Hurricane Ian Response Guide

by | December 27, 2022

Working For You, Fighting For Us

Hurricane Ian has impacted the entire State of Florida. This page will be updated regularly by Representative Anna V. Eskamani with ways to seek support and get involved.

This was last updated on December 27, 2023.

UNITE FLORIDA FUND

Please complete this form to request assistance directly related to impacts from Hurricane Ian. If you are unable to live in your home due to damages from Hurricane Ian, please select “Housing” and provide information on the current condition of your home. The information you provide in this portal will be used to determine your eligibility for temporary sheltering, home repair and other unmet needs.

MISSING PEOPLE

The Florida Division of Emergency Management has a link available to help locate and rescue survivors of Hurricane Ian.

The service provides a portal for individuals who are currently in need of rescue or for individuals who are seeking to find loved ones.

Through a form on their website, you can provide basic location and contact information of yourself or a last known location of a person. Filling out the form will help rescue workers find those who are in need.

Visit missing.fl.gov/es and fill out the form to the best of your ability. When using the form to look for missing loved ones, provide all of the information available from the loved one’s last known location and condition.

For more emergency information and search and rescue effort updates, visit FloridaDisaster.org/info.

MISSING PETS

There is a good chance that someone will find your missing pet and bring them to a veterinary clinic or shelter nearby if they are microchipped. Anyone who has lost a microchipped pet should begin calling local shelters, and then all the veterinary hospitals in the area where the pet went missing.

If the pet does not have any ID tags, they still may make it home. It is still recommended to call shelters to see if the pet has been dropped off, if not, they might have found their way into a wooded area or different neighborhood to wait the storm out or are actively trying to get home. Being patient and waiting to see if your pet finds their way home is all you can do in this scenario.

Read more here.

GETTING POWER BACK ON

More than 1.9 million homes and businesses in Florida were still without power on Friday after Hurricane Ian barreled across the state on Wednesday and Thursday.

That is down from more than 3.5 million power customers affected by Ian since it hit Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday as utilities restored service after the storm passed through their territories.

You are encouraged to contact your local provider to learn more and to report outages too. See here for a full list.

Click here for a Florida Outage Map.

FLOODING

Many parts of Florida are experiencing mass flooding, and rescue crews are working overtime to assist. You are encouraged to contact local first responders to seek evacuation options. If you are not in an emergency situation, please wait for water to subside and avoid — whenever possible — contact with the water. There are health concerns, and concerns for wildlife being in the water.

FEMA

Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole,  Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties are now eligible for FEMA assistance after Hurricane Ian. This is in addition to Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota counties, which were previously approved for Individual Assistance.

FEMA Individual Assistance may include temporary housing assistance, basic home repairs and certain other uninsured disaster-related needs.

Survivors can apply for disaster assistance at disasterassistance.gov, by calling 800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time, or by using the FEMA mobile app. If you use a relay service such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service.

For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance go to, youtube.com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw.

For information on Florida’s recovery from Hurricane Ian, visit fema.gov/disaster/hurricane-ian. Follow FEMA on Twitter at FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / Twitter and at facebook.com/fema.

We also made this IG slide deck to help explain the FEMA application process.

NEED TO FILE AN INSURANCE CLAIM?

The Florida Division of Consumer Services has made available consumer inquiry hotlines in both English (1-877-693-5326) and Spanish (1-850-413-3033) to field the influx of questions related to insurance claims. For the quickest response, consumers are encouraged to issue questions via email to  where submissions will enter a queue. For more information, please click here.

Florida’s Insurance Consumer Advocate is a resource to help Floridans in filing their insurance claims. Click here to learn more, and be weary of fraud when seeking help with filing an insurance claim.

You can also contact your State House Representative or State Senator, as Florida’s property insurance system is broken and your local electeds should hear from you. Click here to identify you local representatives.

HOW TO AVOID FRAUD

Sadly, we know all too well that fraudsters take advantage of significant events like this storm to prey upon the vulnerable.  Please take a look at this pamphlet titled “Avoiding Fraud with Disaster Repairs” for guidance on scams to be on the lookout for following a hurricane and please share this information far and wide.

DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available to Florida businesses and residents in FEMA disaster-declared counties whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of Hurricane Ian and are not eligible for regular state or Federal Reemployment Assistance benefits.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is accepting applications for DUA from residents and businesses in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Orange, Osceola, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, and Volusia counties.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available to those who are ineligible to receive federal or state Reemployment Assistance benefits and the individual meets one of the following requirements:

  • Is unemployed as a direct result of the major disaster;
  • Was scheduled to start employment but was unable to as a direct result of the major disaster;
  • Is unable to reach their job or self-employment location because the individual has to travel through an affected area and is prevented from doing so as a direct result of the major disaster;
  • Has become the primary breadwinner because the head of the household died as a direct result of the major disaster; or
  • Is unable to work because of an injury that was a direct result of the major disaster.

To file a claim, go to http://www.floridajobs.org and select “File a Claim”, visit a local CareerSource Career Center, or call 1-800-385-3920. Customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time to assist claimants. For DUA claims information, call 1-833-FL-APPLY (1-833-352-7759) to speak with a representative.

Individuals must file for state Reemployment Assistance benefits before filing for DUA. During the application, claimants should indicate they have been impacted by the disaster. Claimants who are determined ineligible or who have exhausted Reemployment Assistance benefits will be automatically prompted to file a DUA application if they indicated on their Reemployment Assistance application that their employment was impacted by the disaster.

DUA is available for weeks of unemployment beginning September 25, 2022 until April 1, 2023­­­­­­­­­­­­, as long as the individual’s unemployment continues to be a direct result of the disaster.The deadline to submit a claim for DUA benefits is December 30, 2022.

