Gov. DeSantis: Florida shifts to 'rebuild and recover mode' 12 days after Hurricane Ian

It's been 12 days since Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida as a massive Category 4 storm, and Gov. Ron DeSantis announced during a press briefing in Port Charlotte on Monday that efforts are shifting toward a "rebuild and recover mode" as the state prepares for the long-term impact.

Immediate efforts focused on search and rescue, power restoration, emergency housing assistance, and supply distribution. More than 2,5000 rescue operations have taken place in Hurricane Ian's wake and DeSantis said that over 1,000 searches and rescue personnel have checked over 108,000 structures in that time.

On Monday, the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Michael's Florida landfall, DeSantis announced additional support for Panhandle communities affected during the storm and called for similar long-term investment in Southwest Florida.

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Port Charlotte recovers in Hurricane Ian's wake

Port Charlotte remains one of the most impacted areas left in Hurricane Ian's aftermath, and DeSantis took the opportunity to address displaced residents who are anxious to return to their homes.

He said a massive effort to restore electrical services has paid off, and that 42,000 linemen across multiple electric companies have restored power to most of their customers. He said portions of Lee County and areas like Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island and Pine Island remain without power.

He said Florida Power and Light is working to restore power to Fort Myers Beach now that search and rescue operations have tapered back.

"A lot of that is because there was ongoing search and rescue," he said. "There was a safety concern about pushing forward with the power too quickly because you're going into structures that may not be safe."

"Now that we are going in this more rebuild and recover mode, you're going to see them working on that."

The governor also highlighted assistance for schools in need of electricity and debris removal to help return children back to all but three Charlotte County schools starting next Monday.

DeSantis said debris removal from the region is a slow but massive effort that could take weeks to complete.

The governor said a bridge to Pine Island opened last week, but the Sanibel Island Causeway remains inaccessible. Nonetheless, utility workers have been transported by barge and helicopter to restore power to the island while the bridge is repaired.

"Our view was, we don't want to wait until the causeway is done before you even start on the power," he said. "We want to be doing this in tandem ... They actually have a base camp for utility workers on Sanibel, they'll be sleeping there, working there."

More help for communities affected by Hurricane Michael

Monday marked the fourth anniversary since Category 5 Hurricane Michael tore through parts of Northwest Florida "like a buzzsaw," and on Monday afternoon, DeSantis committed an additional $126 million to 24 affected communities across the Panhandle.

The governor said the effort is a part of the state's "long-term efforts to rebuild the community, and as a sign that the commitment needs to be lasting."

"We understand this is a lot of current needs, but there is also a lot we need to do not just days, weeks, months, but even years," DeSantis said. "That's going to be something similar that we're going to see here in the Southwest Florida community."

Emergency business assistance programs

The state has activated its Florida Small Business Emergency Loan Program to offer short-term zero-interest loans to small businesses impacted by the storm. DeSantis said an initial $50 million in funding is now available, and $10 million of those funds have been earmarked for small and family-owned agricultural enterprises.

The state has already awarded its first $2.5 million in loans to 55 small businesses primarily in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Lee, and Sarasota counties, ranging from restaurants to auto body shops.

Disaster Recovery Centers provide resources

The governor delivered the latest disaster recovery updates on Monday from the Charlotte County Disaster Recovery Center, the fifth of its kind that has been opened since Hurricane Ian made landfall 12 days ago.

Residents can visit the recovery center for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance, and many disaster-related needs including re-employment assistance, temporary housing programs, veterans affairs, small business emergency bridge loans, and assistance recovering vital records that may have been lost or destroyed.

The governor said FEMA is in the process of opening additional recovery centers in Hardee, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Polk counties.

Residents can also find internet provided by SpaceX at the recovery centers. DeSantis said 450 Space X Starlink internet kits have been deployed throughout impacted areas to bolster connectivity.

"This DRC even has 5 of Elon Musk's Starlink Internet (kits) here, so you can come in and you can log on to the Starlink, you can use internet and make calls while you're here," DeSantis said.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Hurricane Ian: Florida looks to long-term impact of storm