Eye on the Tropics

$180M allocated to state for Irma relief, but many unable to contact FEMA

By Jeff Deal, WFTV.com
By Jeff Deal, WFTV.com
More than $180 million in Federal Disaster Assistance has already been allocated to Florida because of Hurricane Irma and more is coming, but applying for that money has been much harder for some residents.
One major issue for residents is just getting through to FEMA, especially if they are reaching out by phone.
Some people have waited hours.
When Irma struck, homes were wiped out, neighborhoods flooded and the people who lived there were left desperate for help.
Before the storm even hit, teams from FEMA were already in Central Florida.
Those ravaged by the storm have been encouraged to apply for disaster assistance online or over the phone, but FEMA recognizes that hasn't always been easy.
"Due to the high call volume, the wait times on the phone can be long,” said FEMA spokesperson Peter Sessum.
Read: FEMA, Small Business Administration answer your questions after Hurricane Irma 
It’s why FEMA also had teams heading into the hardest hit areas on the ground to sign people up in person.
“We knew the places that are still out of power, that people couldn't get online. So that was one of our priority places,” said Sessum.
Anyone who suffered damage with immediate needs should apply.
FEMA said $184 million in federal has already been pledged, and more could be on the way as emergency crews get a handle on the extent of the damage.
In some parts of the state, there are disaster recovery centers where storm victims can go to get help.
But currently, the closest center to the devastation in Orlando is outside Tampa, more than 70 miles away.
FEMA said it's still working with local governments to find places to set up centers here.
"I heard it's going to be what we call Mega DRC. We'll have a very large Disaster Recovery Center here in Orlando, as well as smaller ones in the surrounding counties,” said Sessum.
FEMA couldn't give a ballpark timeframe for when a disaster recovery center will be in Orlando.

Cox Media Group

Jeff Deal

Jeff Deal, WFTV.com

I joined the Eyewitness News team as a reporter in 2006.

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