During remarks to the press amid the destruction of Fort Myers, Florida, Biden discussed the natural disasters he has witnessed across the country over the past few months, including wildfires, flooding and historic droughts.
“The one thing [the hurricane] has finally ended is the discussion about whether or not there’s climate change, and we should do something about it,” he said.
Biden said the “historic, titanic and unimaginable” storm ripped Fort Myers to pieces. He said it will take years, not weeks or months, to full recover and rebuild the impacted areas.
The president assured the people of Florida that he will make sure people get everything they need to fully recover.
“We are not leaving until its done,” Biden said.
After delivering remarks in Fort Myers Wednesday, Biden was asked how DeSantis has been handling things.
“What the governor has done is pretty remarkable so far,” Biden said.
He added that the biggest thing the governor has done is “recognized there’s this thing called global warming.”
Biden also said that he and DeSantis have been able to set politics aside and work “in lockstep” to support those in need.
“We have very different political philosophies, but we’ve worked hand in glove,” he told reporters.
Criswell said the federal government has 17 search teams in Lee County alone that are “going door by door to make sure that we have accounted for everybody.” She made the comments while speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Fort Myers on Tuesday.n
There are nearly 4,000 federal personnel in Florida assisting with search, rescue and recovery efforts, Criswell said.
Federal crews in Lee County are “going to continue to be in the county until every structure has been looked at and cleared to make sure nobody still needs rescue,” Criswell said.
These funds will help residents in impacted areas buy food, as well as get prescription, clothes and other basics.
Biden said insurance may not cover the full cost for people who lost their business or homes.
He directed the Small Business Administration to speed up the process of low interest disaster funds that will provide $2 million for small businesses, nonprofits and lost income. It will also provide $200,000 for homeowners to cover the gap between what they need and what insurance will cover.
Additionally, Biden activated the hotel program at Florida’s request, so individuals who need hotel rooms “won’t have to pay for anything.”
Those without insurance or who are underinsured and need a place or car to rent may be entitled to up to $37,900 in federal funds.
Biden said it is important for residents to register to see “who is eligible for these things.” Residents can either call 800-621-3362, go to disasterassistance.gov or go to the insurance centers at one of the FEMA disaster recovery centers “to see what you can receive.”
Biden said search and rescue teams have knocked on nearly 70,000 doors and rescued over 3,800 people. Yesterday in hard-hit Lee County alone, Biden said that teams examined 24,000 structures, accounting for “anyone who still may be trapped.”
Biden referenced the “extraordinary cooperation at every level of government,” saying coordination efforts began before the storm hit.
“We also prepositioned the largest number of search and rescue teams ever assembled in the United States,” Biden said.
Additionally, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is providing emergency power to hospitals, nursing homes and water treatment plants across the state to ensure operations continue.
“We appreciate working together across various levels of government,” he said during remarks in Fort Myers.
DeSantis said 97 percent of the power has been restored and 5,000 miles of roadway has been cleared across the state in the aftermath of the storm. Crews also opened a bridge to Pine Island and have an emergency repair contract underway for the Sanibel Causeway.
The governor said the $35 million raised by the Florida Disaster Fund set up by his wife has allowed relief efforts to help those in need without the regulations of government agencies.
DeSantis said the local, state and federal officials dealing with Hurricane Ian recovery “worked as well as any disaster” he’s ever seen.
He said they were able to “cut through the red tape” of bureaucracy to provide swift aid and recovery.
Biden is scheduled to begin speaking at 3:15 p.m. ET, according to the White House. The president will deliver his comments on reaffirming “his commitment to supporting the people of Florida as they recover and rebuild from the devastating storm” while at the Fishermans Wharf in Fort Myers. First Lady Jill Biden will also be in attendance.
Biden’s public remarks follow a helicopter tour he took earlier Wednesday afternoon, during which he surveyed areas that were badly hit by the storm. After the aerial tour, Biden and the first lady received an update on recovery efforts and met with local residents and business owners.
Biden’s remarks will stream live on the White House website or watch live below:
The donations are intended to support the local communities that were impacted by Hurricane Ian when the storm made landfall in Florida last week.
“The support for Florida has been incredible and the Governor and I are appreciative for help from across the country,” DeSantis said in a Tuesday press release. She described coming across “resilient and strong Floridians” while traveling through hurricane-impacted areas to assess recovery efforts over the last several days. “This $35 million will help with those recovery and rebuilding efforts,” she said.
Several major retailers and other companies have made donations to support Floridians through the disaster fund, according to the governor’s office. Individuals or companies interested in making donations of their own were encouraged to visit the fund’s website or text DISASTER to 20222.
Upon their arrival, the Bidens were greeted by Governor Ron DeSantis and his wife.
