It’s reported that at least 85 people have died and the newest estimate puts damage at more than $100 billion, including $63 billion in privately insured losses. It’s becoming clear that flood, rather than wind claims are going to drive losses in Florida.  On Friday night (September 30), 200 shelters remained open housing more than 20,000 people. About 1.9 million households were still without power. 

Governor DeSantis, who toured Southwest, Central, and Northeast Florida on Friday with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, reported a lot of flooded areas.  “I can tell you what we saw in Central Florida was more standing water than what we saw in Southwest Florida where the big storm surge came in…which has dissipated over the last 24-36 hours,” the Governor said.  “You go in places in Central Florida, there’s a lot of standing water.  Some had water still up a couple feet on some of the homes.  They’re bracing for more impacts from the St. Johns River.”

The Governor commended the “herculean effort” to deal with Ian’s impact, especially in the hardest hit Lee and Charlotte counties. Only about 15% of power had been restored Friday afternoon.  Some electrical systems, especially on the barrier islands will have to be rebuilt. Lee County also had a water main break Wednesday after Ian made landfall, leaving the county with no water. They requested support from FEMA who sent in the Army Corps of Engineers Thursday and are still working on it. 

Search and rescue workers continue to go door-to-door in both counties and began moving inland as well to DeSoto and Hardee counties.  More than 700 rescues had been performed as of Friday morning.  State Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said we’re right in the middle of the 72-hour phase of Search – Secure – Stabilize.   

FEMA Administrator Criswell said her teams are going to go into the shelters to help people register for the individual assistance that FEMA offers (also available at DisasterAssistance.gov or calling 1-800-621-3362).  The President, through FEMA, has designated 13 counties for individual assistance, “but we will add more as we continue to do assessments in other counties,” Criswell said.  “We’ve already started planning for what the recovery is going to be because we know that this is going to be a very complicated and complex recovery.  We want to make sure that we have the right resources,” she said.

Insurance Villages: The Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) will be setting up two insurance villages to assist consumers with insurance claims and other needs.  The villages will be located in Charlotte and Lee counties and will open at 1 pm this Monday, October 3, 2022.  They will be open daily from 8am-6pm, seven days a week, for at least two weeks.  DFS encourages insurance companies to participate.  Both locations are outdoors and will not have power available.  The locations are the Port Charlotte Town Center (Parking Lot) at 1441 Tamiami Trail, in Port Charlotte; and JetBlue Park (Parking Lot) at 11500 Fenway South Drive, in Fort Myers.  Your point of contact is Greg Thomas at 850-509-8408 or by email at Greg.Thomas@MyFloridaCFO.com.  “It’s our view that these claims need to be paid very quickly so that people can get back on their feet,” the Governor said Friday.