Applications filed after the deadline will be considered untimely and DUA benefits may be denied unless the individual provides good cause. Applicants must submit their Social Security number, check stubs, and documentation to support the claim that they were working or self-employed when the disaster occurred, or evidence substantiating they were unable to begin employment or self-employment due to the disaster. In some cases, additional documentation may be required. To receive DUA benefits, all required documentation must be submitted within 21 days from the date the DUA application is filed.

FOOD INSECURITY

DCF received approval to issue mass replacements of SNAP benefits for individuals who did not receive an early release of benefits (households that received benefits from 9/15/22 -9/28/2022) in the following impacted counties: Charlotte, Collier, Desoto, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Okeechobee, Orange, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, and Volusia. We are still awaiting approval for Osceola and St. John’s counties. Replacement benefits were automatically loaded to EBT cards today (10/3/2022).

Households that would normally receive SNAP benefits between 10/1/2022 – 10/14/2022 received their benefits for October early on 9/27/2022 to help with storm preparation in the event families needed to evacuate or to purchase non-perishable items. The Department cannot process a mass replacement of benefits for these households, per federal guidelines. However, if replacement benefits are needed for food items that were lost during the storm for those in the impacted counties listed above, recipients can apply online.

The Department received approval for SNAP benefits to be used to purchase hot meals.

DSNAP Update: The Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) provides food assistance for individuals and families impacted by Hurricane Ian and who are not receiving food assistance benefits through the regular Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, D-SNAP is implemented by the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF). Learn more here.

SEE MORE UPDATES HERE.

We encourage you to contact Food Banks in your area, too. Click here to learn more.

SMALL BUSINESS HELP

The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program has been activated, making $50 million available for impacted businesses. At least $10 million of which must go to small businesses that are agricultural producers impacted by Hurricane Ian in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Monroe, Orange, Osceola, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, and Volusia counties. Small businesses in the most impacted counties — Charlotte, Collier, Lee, and Sarasota — will be escalated and prioritized as they are received.

Loans approved through the Emergency Bridge Loan Program are intended to “bridge the gap” between the time a disaster impacts a business and when a business has secured longer term recovery funding such as federally or commercially available loans, insurance claims, or other resources. Eligible small businesses may apply for loans of up to $50,000 through the program. 

Loans made under this program are short-term, zero-interest, personal loans using State of Florida funds. They are not grants and loans must be repaid by the approved applicant.

DEO administers the Emergency Bridge Loan Program alongside its fiscal administrator, Florida First Capital Finance Corporation.

Visit www.FloridaJobs.org/EBL to learn more about the program, as well as to view the lending guidelines and required documentation and to complete an application by the December 2, 2022, deadline. Business owners who need further program information may call 833-832-4494 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time.

Small Business Administration (SBA) also provides low-interest disaster loans to help businesses and homeowners recover from declared disasters. Learn more here.

The State of Florida is also surveying impacted businesses to learn what needs are, you may find that survey here.

COMPANIES OFFERING ASSISTANCE

Multiple companies are providing assistance to Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian. This includes telecommunication companies and internet companies. Click here to learn more.

While many people are staying inside, Charter’s WiFi network will help ensure online connectivity for those who need it outside of the home, including essential government employees, first responders, health-care workers and essential businesses. A map of access points is available at spectrum.com/internet/wifi-access-points.

RENTAL ASSISTANCE

Unfortunately at this time, rental assistance programs in Florida are very limited. We encourage you to visit your local County website for resources. In Orange County, Emergency Rental Assistance Program 2 (ERAP2) has been made available. Learn more here.

SCHOOLS

More than 2.5 million Florida students have missed school during Hurricane Ian, and that does not count higher educational institutions. We encourage you to check in with your local school district and/or higher ed institution to learn when schools will re-open in your area. Click here for a full list of County School Districts. 

MENTAL HEALTH

  • Peer Support Space is still holding our Daily Communal Gatherings taking place at 12PM and 6PM (EST), Monday-Saturday. We are welcoming those living locally or nonlocally that are directly or indirectly impacted by the storm. Our only requirement is that those that join are 18+ years of age. We are working hard on our end to make sure our facilitators are aware of available resources for anybody joining impacted by the storm.
  • Free 1:1 peer support may be found at: TinyUrl.com/1to1Support
  • Recovery Connections of Central Florida 24/7 Peer-led Hotline (call or text): 407-732-6837.
  • 2-1-1: A free resource for finding resources
  • SAMSHA National Distress Hotline: 1-800-985-5990 a national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster.
  • @FLBlue is offering free virtual doctors visits and a bilingual emotional support helpline for Floridians impacted by #HurricaneIan.

 

ORANGE COUNTY SHELTERS

Orange County provides hurricane and storm shelters as part of its comprehensive response to help individuals, families and communities respond to and recover from disasters. There are no emergency shelters open at this time. For registration and information on Special Needs Shelters, please call 311. Click here to learn more.

LOOKING FOR WAYS TO HELP?

If you can donate monetarily, here are a few options:

If you are looking for ways to volunteer: Red Cross has activated their “Events Based Volunteer” portal which they open up for large-scale disasters. If you are interested/able to volunteer, please follow this link.

Medical professionals: DOH has partnered with Volunteer Florida to develop an online portal for health care practitioners who wish to volunteer their expertise, skills, and experience in areas impacted by Hurricane Ian: https://www.volunteerflorida.org/

Blood Donation: There is also a need to donate blood, learn more here: https://www.oneblood.org/lp/hurricane-closures.stml

Looking for local nonprofits to support: Check out this Instagram post.