9/15/2017

Gov. Scott: Our Focus is Getting Keys Residents Back Home

KEY WEST, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott, and several state agency heads, held meetings in the Florida Keys focused on how to assist Monroe County to quickly open the Keys to residents. Hurricane Irma made landfall on Cudjoe Key as a Category 4 storm on Sunday. Governor Scott toured damage in the Keys on Monday and Wednesday. The decision on when it’s safe for residents to return is made by Monroe County, but the Governor has committed full support of the state to help expedite that process. Local officials have indicated that a decision regarding residents returning will be made soon.

Governor Rick Scott said, “Florida is 100 percent focused on helping Monroe County get their residents home quickly and safely. This requires everyone working together and communicating around the clock. We are aggressively directing state resources to the Florida Keys. The power must get back on and the sewage system must be quickly fixed to ensure there are no health and safety issues. Residents of the Florida Keys need to be able to return to their normal lives.”

The Governor was joined by the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, the Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation, the State Surgeon General, the Director of the Division of Emergency Management, and the Executive Director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The Governor was also joined by members of FEMA, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the U.S. Navy.

STATE RESOURCES CURRENTLY BEING DIRECTED TO THE FLORIDA KEYS

FWC

• FWC has 155 officers and 34 vessels in Monroe County      including Special Operations Group (SOG) officers. These officers are      working with National Guard Members and an Urban Search and Rescue team to      continue rescue operations in the Keys.

Florida National Guard

• The Florida National Guard is actively coordinating a      multi-service effort to conduct life-saving operations in the Florida      Keys. Guard Soldiers and Airmen are providing critical capabilities      including road and runway clearance to support the delivery of critically      needed supplies.
• The Florida National Guard also established a      Logistical Staging Area in Marathon with 76 National Guard members to      distribute supplies to six points of distribution in Monroe County to      ensure supplies, such as food and water, are quickly provided to those who      need them.
• Florida Army National Guard has staged assets in      Opalocka, where they are actively conducting aerial operations to deliver      life-saving supplies to the Florida Keys.
• The Florida National Guard is currently operating two      Command Post Nodes and two Joint Incident Site Communications Capability      systems which support satellite communications systems to provide      desperately needed communication capabilities in the Florida Keys. The      Guard is working closely with Monroe County to identify any additional      needs.

Florida Department of Transportation

• FDOT damage assessment teams and debris removal crews      are assessing damage and cleared U.S. 1 down to Key West. FDOT has also      completed bridge inspection on 26 off-system bridges at the request of      Monroe County.

• FDOT is closely coordinating support of debris removal      in off-system roads in Monroe County. Crews are out now in Big Pine Key      and working their way into other locations as directed by the county.
• FDOT worked with ATT to install temporary towers so      those with ATT phones should have normal connectivity.
• Current damage repairs include:
• Mile Marker 74.5 – Sea Oates Beach temp work was       complete yesterday by 3 PM.  Permanent pavement was finished       Thursday.
• Mile Marker 37 (four-lane divided section) –       Embankment work was finished Thursday.  Permanent pavement repairs       will be completed Friday.
• Inspection of all shoulder failures was competed       Thursday. Work will be scheduled beginning next week.
• Traffic signal repairs will begin Friday and signage       repairs and installation will begin next week.

Florida Highway Patrol

• FHP is providing traffic escorts to resources in route      to the Keys, such as fuel tankers, food and water deliveries, mobile      restrooms, and seven AT&T communication trucks to assist with      communication coverage in Monroe County.
• FHP has a squad of troopers assigned to Key West to      assist with any local law enforcement needs.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)

• FDLE is coordinating repairs to the state law      enforcement radio system and establishing temporary communications for      first responders in Monroe County.
• FDLE has coordinated dozens of law enforcement missions      for Monroe County including local EOC staffing and security.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

• At the state’s request, EPA issued a No Action      Assurance to allow emergency and backup electric generating units in      Monroe County to operate without meeting all pollution controls in order      to facilitate the supply of needed electricity during and after Irma.
• DEP staff requested an Emergency Management Assistance      Compact (EMAC) for 10 crews to assist the 117-mile main line repairs need      from Key Largo to Key West. Currently, Tennessee and South Carolina are      working to deploy teams this morning, to be escorted by law enforcement      once in Florida. One team from the City of Jupiter was on the ground      yesterday to assist the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority in laying pipeline      and assessing breaches. To further supplement work until additional teams      arrive, Miami-Dade water and sewer department has assembled two teams to      start work.

Additional Resources

• The Following resources are mobilizing to be deployed      to Monroe County: baby supply kits for 1,000 babies and food and water to      support more than 100 first responders.
• The following resources are in route to Monroe County:      3 trailers of ice, food and water, 2 trailers of ice, 7 truckloads of ice      and 1 truckload of food, and 40 industrial portable restrooms.
• The following resources have been delivered/supplied to      Monroe County: 100,000 Dehydrated Meals to Salvation Army Warehouse,      36,000 bottles of water and 100 individual portable restrooms that have      been place along every mile marker along US1.

Utilities

• Monroe County utility providers:

• Keys Electric (lower keys – South end of Seven Mile       Bridge to Key West)

  
• 31,183 accounts
  
• 80% of all accounts are still without power

• Keys Electric Cooperative (upper keys)

  
• 32,500 accounts
  
• 28% of all accounts are still without power

FEMA

• As of September 12, 2017, FEMA transferred      approximately 3.8 million meals and 3.4 million liters of water to states      in the Southeast, at the states’ requests.
• Current resources available to Florida include: more      than 315,000 meals, more than 390,000 liters of water, and 150 generators

 

LOCAL UPDATES IN THE FLORIDA KEYS

The Port of Key West

• Remains closed to all boat traffic until the U.S. Coast      Guard has determined that all areas surrounding the port are safe.      Submerged vessels are still blocking the main channel and the U.S. Coast      Guard has determined that the area surrounding the port is unsafe.
• The U.S. Coast Guard is patrolling the area and is      preventing any boats from entering the restricted area.

Food and Water Distribution

• Six distribution centers are established in Monroe      County to ensure supplies, such as food and water, are able to be quickly      provided to those who need them. Distribution sites will be open daily      from noon until 6:00 p.m.
• The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority has opened their      storage tanks for water distribution.

Boil Water Order

• A Boil Water Notice is still in effect across the Keys.

Medical Services

• Mariners Hospital in Tavernier has opened its emergency      room.
• A medical care center has been established at Marathon      City Hall with the support of the U.S. Department of Health and Human      Services.

Grocery Stores

• The Winn-Dixie and Publix grocery stores are open in      Key Largo with limited hours.
• The CVS Pharmacy in Key Largo opened Wednesday.

Fuel

• Monroe County has reported that fuel remains limited in      the Keys but gas stations are beginning to open up to the public,      especially in the Upper Keys. The Marlin at MM 88, the Valero at MM 92 and      the Circle K at MM 102 were open this morning.

 Insurance

• Citizens Property Insurance Corporation has opened a      Catastrophe Response Center at the Murray Nelson Government Center in Key      Largo. Policy holders can file claims, confirm coverage and receive      advance payments for additional living expenses when appropriate. For more      information, click HERE.