JAY, Fla. -- Governor Ron DeSantis surveyed damage in North Santa Rosa County Tuesday. He stopped in Jay to update on recovery efforts.
DeSantis says rural areas were hit hard, and many peanut and cotton farmers aren't expected to recover from the storm.
The governor says he has all the information needed to pursue a disaster declaration, which can open up more resources for the area.
DeSantis spoke at the Bray-Hendricks Park. That’s one of south Santa Rosa County’s points of distribution for residents.
He says he believes Northwest Florida will soon get a federal emergency declaration.
"We are most likely going to qualify for a major disaster relief fund by the federal government that will mean that you will have an ability if that's approved to qualify for individual assistance from FEMA," DeSantis said. "We're waiting on some of the counties to give us the data that we need in order to submit."
DeSantis said the state’s initial damage assessment of Northwest Florida is done. He is just waiting on more data from the county level.
"And that's not easy to come by," said Sen. Don Gaetz. "You know, people are trying to get trees from in front of their houses. And they're trying to make sure hospitals are open and have water and oxygen. And that comes before paperwork."
Escambia County’s initial assessment totaled $64 million in county repairs. Okaloosa and Santa Rosa are working on theirs.
"Yes, so those numbers are still coming in," commissioner Rhett Rowell said. "But go through our property appraisers website, do the assessment. That's how the county is able to turn in numbers to the state. And the state can obviously then use those numbers."
DeSantis says north Escambia and Santa Rosa counties got hit the hardest, farmers especially.
"It's a bad time to have this storm," said DeSantis. "There's a lot of losses that happen with cotton, with peanuts. And I know there may be help with the federal government, but we also want to see what we're able to do here at the state level."
"I don't know that there's an opportunity for them to overcome this, meaning that it's a devastation for our crops," Town of Jay Mayor Shown. "Peanut and cotton has just been devastated."
The Florida Department of Emergency Management has set up mobile showers, laundry facilities, and toilets at the Jay Community Center.
That’s a quarter mile away from the Bray-Hendricks Park, where folks can get MRE’s, tarps, food, and water.
The American Red Cross has been handing out hot meals, and volunteers with BRACE (Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies) were on site.
"So right now, there's over 5,000 homes that I've already called by having them from the hotline," said BRACE CEO Dr. Nick Jackson. "So we're going to be trying to meet those needs as soon as possible. And then we may shift into long-term recovery, and at that point, we can actually start looking at repairing homes and bringing restorations where it was possible. There's a lot of sheltering, there's a lot of food distribution, a lot of just hygiene supplies that we're sending out to pods all across the state."
You can call BRACE’s hotline at 1-800-451-1954. They may be able to help you with residential and personal needs at your home.
It's also important for homeowners to report their property damages to the county property appraiser's office. That information is needed for any federal disaster declaration.
Both Florida and Alabama governors say they are going to delay quarterly business tax deadlines for businesses impacted by Isaias.
Kay Ivey has already made that declaration, DeSantis announced that for the first time during the Jay presser. That deadline for Florida was Oct. 19, but that will be pushed back. Late penalties will be paused.