4/17/2023

Florida Division of Emergency Management Issues Updates on Southeast Florida Flooding , Requests Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments from FEMA

Today, Executive Director Kevin Guthrie requested four Individual Assistance (IA) and four Public Assistance (PA) teams from FEMA to conduct in-person joint Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDA) in Broward County. Information in these assessments will determine what federal assistance may be made available for impacted residents.

Over the weekend, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) coordinated mission requests to assist with flood recovery efforts in Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood, and Dania Beach. At the request of Broward County, the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) deployed over 20 flood mitigation assets to impacted areas including industrial vacuum trucks and water pumps. Over 100,000 gallons of water were removed overnight on April 16 in the Melrose Park neighborhood with operations continuing this week. FDEM remains in constant communication with local partners and stands ready to provide additional state support as requested.

In response to the significant flooding in southeast Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis has issued Executive Order 23-65 declaring a State of Emergency in Broward County. The State Emergency Operations Center remains activated at a Level 2 in response to Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, Mass Migration, and unprecedented flooding in southeast Florida.

 

The State Emergency Response Team has taken the following actions:

• The SERT deployed over 20 flood mitigation assets including industrial vacuum trucks and water pumps to the City of Ft. Lauderdale, Dania Beach and Hollywood, Florida.
• SERT feeding partners have served 2,323 hot meals and distributed 20 cases of water and 800 clean-up kits.
• Two comfort stations are open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. offering food, water, restrooms, charging stations, and showers to impacted residents. They are set up at the following locations:
• Shirley Small Park - 1230 SW 34th Ave Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
• Broward County Fleet Service Center - 2515 SW 4th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315
• An additional comfort station located at 1412 NW 6th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 (Provident Park) is serving food only.
• Two shelters are open and operating at the following locations serving 95 people and 18 pets:
• First Presbyterian Church - 451 Tarpon Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
• Holiday Park - 1150 G. Harold Martin Dr Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
• The Attorney General’s Price Gouging Hotline has been activated. Price gouging during a State of Emergency is unlawful and reports of unconscionable price increases should be submitted through the hotline at (866)-966-7226.
• FDEM deployed staff to support local efforts including coordinating damage assessments and collecting damage assessment data in Broward County.
• The State Emergency Operations Center activated to a Level 2, activating all Sections of the State Emergency Response Team.
• The SERT hosts daily calls to include weather updates and partner brief outs.

Rainfall totals of 4-8 inches have fallen over southeastern Broward County and northeastern Miami-Dade County, with the heaviest rainfall amounts of 15-25 inches estimated through the Fort Lauderdale metro area. The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) and Ft. Lauderdale International Airport’s Florida Severe Weather MesoSTEM Network, which provides hyper-accurate local data, has registered 25.87 inches of rain.

In addition to the unprecedented flooding, the National Weather Service confirmed two EF-0 tornadoes from Thursday’s event. The strongest tornado was just southwest of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, and the second one was located just west of I-95 and north of Sheridan Street.

 

Other state efforts include:

Department of Transportation

• FDOT continues to assist local agencies with crews and equipment to help reduce flood waters at multiple locations in the area. The New River Tunnel (U.S. 1) has been reopened.
• FDOT crews have been activated to perform damage assessment surveys.
• FDOT continues to assist local agencies with crews and equipment on traffic signal outages.
• Emergency messaging remains posted to advise the public of any remaining road closures caused by flooding in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
• FDOT crews continue to provide assistance at locations where lane closures or full road closures are necessary to ensure motorists can safely get by or have appropriate detour signage to follow.
• Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is open and operational.
• Port Everglades remains open. The recent Executive Order allows for larger deliveries of fuel to the impacted areas as well as extended trucking hours for truckers making these deliveries.
• Port Canaveral is supporting in fuel distribution to prevent fuel shortages in south Florida.
• Real-time traffic updates including road closure information can be found at com.             

Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

• FHP has issued Emergency Order 041523, which waives specific requirements for commercial motor vehicles providing emergency relief.
• FHP is actively communicating with law enforcement and transportation partners in support of flooding response efforts.
• FHP is currently staffing the State Emergency Operations Center to support flooding response efforts.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission

• FWC has deployed a 15-officer team in high water vehicles to assist with welfare checks, neighborhood patrols, non-emergency evacuations and calls for service.High water vehicles will remain in Broward County until this incident is completely resolved and the additional rain threat is reduced.

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity

• In partnership with FDEM, CareerSource Florida, and the Florida Small Business Development Center Network, DEO is hosting a One-Stop Business Resource Site available this week for local businesses impacted by flash flooding seeking recovery resources.
• The Site will open Monday, April 17 at 1 p.m. until 6 p.m., and be open 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. beginning Tuesday, April 18. A Park and Ride Lot is located at the NW Quadrant of I95 and Broward Blvd. (Enter off on Broward Blvd)
• Staff will be available to assist businesses and employees with services like the Business Damage Assessment Survey, Business Continuity Planning, and job search assistance.
• DEO leadership is on the ground in Broward County visiting affected neighborhoods and meeting with local residents to learn about their impacts.
• DEO leadership attended a briefing at the Broward Emergency Operation Center and met with local county and city officials to coordinate on recovery efforts for the Broward County’s business community.
• In a local press conference in Broward County alongside sister agencies, Secretary Ivey provided updates and encouraged local businesses to take the activated Business Damage Assessment Survey at FloridaDisaster.biz to inform recovery efforts, and shared DEO’s private sector hotline for businesses to call at 850-815-4925 or email ESF18@em.myflorida.com if they are seeking additional resources.

Department of Environmental Protection

• DEP has activated and is closely monitoring WaterTracker, a reporting tool for water and wastewater facilities to provide updates on their operational status, for Broward County.
• DEP has reached out to drinking water and wastewater facilities to confirm all facilities are operational. All but one smaller noncommunity drinking water system are fully operational.    
• DEP is coordinating with Florida’s Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (FlaWARN) and other response agencies on the dispatch of generators, fuel and pump trucks to assist drinking water and wastewater facilities as needed to help get systems operational as soon as possible. FlaWARN has secured VAC trucks for the City of Fort Lauderdale through Mutual Aid with Palm Beach County and it is currently on-site. 
• DEP has contacted all significant Hazardous Waste facilities in Broward County to confirm operational status and assess needs. All reporting facilities to date are fully operational and report no releases or operational concerns. 
• The South Florida Water Management District is coordinating with Broward County Emergency Operations Center to deploy temporary pumps to alleviate localized flooding. 

Department of Health

• DOH in Broward County (DOH-Broward) contacted all assisted living facilities to check safety and status, and to notify them to call 911 immediately for any residents in acute distress. There are no unmet needs at this time at any facilities in the impacted area.
• DOH-Broward has distributed information to the public regarding mosquito control.
• DOH-Broward has assessed mobile home parks in the impacted area for any environmental health concerns caused by flooding. There are no unmet needs at this time.
• DOH-Broward facilities reopened on April 14, 2023. Any appointments impacted by facility closures during April 13 will be rescheduled.

Agency for Health Care Administration

• AHCA remains in communication with facilities in the impacted area and has surveyors on-site at one facility today. Agency surveyors have reported no safety concerns, all facilities have power and are operating.

Department of Elder Affairs

• The Area Agency on Aging of Broward County has spoken with their senior service providers across the county to assess any needs. These providers are directly calling clients to check in on unmet needs and working with local government to obtain long-term housing for two displaced residents, as well as enrolling them in their services.
• Seniors in need of services may call the Helpline at 954-745-9779.

Department of Education

• All Broward County Public Schools and District offices are open today, Monday, April 17, 2023. Afterschool care, events and activities will also operate on a normal schedule.