Gov. Ron DeSantis

On Sept. 28, Fort Myers resident Barbara Morgan’s home was flooded with six feet of water by Hurricane Ian. Forced out by the resulting damage, she stayed with family as she awaited her next steps.

On Thursday, she was hugging Gov. Ron DeSantis at a press conference publicizing the distribution of the state trailer and more aid for school employees.

Morgan said the Federal Emergency Management Agency provided her $2,500 for three months of rent to find shelter after the devastating storm but said there was no home in the area available for less than $2,500 for one month.

Morgan can stay in the new state trailer for six months.

She embraced DeSantis with a hug and said “thank you to the whole team, the whole staff.”

“Everybody’s been just so wonderful,” Morgan said.

There were a couple glitches with the trailer but after making a call they were fixed within a couple hours, she added.

Desantis said the state has delivered more than 140 trailers so far and FEMA has delivered approximately another 80. DeSantis said he believes another “couple thousand people” could use trailers and said the state has ordered more than 2,400.

“We’re not satisfied with where we are now. We want to do more,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis said he has instructed Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie to work with local governments and cut through “red tape” to get more trailers delivered.

One of the reasons for the delay in the delivery of trailers has been a FEMA rule which prevents the agency from funding trailers in special high hazard area floodplains or waterways such as in Fort Myers Beach. The agency recently announced they would be making exceptions to the rule.

DeSantis said the state delayed putting trailers on Fort Myers Beach because it would put the state’s participation in the National Flood Insurance Program at risk.

Aid for school employees

On Thursday, DeSantis also presented an oversized check to school employees from the region representing an additional $1 million to aid school employees in the region impacted by Hurricane Ian.

Those funds were raised by private donations to the Florida Disaster Fund and will go to support organizations in Lee County, Collier County, Hardee County, DeSoto County and Saratoga County.

The funds can be used for food, gas, home repairs and other items.

DeSantis said more than $63 million has been raised through the Florida Disaster Fund. The fund previously allocated $2 million for school employees in October.

DeSantis also announced Thursday that he has directed the Department of Children and Families to utilize $13.8 million in grant funding to support and expand mental health resources for Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian. That includes on-site counseling and mental health support for survivors. DeSantis said the agency has provided more than 120,000 meals to Florida families impacted by Hurricane Ian.

DeSantis also announced that the Florida Division of Emergency Management has obligated more than $500 million in public assistance funding to communities impacted by Hurricane Ian. DeSantis said the state has qualified for $100 million in federal hazard mitigation program funding.

Guthrie urged those who have not yet done so to apply for the state’s housing recovery programs at IanRecovery.fl.gov/unite.