Aetna Better Health of Florida was busy during the aftermath of Hurricane Milton assisting Florida residents by helping pass out cases of water, paper towels, and necessary supplies for those in need. The storm was tumultuous, having “reshaped parts of Florida’s coastline” and caused millions of dollars in damages throughout the region.
“Aetna Better Health of Florida spent the days following Hurricane Milton delivering supplies to Orlando and Tampa areas affected by the storm,” said Marleigh Schaefer, representing Aetna Better Health of Florida. “These relief efforts are vital to supporting communities who don't have access to food, water, and supplies.”
Additionally, Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) announced Monday that the state will provide $9.5 million to jumpstart storm recovery.
Over half of the investment, $5.5 million, will go to emergency berth repairs with $3.5 million to be used for "immediate security needs and access control" and $500,000 toward plans to fortify port infrastructure for any future hurricanes.
"To minimize impacts to Floridians and to ensure seaport vanity gets back to full and efficient operations as quickly as possible, I'm today announcing that the state of Florida will provide $9.5 million to...help repair the impacted infrastructure," Gov. DeSantis said at a Palmetto press conference Monday afternoon, explaining the money will go to SeaPort Manatee.
Furthermore, Representatives Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) introduced bipartisan legislation to authorize additional Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding as hurricane season continues, saying, "Americans are counting on us, and we must take immediate action to address their life-saving needs."
More specifically, the bill authorizes an additional $10 billion to FEMA and $5 billion to the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, which is part of the national Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Finally, Representative Cory Mills (R-FL) has demanded an audit of FEMA after Inspector General Joseph Cuffari found billions for the agency despite DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ claim that it was lacking funding.
He also added that he’s been on the ground in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene and has not seen a heavy FEMA presence in the area.
"I spent five days out in North Carolina delivering over 23,000 pounds of different supplies and doing search and rescue and medevacs, and I did not see a single FEMA truck the entire time. So, this is not misinformation. This is not propaganda. This is from me on the ground, witnessing it myself," Rep. Mills stated.
Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida last Wednesday night/early Thursday morning.
