When a disaster strikes, emergency disaster services are needed to help with the response and recovery. Here is what you need to know about emergency disaster services in Florida:
The State of Florida has a comprehensive emergency management system in place to provide response and recovery assistance in the event of a disaster. The Florida Division of Emergency Management is the state agency responsible for coordinating all phases of emergency management.
The Florida Emergency Management Plan is the state’s all-hazards approach to emergency management and provides a framework for coordinating response and recovery efforts.
The State Emergency Response Team (SERT) is a multi-agency team that coordinates the state’s response to major disasters. SERT is activated when the governor declares a state of emergency.
The Florida Disaster Recovery Fund (FDRF) is a state-funded program that provides financial assistance to individuals, businesses, and government entities for unmet needs that arise in the aftermath of a disaster.
The FEMA Individual Assistance program provides financial assistance and other services to eligible survivors of major disasters.
The FEMA Public Assistance program provides grants to state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations to help with the costs of responding to and recovering from major disasters.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan program provides low-interest loans to eligible businesses and homeowners to help with the costs of repairing or replacing property damaged or destroyed in a major disaster.
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) provides flood insurance to eligible property owners and renters.
If you live in Florida, it is important to be familiar with the state’s emergency management system and the resources that are available to help in the event of a disaster.
Sources:
https://www.floridadisaster.org/
https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4339
https://www.sba.gov/disaster-assistance/hurricane-disaster-assistance