverage has been restored in Jackson County. This does not include mobile cellular assets augmenting the network.

POWER RESTORATION

• Seven push crews are working with utility crews to restore power for utilities that provide service for Jackson County.
• As of noon, 18,657 or 78% of accounts in Jackson County do not have power.
• 38 generators have been deployed to Jackson County. Additional generators will be made available upon request.

SHELTERS

• Currently one shelter is open in Jackson County at Marianna High School 3546 Caverns Rd., Gymnasium, Marianna, FL 32446.

• Visit https://www.floridadisaster.org/shelter-status/
  to find information on shelters in your area. This site is being updated as shelters open throughout the day.

MILITARY SUPPORT

• There are currently 162 National Guard troops deployed to Jackson County. National Guard troops are assisting with conducting reconnaissance, search and rescue, and road clearance missions.
• The Florida National Guard is providing communications support packages to Jackson County.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Currently, 138 law enforcement officers have been deployed to Jackson County.
• The Florida Highway Patrol’s chainsaw crews have assisted residents throughout the county clearing roadways and freeing driveways of large trees.
• The Florida Highway Patrol has deployed an MRAP (high clearance recovery vehicle) to perform search and rescue missions and clear roadways throughout the county.
• The Florida Highway Patrol is supplementing local law enforcement agency efforts in Altha and Blountstown to assist with traffic control throughout the county.
• The Florida Highway Patrol has deployed an unmanned aerial vehicle with livestreaming capabilities to assess traffic flow and control issues.
• The Florida Highway Patrol is providing increased law enforcement presence and patrol throughout the county during evening hours.
• One Florida Licensing on Wheels (FLOW) mobile will be in Marianna starting Monday at the Marianna Driver License Office. Hours of operation will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am-4pm, CDT.

TRANSPORTATION & PUBLIC WORKS

• All state roads in Jackson County are open.
• FDOT has completed all state bridge inspections in Jackson County.

PUBLIC HEALTH AND MEDICAL

• The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) is in contact with healthcare facilities to ensure they have the resources they need.
• Assisted living facility, Chipola Health and Rehabilitation Center has been completely evacuated and remains closed.
• Jackson Hospital in Marianna has reopened and has power.
• Facilities report their evacuation status to the Agency through the Emergency Status System. An updated evacuation report can be found on the AHCA twitter page: https://twitter.com/AHCA_FL
• 14 ambulances have been deployed to Jackson County.
• DCF is providing additional SNAP benefits for customers Jackson County. These benefits are now in the customer’s accounts and accessible on their EBT cards. For more information, click HERE.
• Florida continues to communicate and monitor pharmacies in the affected areas and work to restore services with as little disruption to citizens as possible. To find an open pharmacy in Jackson County, go to RxOpen.org, which maps open and closed pharmacies during disasters. The site also has locations of American Red Cross shelters and infusion centers in the affected communities.
• There are currently 5 active boil water notices in Jackson County.
• VA Outpatient Clinics in Marianna is open with expanding service to area veterans. A Mobile Vet Center is also open in the parking lot of the Marianna VA Outpatient Clinic. Jackson County Veteran Service Office will reopen on Monday, Oct. 22. Contact information for each county office can be found online at http://floridavets.org/locations/.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

• An online tool for the public to report the location of storm debris in waterways has been deployed. 443 reports of debris have been received.
• DEP has completed seven mission requests, and is assisting with an additional five, submitted through Florida’s Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (FlaWARN) in Jackson County.
• Hazardous Area Response Teams (HART) have completed assessments at all high priority hazardous waste facilities in Jackson County.
• 235 Disaster Debris Management Sites have been pre-authorized for the counties addressed by the Governor’s Executive Order, with three in Jackson County.
• DEP has deployed wastewater, drinking water and solid waste technical experts to Jackson County to ensure their needs are met.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY    

• Governor Rick Scott announced that Florida has been awarded federal National Dislocated Worker Grants to provide temporary employment to Floridians affected by Hurricane Michael. This program is administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and provides disaster relief employment in the form of temporary jobs that support storm response and recovery efforts. See the Governor’s press release HERE.
• Executive Director Cissy Proctor and members of the DEO Leadership Team are meeting with area businesses and CareerSource in Jackson County next week.
• The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, CareerSource North Florida, CareerSource Northeast Florida and CareerSource Okaloosa-Walton have provided mobile units with staff and resources, including laptops, satellite phones, and other supplies to allow CareerSource partners in the panhandle to begin assisting jobseekers and businesses as a part of the recovery efforts.
• The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has made the Disaster Reemployment Assistance program available for Florida businesses and residents whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a result of Hurricane Michael. To file a DUA claim go to www.FloridaJobs.org or call 1-800-385-3920. Customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time to assist claimants.
• DEO has launched the Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program to provide short-term, interest-free loans to affects businesses at www.floridadisasterloan.org.
• Disaster cleanup and other related job openings are now available at http://disasterrecovery.employflorida.com for businesses to post job openings and for individuals to find job opportunities.
• DEO has opened the Business Damage Assessment Survey for businesses impacted by Hurricane Michael. Businesses with damage should complete the survey at https://www.floridadisaster.biz/BusinessDamageAssessments.
• Businesses can also visit FloridaDisaster.biz to view tips for assessing storm damage and to register to receive updates on storm recovery.

EDUCATION

• The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) is in contact with school districts, state colleges and universities for updates and to determine their needs and provide assistance.
• The Department is supporting Jackson County’s special needs shelter operations at Marianna High School.
• The Department is coordinating with the utility companies that power Jackson County to prioritize schools and Chipola College for power restoration.
• Jackson will reopen for staff Friday, October 26, and for students Monday, October 29.
• Chipola College, which serves Jackson County, will reopen Monday, October 22.
• The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation office inJackson County is closed until further notice, and clients are being directed to open locations for services.
• FDOE will be posting up-to-date information regarding closures and meeting cancellations at www.fldoe.org/hurricaneinfo.

VOLUNTEER EFFORTS

• At Governor Scott’s direction, Volunteer Florida has activated the Florida Disaster Fund, the State of Florida’s official private fund established to assist Florida’s communities as they respond to and recover during times of emergency or disaster. In partnership with the public sector, private sector and other non-governmental organizations, the Florida Disaster Fund supports response and recovery activities. To donate, visit, www.volunteerflorida.org/donatefdf/.

STATE EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER/ CONTACTS

• The State Emergency Operations Center remains activated at a level one, which is a full-scale, 24-hours-a-day activation.
• The State Assistance Information Line (SAIL) contact number is 1-800-342-3557.
• The State Emergency Operations Center Media Line: 850-921-0217.
• Follow @FLSert or @FLGovScott on Twitter for live updates on Hurricane Michael.
• Visit http://www.floridadisaster.org/info to find information on shelters, road closures, and evacuation routes.