Florida officials announced an aggressive recovery push across the Panhandle on Sunday after Hurricane Isaias, highlighting new small‑business loan relief, rapid infrastructure repairs, and large‑scale emergency operations in more than two dozen counties.
Governor Ron DeSantis, joined by U.S. Senator Ashley Moody, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, and Florida Department of Commerce Secretary Alex Kelly, visited Milton and Santa Rosa Beach to outline the state’s coordinated, multi‑agency response.
Hurricane Isaias slammed into the coast near Destin at about 9:30 p.m. EDT on Friday, Oct. 9, as a Category 2 storm with sustained winds of 105 mph. DeSantis promptly declared a state of emergency for 27 counties.
In Milton, DeSantis revealed that Florida Commerce had activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program. The initiative supplies $10 million in short‑term, zero‑interest loans to help affected business owners stay afloat. Interested entrepreneurs can apply online at FloridaJobs.org/DisasterRecovery/EBL.
Later, in Santa Rosa Beach, state officials announced the reopening of Grayton Beach State Park after emergency crews repaired a hurricane‑damaged bridge in just 16 hours. The Florida Department of Transportation, together with the Department of Environmental Protection and local teams, executed the swift turnaround.
Utility crews have also made solid progress. By 1 p.m. Sunday, power was restored to roughly 200,000 customer accounts, and line crews continue working around the clock to reach the hardest‑hit neighborhoods.
On the ground, thousands of personnel are supporting cleanup and public safety:
– **National and State Guard:** The Florida National Guard mobilized about 5,000 soldiers and airmen, equipped with more than 1,300 high‑wheeled vehicles and eight helicopters. Guard units have cleared over 1,000 miles of roadway, removed 3,700 cubic acres of debris, and helped relocate 50 residents with special needs. The Florida State Guard deployed nearly 400 soldiers with specialized boats, aircraft, and cut‑and‑toss crews to assess damage and clear debris.
– **Law Enforcement:** The Florida Highway Patrol assigned 201 troopers throughout the impact zone, managing traffic in Milton and along Interstate 10. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement coordinated 66 missions across eight counties, establishing mobile command posts, communication towers, and first‑responder refueling stations along I‑10.
– **Roads and Transit:** FDOT dispatched more than 1,100 staff to clear major routes, including I‑10 and U.S. 98, by Saturday morning. All state‑owned bridges and interstates remain open, and tolls on the Mid‑Bay Bridge, Spence Parkway, and Garcon Point Bridge have been suspended to ease travel. Pensacola International Airport and Destin‑Fort Walton Beach Airport have resumed commercial flights, though the ports of Pensacola and Panama City stay closed.
– **Public Health and Human Services:** The Department of Health runs 24/7 warehouse logistics and operates Special Needs Shelters in Escambia, Washington, Santa Rosa, Jackson, and Wakulla counties. Boil‑water notices continue in seven counties: Escambia, Holmes, Jackson, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Walton, and Washington. The Department of Children and Families is distributing 600 pallets of food, emergency hot meals, and a shelter at Immanuel Baptist Church in Crestview.
– **Agriculture and Animals:** Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson issued an emergency order waiving intrastate transport rules for fleeing livestock and pets. Neighboring states,Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi,have offered reciprocal waivers to support animal evacuations.
Residents and business owners seeking storm‑recovery assistance can tap immediate resources through several state channels. The Department of Financial Services opened its first in‑person Insurance Assistance Hub at the Morgan Sports Center in Destin, open Monday, Oct. 12, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT to help policyholders file claims. Those needing food, housing, or healthcare can dial 211, and free civil legal aid is available at 833‑513‑2940.
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