DeSantis Announces Two More Disaster Recovery Centers Open

By Adrienne Ferguson

Published Oct. 7, 2022, 10:31 a.m. ET | Updated Oct. 7, 2022

Twitter @GovRonDeSantis

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis announced new Disaster Recovery Centers opened in Sarasota and Lee counties.

The Department of Economic Opportunity, along with more than ten agencies, run these centers to give people or businesses who need assistance recovering from the disaster a one-stop shop. There are disaster recovery centers in:

Sarasota County

Shannon Staub Library
4675 Career Lane
North Port, FL 34289

Lee County

Fort Myers DMS Building
2295 Victoria Ave.
Ft. Myers, FL 33901

Lakes Regional Library
15290 Bass Road
Fort Myers, FL 33919

Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis’ Initial Payment Centers are set up near the Disaster Recovery Centers. The Initial Payment Center was established so that policyholders could speak with their insurance companies face-to-face to submit claims and so that the insurance company could send checks to Floridians who had been affected by Hurricane Ian.

Following Hurricane Ian, insurance companies will concentrate on meeting the immediate requirements of policyholders by offering resources for particular things like living costs.

Florida has also sent out mental health specialists who can provide counseling and support, as well as five SpaceX Starlinks to provide internet and cellular access, to help Floridians stay in touch with their loved ones and find more support.

Representatives from the following state organizations, partners, and federal organizations are on-site and accessible to support survivors and offer individual and business assistance, in addition to volunteer groups:

Florida Division of Emergency Management

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity

Office of Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, Jimmy Patronis

Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation

Florida Department of Children and Families

Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs

Florida Office of Insurance Regulation

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

Enterprise Florida, Inc.

Legal Services of North Florida

CareerSource Southwest Florida