President Biden visits Tampa Bay following Hurricanes Helene and Milton - Tampa Bay Business & Wealth

President Biden visits Tampa Bay following Hurricanes Helene and Milton

During a visit to storm-ravaged St. Pete Beach, President Joe Biden praised the federal government’s response and the community’s resilience after the back-to-back tragedies of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Among his announcements was $612 million for six Department of Energy projects in areas affected by the hurricanes. Of that, $94 million will stay in Florida, divided equally between Gainesville Regional Utilities and Switched Source, which is partnering with Florida Power & Light. FPL provides power to around three dozen Florida counties including Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto and Charlotte.

Biden followed up with visits to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa and St. Petersburg’s Albert Whitted Airport, with a stop in St. Pete Beach.

“I know that this was not as cataclysmic as predicted,” Biden said, flanked by state, county and municipal officials, standing in front of a two-story home that had collapsed. “But for some, it was cataclysmic, especially those who lost their lives or loved ones.”

Biden started his time in St. Pete with an aerial tour, accompanied by St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor.

The president said of his conversations with local residents: “They’re heartbroken and exhausted, and their expenses are mounting. The American people should know the sacrifices they’re making. Not as Democrats or Republicans but as Americans. We are one United States.”

Biden listed some of the aid that has arrived on the Gulf Coast including 1.2 million meals, 300,000 liters of water, 2 million liters of fuel and 100 satellite terminals to restore communication in affected areas.

He also noted that 10 disaster relief centers are currently open in the state, offering “one-stop shopping” for those seeking assistance. One such center is located at the Florida Botanical Gardens, 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo. At the time of his speech, Biden said that power had been restored to 2 million residents and businesses. He also thanked disaster relief personnel from 43 states and Canada for their assistance.

Pinellas County Commission Chair Kathleen Peters asked for help in cutting red tape, specific to a situation involving overlapping disasters.

“I sent a letter to the state, which will then go to the White House, asking, at a minimum, to merge the two storm declarations,” Peters said, speaking last at Sunday’s briefing. “By merging the two disasters into one, it will help expedite the process and make recovery quicker,” she added.

Peters said the county would also request additional federal assistance for debris removal, the addition of two more Disaster Recovery Centers in the county and approval for a Permanent Housing Construction program to address severe damage to local housing stock.

Biden also cited improvements aimed at speeding up recovery efforts in the future.

“We’ve made critical investments in our power grid, burying transmission lines underground and replacing wooden poles with stronger materials to reduce outages during extreme weather,” he said.

Other local updates include:

Pinellas and Hillsborough County schools remain closed today, Monday, Oct. 14. Pinellas County schools will reopen Wednesday.

The boil water notice for St. Petersburg, South Pasadena and Lealman expired Monday morning. Residents can again use water for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth and cleaning but are advised to run taps for five minutes before use. The advisory remains in effect for Gulfport.

Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport will remain closed until Wednesday, Oct. 16. It reportedly suffered $10 million in damages.

Those affected by the storms can visit disasterassistance.gov or call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).

Biden also noted that more than 250,000 people registered for assistance on Saturday, the largest one-day total in U.S. history.

St. Pete Beach Mayor Adrian Petrila, affected by both storms, echoed Biden’s remarks about resilience.

“My family and I felt the full force of Helene,” he said. “And just when we began to find our footing, here comes Milton. But one thing remains true: We have been beaten, and we have been battered, but we will not be broken.”

You May Also Like
Exclusive: Tampa Bay Chamber and local leaders unite for Community Investment Tax renewal

In part to address severe weather and infrastructure needs

Read More
Tampa Bay Wave surpasses $1 billion in funding for tech startups

The Tampa Bay Wave’s portfolio of more than 550 tech startups has collectively raised over $1 billion in investor capital, marking a significant milestone for the nonprofit accelerator. Founded in

Read More
Tampa-Bay-Wave
Biden administration approves disaster relief funds for Hurricane Milton, Helene survivors

The Biden administration has approved disaster relief funding in response to Hurricanes Milton and Helene. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has allocated $441 million to assist individuals affected by Hurricane

Read More
Leadership and investment can achieve a bold vision for the Tampa Bay region

By Marlene Spalten, president and chief executive officer, Community Foundation Tampa Bay Picture this: A thriving Tampa Bay community where every person has equitable access to opportunity and prosperity. That

Read More
Other Posts
Hurricane Alliance Town Hall: 6 Ways Not to Lose Your Home After the Storms (UPDATED)

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with new information. Tampa Bay residents still navigating the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton are invited to attend a Hurricane Alliance Town

Read More
Hillsborough and Pinellas Education Foundations provide $2.8 million in hurricane relief

In response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the Hillsborough Education Foundation and Pinellas Education Foundation have raised a total of $2.8 million to support schools, students and educators affected by

Read More
Extending a helping hand to our community

By Brent Irish, owner of Closet Envy First and foremost, my heart goes out to everyone affected by the devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. These storms have left

Read More
The Good Life: Tampa Bay Strong Edition

Ways to show support for hurricane relief

Read More