TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Three months after Hurricane Michael the storm is still a major focus for communities in north Florida.
So much so that Governor DeSantis made Mexico Beach a stop during his first day away from the Inaugural festivities. He has a message for the people living here.
"We haven't forgotten about this storm. Yeah, everyone was talking about it in October. We all brought supplies and everything but what tends to happen is that people think they don't have to worry about it anymore. Well, this is something that I realize is going to be a long term effort so I just want to stand here today and let people know that we are in it for the long haul," said Governor DeSantis.
The hurricane recovery efforts continue in Florida with help from the state of Florida and federal agencies. FEMA says the state has, thus far, received more than 835 million dollars in federal support.
Since the storm, FEMA has provided over 1,952 households with temporary shelter in hotels with 615 currently housed.
The agency said one of its most important operations involves debris removal you can see here, communities have removed more than 20 million cubic yards of debris.
Total disaster federal assistance also includes, Nearly 129 million dollars in individual and household grants to help those who have necessary expenses following the disaster.
Disaster recovery centers received more than 44,000 visitors seeking disaster assistance or information.
FEMA registration is now closed. You still need to notify the agency of any changes to your contact information insurance settlements or newly-discovered additional damage to avoid delays in getting assistance.
Survivors with extenuating circumstances may still apply for assistance.
More than 565 million dollars in U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster loans have been given out since the storm, including nearly 484 million to homeowners and renters and more than 80 million to businesses to repair damaged property and for economic injury.