FEMA provides hurricane relief assistance on Fort Myers Beach
The Federal Emergency Management Agency stopped by Fort Myers Beach on Saturday to offer assistance to residents after Hurricane Helene and talk about future storms heading our way.
A team went door to door, making sure people were registered with FEMA or finding out the status of their claim.
Renee Befalis, FEMA media relations specialist, said she saw a lot of debris from homes on Fort Myers Beach on Saturday and several inches of rain in homes.
"People are engaged in trying to repair their homes, tear out drywall or tear out furniture that's been damaged," Befalis said. "We want to make sure that we're in the communities, making it easier for folks to be able to register rather than having to go online, make a phone call or going to one of our disaster recovery centers."
Residents have been cleaning up from hurricanes Debby and Helene over the last two months, and now, as Tropical Storm Milton approaches, residents are starting to prepare yet again.
"For the next storm that's coming, please listen to your local officials and heed the warnings that they are giving out," Befalis said.
Befalis said when registering for FEMA, the best thing you can do is give the full story of what you need and what kind of damage you have.
"People should tell us whether they're staying with relatives or friends, if they have no money in their bank accounts because they're working from paycheck to paycheck, if they need food for their children or diapers for the babies," Befalis said.
