Okaloosa and Walton Counties send help following Hurricane Idalia aftermath

Collin Bestor, Northwest Florida Daily News
·2 min read
Members of Strike Team 1101 getting ready to be deployed to the areas hit by Hurricane Idalia.
Members of Strike Team 1101 getting ready to be deployed to the areas hit by Hurricane Idalia.

SHALIMAR — In response to Hurricane Idalia making landfall Wednesday morning, organizations from across Okaloosa and Walton counties are sending response teams to the affected area.

Below is a list of organizations that will be deployed from our area, along with information on how people can help other Floridians in their time of need.

https://www.facebook.com/OkaloosaSheriff/posts/pfbid0Zgt3DbZDbNGxnae6p292WYPJMwYQ6cBMr6RX5GESLiC8of1SBchkwEvmqXg8wGUfl

Okaloosa County

Seventeen Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office deputies left Wednesday afternoon with supplies ranging from gasoline to heavy equipment used to clear roads. The convoy will be deployed to Suwannee County.

"We're all in it," Sheriff Eric Aden said. "We will certainly make a difference in those people's lives and that's why we are going."

Strike Team 1101 comprises seven fire departments across Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton counties. The departments involved are as follows:

  • Fort Walton Beach Fire Department

  • Destin Fire Department

  • North Bay Fire Department

  • Okaloosa Island Fire Department

  • Crestview Fire Department

  • Holly-Navarre Fire Department

  • Walton County Fire Department

Walton County

"Emergency management is a team sport," Jeff Goldberg, director of emergency management for Walton County, said in a Facebook post. "Every one of us depends on each other for help, and we want to help our sister counties because one day, we will be the ones receiving help."

Two Walton County staff members will be deployed to the affected region.

https://www.facebook.com/wcbccfl/posts/pfbid02i2F7Uckey75eANGsxrjhZNMjzLejBNSTMPQiVabzjjZwX5JFKEpwG5y9oeLd7MCml

Catie Feeney from the Walton County Emergency Management Department will be deployed for 14 days as an operations section chief. Angie Leddon will join Feeney from the office of management and budget and assist for seven days.

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"I am very grateful for the staff you have deployed and looking forward to their expertise. We are very lucky to have folks like yourself looking out for us," the deputy director of emergency management for the Suwannee County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post.

How to help?

American Red Cross - According to the American Red Cross, Hurricane Idalia has canceled more than a dozen blood drives and closed donation centers, which can worsen an already low blood supply across the state. You can find your nearest donation site by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 800-RED-CROSS (800-377-2767) to donate blood.

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Florida Disaster Fund -On Aug. 29, Gov. Ron DeSantis and first lady Casey DeSantis announced the activation of the Florida Disaster Fund before Idalia's landfall. By visiting volunteerfloirda.org, individuals can sign up to donate or volunteer their time.

“The Florida Disaster Fund helps us fill the gaps for impacted families and cut through red tape,” DeSantis said in a statement.“This money goes a long way for families impacted by a storm, and it is an important tool in the disaster recovery process.”

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Okaloosa and Walton Counties send help after Hurricane Idalia