The Biden’s will meet with local residents and business owners at Fisherman’s Wharf in Fort Myers before receiving their operational briefing about recovery and rebuilding efforts across the impacted areas of the state.
Biden is now speaking with residents and local and state officials as he surveys the damage in the area.
On September 29, Biden issued a major disaster declaration for Florida ahead of Ian’s landfall. This ensured that federal funding would be cover 100 percent of debris removal and other emergency protective measures undertaken by the state of Florida for 30 days.
On Wednesday morning, Biden extended disaster assistance available to Florida by doubling the amount of time the federal government will cover the cost associated with search and rescue, sheltering, feeding and other emergency measures to save lives in 17 counties from 30 to 60 days.
The White House said the Biden administration will continue to work with Florida and FEMA officials to bring relief and recovery support to the most impacted areas.
Biden and First Lady Jill Biden landed at the Southwest Florida International Airport around 12:40 p.m. ET and greeted officials there who were awaiting their arrival, according to reporters traveling with the president. By 1:10 p.m., Biden was onboard the helicopter surveying the area, reporters said.
The White House provided a list of people who accompanied the Bidens on the aerial tour. That list included: Lee County Chairman Cecil Pendergrass, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and assistants to the president Liz Sherwood-Randall and Anthony Bernal.
DeSantis and Crist will face off in the state’s gubernatorial race during midterm elections in early November. DeSantis is seeking his second term in office and Crist is hoping to similarly secure another term after serving as Florida’s governor from 2007 to 2011.
The latest DeSantis-Crist poll was conducted by pollsters with Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy from September 26 to 28 with a 3.5 percent margin of error. The poll said 52 percent of respondents said they planned to vote for DeSantis and 41 percent planned to vote for Crist. Six percent of respondents were undecided and 1 percent said they would vote for another candidate.
Polling averages compiled by FiveThirtyEight also show DeSantis with a lead over Crist one month before Election Day. As of Wednesday, DeSantis had a 6.5 percent polling average lead over Crist, FiveThirtyEight’s data showed.
Local media outlets showed the Bidens disembarking from Air Force One at the Southwest Florida International Airport.
Following their arrival, the Bidens are scheduled to view damage in the Fort Myers area by helicopter before receiving an update on recovery efforts at the Fort Myers Fisherman’s Wharf.
The president’s visit comes one week after Hurricane Ian landed along Florida’s southwestern coast. Official death tolls released by medical examiners have reported more than 70 storm-related deaths in Florida thus far, many of which were confirmed in Lee County.
A temporary bridge was opened Wednesday connecting Pine Island to the mainland which will allow residents and emergency vehicle reach the island. Trucks will now be able to reach the island to restore power and bring in fuel.
The governor said he saw a lot of debris, downed powerlines and damaged infrastructure on the island, but also noted the “resilience” of the people who remained on the island during the storm.
DeSantis added that Pine Island could “bounce back a lot quicker than people think” due to the “great spirit” on the island. He said this temporary bridge was build ahead of schedule after the storm.
Recovery efforts are also underway on Sanibel Island.
DeSantis said the damage and debris coverage on Sanibel is worse than other parts of Florida. Older homes were damaged and the power infrastructure was hit harder than other places, he said, adding that he saw concrete power poles “snapped in half.” The island will require rebuilding.
The Sanibel Causeway, that was significantly damaged during the storm and cut off the island from the mainland, is in the process of being repaired.
The state has done a procurement for a contract to replicate the progress made in Pine Island.
DeSantis also said Florida was “fortunate” for President Biden’s state of emergency declaration ahead of Hurricane Ian’s landfall.
“We were fortunate the White House declare this very quickly,” he said. “I don’t even think it was a tropical storm yet. We declared the state of emergency on the Friday before the storm. It was a disturbance, but people knew it could grow.”
Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said more than 34 million gallons of water, more than nine million meals and more than 500 generators have been delivered.
He also said Lee County has running water again as all 13 water treatment plants are pushing water again.
“Although we mourn five deaths and incurred some damage, it’s clear North Carolina missed the worst of this storm,” Cooper said in a statement. “Now that some of our emergency resources are no longer needed at home, we are sending additional assistance to our Florida neighbors, who have a long road of recovery ahead.”
The emergency teams from North Carolina will assist with response and recovery operations in hard-hit Lee County, Florida for two weeks.
Tasks will include coordinating “ongoing response operations including search, distribution of relief supplies, damage assessment and beginning the recovery process,” the statement from Cooper’s office reads. “The team is traveling with all the supplies and equipment they need to set up a basecamp and be self-sufficient while working, as most of the infrastructure in the area is destroyed and services are unavailable.”
According to PowerOutage.us, power was out for 299,230 customers in Florida shortly after noon on Wednesday. Data assessed by PowerOutage.us identified the areas most impacted by power outages as DeSoto, Charlotte and Lee Counties.
