One Year Later: Hurricane Idalia Recovery in Florida’s Big Bend

Release Date Release Number
062
Release Date:
August 28, 2024

LAKE MARY, Fla. – One year after Hurricane Idalia struck the Sunshine State, federal grants, flood insurance settlements and low-interest disaster loans to recovering Floridians reached $843 million statewide.

In the Big Bend region so far, disaster grants from FEMA for Alachua, Dixie, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor and Wakulla counties included:

  • Housing Assistance: FEMA provided $27 million for home repairs, lodging expenses and rental assistance for 32,900 households.
  • Other Expenses and Serious Needs: FEMA paid $13.6 million to survivors for essential needs like medical and dental expenses, transportation and funeral costs.
  • Emergency and Permanent Work: For first responders like police and firefighters, life-saving emergency protective measures, debris removal and restoring public infrastructure, FEMA committed $284 million.

Statewide, FEMA and its partners helped survivors and communities before, during, and after the storm across 49 counties, including: 

  • FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program handled 5,200 claims and paid $372 million to policyholders to restore homes and businesses.
  • $95 million in low-interest disaster loans approved for homeowners, renters, business owners and private non-profit organizations from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
  • FEMA inspectors performed more than 42,000 home inspections for survivors who applied for federal disaster assistance. 
  • 38 Disaster Recovery Centers, including 18 mobile recovery centers, where staff serviced nearly 20,000 visits.
  • Two Farmer Recovery Centers opened as a one-stop assistance shop for farmers to speak with many federal and state agencies about available resources to help them in their recovery.

Category 3 Idalia was the first major hurricane on record to make landfall in this region and brought estimated sustained winds of 125 mph to Keaton Beach on Aug. 30, 2023. Less than a year later, Hurricane Debby also hit Florida’s Big Bend.

“FEMA recognizes that Hurricane Debby had an impact on many of the same families and local governments that were still recovering from Idalia,” said Federal Coordinating Officer John Brogan. “We continue to stand with Floridians and are working with state and local governments, along with voluntary agencies, to ensure those affected by both storms have access to all the disaster assistance for which they are eligible.”

For the latest information on Florida’s recovery from Hurricane Idalia, visit fema.gov/disaster/4734. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.

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