Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Nearly $17.5 Million to Strengthen and Establish Disaster Prevention Resources for Communities Impacted by Hurricane Michael

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced nearly $17.5 million ($17,490,600) in awards through the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s (DEO) Rebuild Florida Hazard Mitigation Grant Match Program. The program funds the local community’s match portion of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) awards to support recovery efforts in communities impacted by Hurricane Michael.

“Repairing and strengthening infrastructure in the communities impacted by Hurricane Michael will help minimize the impacts of future disasters,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “I am proud to announce these awards to Florida communities who have been impacted by past storms and my administration remains dedicated to disaster prevention and recovery throughout the state to fight against future disasters.”

“Every day, progress is being made toward the long-term recovery of those impacted by Hurricane Michael,” said DEO Secretary Dane Eagle. “These grants will allow communities with remaining needs to make important upgrades and improvements to critical infrastructure and to mitigate future storm damage.”

“The Division is proud to work with our local, state and federal partners to assist in providing critical relief funding to communities impacted by Hurricane Michael,” said FDEM Director Kevin Guthrie. “Through these long-term recovery and disaster mitigation projects, our Panhandle communities will strengthen their ability to withstand future storms and remain resilient in their recovery efforts.”

DEO is making initial awards for 21 projects in the following communities through the Rebuild Florida Hazard Mitigation Grant Match Program:

• City of Apalachicola ($90,966)– to install a permanent generator to provide backup power to the city’s police department and fire station.
• Bay County ($904,134) – to provide resiliency to 28 mast arm signals in 14 locations to improve the ability to safely evacuate.
• Calhoun County ($119,235) – to install eight permanent generators at multiple volunteer fire department buildings and public works facilities to maintain operation during a future disaster.
• City of Gretna ($106,218)– to install five permanent generators at lift stations to maintain constant power.
• City of Gretna ($20,001) – to install a permanent generator at their police station.
• City of Lynn Haven ($94,086) – to replace an existing drainage system with a new ditch and pipe system to the drainage channel on the east side of Mowat Middle School.
• City of Lynn Haven ($93,116) – to install permanent generators at four lift stations to prevent future backups and overflows.
• City of Lynn Haven ($117,886) – to install new storm pipes on the south side 7^th Street.
• City of Lynn Haven ($25,077) – to excavate existing roadside ditches and install pipes to connect more of the affected area to the railroad drainage system.
• City of Mexico Beach ($2,353,355)– to install a flood control gate on an existing bridge to prevent surge and high tide from moving upstream.
• Town of Malone ($20,001)– to install a generator and fuel tank to provide continuous power to a fire station in the event of a disaster.
• City of Marianna ($2,469,856) – to design and construct box culverts along Kelson Avenue that will allow the city to eliminate future street flooding and enhance stormwater flow.
• City of Panama City ($913,955) – to install twin permanent generators to provide backup power to the Millville Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• City of Panama City ($6,625,626) – to reconstruct lift stations further inland to reduce risk of failure from storm surges and wave action hazards.
• City of Panama City ($20,001)– to install hurricane shutters, wind resistant doors, garage doors and strengthen load connections for five properties in a high-risk area.
• City of Panama City ($1,343,750)– to construct two water wells at a hospital to maintain potable water.
• City of Springfield ($23,690) – to install permanent generators at the city’s fire department and police station.
• Gulf County ($642,452) – to create a safe room for first responders at the Gulf Coast Electric Co-Op.
• Jackson Hospital ($1,223,837) – to construct an emergency backup water system capable of supplying the hospital’s water demands in a disaster.
• Washington County ($179, 969) – to install permanent generators at the county’s health department, communication towers, and Sheriff offices.
• Washington County ($103,389) – to acquire, demolish, and convert 4 properties in flood-prone areas to greenspace to mitigate recurrent flood issues.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) administers the state’s FEMA HMGP awards, which requires a local match of 25 percent. DEO administers the local match portion of the HMGP through the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program allocated to the state through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Rebuild Florida Hazard Mitigation Grant Match Program is designed to fund impactful recovery efforts to rebuild and harden infrastructure for communities to mitigate the effects of future disasters. More than $29 million has been awarded through the match program alone. DEO has awarded more than $333 million in total funding to date to Hurricane Michael impacted communities for long-term disaster recovery, with more to come.