President Joe Biden is set to arrive in Florida for a visit to Fort Myers in Lee County Wednesday afternoon. Many local reporters and residents have documented the damage Hurricane Ian caused in the area by taking photos and videos, some of which were circulating on social media ahead of Biden’s arrival.
In one video shared Wednesday morning by WeatherNation, debris clutters the spaces between destroyed homes and other buildings seen in the Fort Myers Beach area.
Another short video shared by a Florida-based journalist showed piles of debris covering the space outside a pizza restaurant in downtown Fort Myers.
Republican Governor Ron DeSantis was set to take on his Democratic opponent Charlie Crist next week on Wednesday, Oct. 12 on WPEC-TV in Fort Pierce. This was the only scheduled debates in this race.
Scott Livingston, the senior vice president of news at Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns WPEC-TV, said this move allows both candidates to focus on ongoing recovery efforts.
“The top priority is the safety and well-[being] of the residents of Florida, we have decided to postpone the debate to allow for the candidates to focus on the immediate recovery efforts throughout Southwest Florida after the devastation from Hurricane Ian,” Livingston said in a statement.
WPEC-TV said it offered to move the debate to later this month and has given each candidate several option for new dates.
Reported death tolls have varied widely since the hurricane made landfall in Florida on September 28, with some media outlets reporting that the storm-related total has already surpassed 100 deaths.
Official counts by medical examiners are thus far a bit lower, but damage assessments and rescue efforts in the hardest-hit areas are still ongoing.
According to the Florida Medical Examiners Commission (FMEC), officials had confirmed 72 storm-related deaths in Florida by Tuesday. Most of those deaths were reported in Lee County, where officials said they confirmed 46 storm-related deaths. Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said during a Tuesday press conference that the death toll in his county was at 55, though the latest update from the FMEC did not show that medical examiners had confirmed that higher number.
Outside Florida, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said over the weekend that four people died as a result of the storm as the hurricane hit the Carolinas. Three of the deceased individuals were in their 20s and the fourth was 65, Cooper said.
During his visit to Fort Myers, Biden will meet with Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. This is will be the first time Biden and DeSantis will meet since DeSantis sent planes of migrants to Martha’s Vineyard in a move the White House called a “political stunt.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said this trip is going to be “above politics.”
“There will be plenty of time to discuss differences between the president and the governor — but now is not the time,” she said during a press briefing Tuesday.
“When it comes to delivering and making sure that the people of Florida have what they need, especially after Hurricane Ian, we are one — we are working as one,” Jean-Pierre added.
She said the president is in Florida to make sure residents have what they need to recovery from Hurricane Ian.
“He’s going to be listening to the people who live there, who have lost so much,” she said. “He’s going to be talking to the respondents [responders] on the ground who have been — done tremendous work.”
She said Biden and DeSantis will talk about what else needs to be done in Florida to get to a place of recovery and rebuilding, as they have done several times during the storm leading up to this visit.
Jean-Pierre reminded reporters that the two leaders were able to set politics aside when Biden visited with DeSantis following the tragic Surfside building collapse last year.
During an interview in Cape Coral, the Republican governor was asked whether there would be accountability for the incorrect forecast that had the storm hitting Tampa Bay.
DeSantis accused the media of hoping for storm damage to advance a political agenda.
“You have national regime media, that they wanted to see Tampa [get hit], because they thought that would be worse for Florida,” he said. “That’s how these people think. I mean, they don’t care about the people of this state. They don’t care about the people of this community. They want to use storms and destruction from storms as a way to advance their agenda.”
He added that the media does not care about the lives impacted by the storm.
“They don’t care what destruction’s in their wake,” DeSantis added. “They don’t care about the lives here. If they can use it to pursue their political agenda, they will do it.”
Lee County officials were under fire for their delayed mandatory evacuation orders that came just 24 hours before Hurricane Ian made landfall.
DeSantis told reporters earlier this week that the forecasts had the storm hitting Tampa Bay the day before it made landfall. But the storm shifted south, not giving much time for residents to evacuate.
He defended the county, saying they were “following the data.”
“When we went to bed Monday night people were saying this is a direct hit on Tampa Bay, worst case scenario for the state,” he said a press briefing Saturday.
“As that track started to shift south and the computer models, the next morning they called for the evacuation, they opened their shelters and they responded very quickly to the data,” he added.
The president and the first lady are set to arrive in Florida around 12:45 p.m. The White House said this trip will reaffirm Biden’s “commitment to supporting the people of Florida as they recover and rebuild from the devastating storm.”
The Biden’s will survey the damage from a helicopter and meet with local residents and business owners impacted by the storm.
Biden will also receive an operational briefing from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, FEMA Administrator Deanna Criswell and local leaders on the current response and recovery efforts.
The president is expected to deliver remarks at around 3:15 p.m.
