News / Articles

LWVFL Provides Post-hurricane Resources

Diane Preston Moore | Published on 10/2/2022

As Collier County and our neighboring communities begin the process of cleaning up and rebuilding following Hurricane Ian, my and the LWVCC's heartfelt thoughts go out to all who have been impacted and all who lost so much. The stories I’ve read and photos I’ve seen are truly heartbreaking. I hope that each of you are working through whatever damage you sustained in the hurricane. It will be a long process of rebuilding, but we are a resilient community that comes together in times of struggle.

The state LWV has compiled a list of resources for those with questions and needs in the aftermath of Ian. Please read through the email from LWVFL President Cecile Scoon, below.

For information on the status of our programs and events scheduled for early October, please check the LWVCC calendar for updates on cancellations.

Stay safe,

Diane Preston Moore

President, League of Women Voters of Collier County

Dear League members and supporters,

Our hearts go out to everyone who’s been impacted by the devastating force of Hurricane Ian – especially those in Southwest Florida who took the brunt of this massive storm.The entire Florida League family is thinking of the millions of Floridians with no power, no water, no food and possibly no homes or neighborhoods to return to.

For individuals returning to a home that has been damaged by a hurricane, the experience can be both emotionally devastating and physically harmful. Years of irreplaceable photos, heirlooms and other belongings may be permanently destroyed. In terms of physical danger, there are many risks such as electrocution, collapse of remaining structural components, and other hazards. At times like this, a sense of community is more important than ever. Know that fellow League comrades are here to lean on.

Florida League President Cecile Scoon knows first hand the damage a storm of this nature causes as her own own home and office in Panama City suffered catastrophic damage due to Hurricane Michael in 2018.

We thank our first responders and community leaders for their courageous efforts in preparing for and managing the storm's impact. Yesterday, President Biden declared a major disaster for the state, meaning that all federal resources will be available as we work to rebuild.

Post Hurricane Resources/Information

Below are a number of various resources for those who may have been impacted by the storm:

CDC-Stay Safe After a Hurricane or Other Tropical Storm
Ready.gov-Returning Home After a Hurricane
Volunteer Florida - Statewide Volunteer Opportunities
Florida Disaster Fund- TheFlorida Disaster Fundis the State of Florida’s official private fund established to assist Florida’s communities as they respond to and recover during times of emergency or disaster. In partnership with the public sector, private sector and other non-governmental organizations, the Florida Disaster Fund supports response and recovery activities.
Red Cross-Post Hurricane Safety
Find Open Shelters
One can contact the Red Cross Disaster Distress Helpline for free if you need to talk to someone at 1-800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs’ to 66746.
Applications for Individual Federal Disaster Assistance
Business Damage Assessment Survey
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has launched the Business Damage Assessment Survey. Completing the survey will help expedite aide to affected businesses.
Tips to filing a homeowners' insurance claim:
Make a home inventory. Use your smartphone to take photos or videos of your belongings, including furniture, appliances, clothes, jewelry, and art. Save your inventory in a location you can easily retrieve it, such as the cloud, or email a copy to yourself. Many insurers also offer specialized apps to help policyholders create their own home inventory.
Gather copies of your insurance policies.Keep copies of your insurance policies (home, flood, and auto) in a safe, dry, and accessible location.
Save your insurer’s contact information. Save your insurer’s toll-free claims number to your phone’s contacts so you can easily start the claims process if your home is damaged or destroyed in a storm.

For additional resources and statewide emergency information, please visitFloridaDisaster.org.

Request for Help: Report Updates to Voting due to Hurricane Ian

Election officials have started discussing alternative means of voting for counties most affected by Hurricane Ian, with just a week before the deadline for mail ballots to be sent out and less than six weeks until Election Day.

Mark Earley, president of Florida Supervisors of Elections Association, has said that while it was too early to know the full extent of damages, and no final decision has been made, there’s a chance several counties will have to delay their scheduled mail-out dates for domestic vote-by-mail ballots — potentially past the deadline imposed by Florida’s constitution.

The outlook for early voting sites and Election Day polling places in some of the most affected counties — including Lee, Charlotte, Collier and Sarasota — is likely to be similar to voting in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in 2018. After Hurricane Michael, in an attempt to allow people to vote amid massive displacement and devastation, then-Gov. Rick Scott issued an executive order granting flexibility from state laws to storm-struck counties.

We ask that if you hear of any official changes or modifications to voting in your county to send information to our office as soon as possible via email (info@lwvfl.org).

The next few days, weeks and months may be difficult.We have some very complex problems to solve.But together, we shall overcome.

In League,

Cecile M. Scoon, Esq.

President

Leah Nash

Executive Director

Return to Previous Page

About Us

Resources

About This Site

Take Action

News / Articles

LWVFL Provides Post-hurricane Resources