FLORIDA — State emergency operations have been underway since Hurricane Ian brought catastrophic winds and rain across the state.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, first lady Casey DeSantis and Florida's Director of Emergency Management Kevin Guthrie were able to survey the damage in Charlotte and Lee counties on Thursday, two of the hardest hit counties in the state. More than 700 people have been rescued in those counties so far. 

Currently, 42,000 lineman are responding to the more than 2.5 million reported power outages. So far, power has been restored to more than 200,000 accounts in southwest Florida. 

The Florida Disaster Fund, established to provide financial disaster relief, has surpassed $10 million. Anyone who would like to donate can do so at www.FloridaDisasterFund.org or text DISASTER to 20222.

Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Polk counties have also been added to the federal government's major disaster declaration. Those counties will receive individual assistance and debris removal funding at 100% for 30 days. 

Current conditions and response efforts include:

Search and Rescue

  • Dozens of search and rescues continue across the state.
  • The Missouri Task Force 1 Disaster Situational Assessment and Reconnaissance (DSAR) Team is deploying to Florida through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact to support urban search and rescue efforts and incident assessment.
  • A Florida Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Team deployed to Central Florida to support state USAR Task Forces and incident assessment.
  • The National Guard and the Coast Guard are landing helicopters on barrier islands to perform search and rescue.
  • Search and Rescue crews rallied at the Fort Myers Sports Complex and have been running operations. 
  • A total of 5,000 Florida Guardsmen have been activated to State Active Duty for Hurricane Ian response operations. Up to 2,000 Guardsmen from neighboring states are also activated to assist.

Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM)

  • Anyone who decided to shelter in place is asked to complete FDEM's Shelter in Place Survey by visiting FloridaDisaster.org/Info. This will provide criticall information to first responders. 
  • Receive up-to-date information by calling FDEM's toll-free hotline at 1-800-342-3557.
  • FDEM recovery crews have begun to assess the damage in Collier, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Sarasota counties to expedite available federal assistance for disaster recovery. 
  • FDEM Liaisons have been deployed to county EOCs in Brevard, Charlotte, Dixie, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Pinellas, Sarasota and Seminole counties.
  • More than 200 public shelters are open and available to impacted residents, with more than 50 being Special Needs Shelters. 
  • FDEM has mobilized pet food and supplies for displaced pets in Charlotte County, including; dry and canned dog food, dry and canned cat food, cat litter, disposable pet bowls and disposable leashes. 
  • FDEM is deploying the following resources to impacted areas: 
    • More than 400 bottles of oxygen to Charlotte County
    • 255 ambulances
    • 200 trucks of food, water and ice
    • 200 large generators
    • 2 full service mechanical shops
    • 500,000 tarps
    • 375 kits for parents of infants and toddlers with critical supplies that will last for 10 days each
    • Four mobile triage unites to Miami-Dade County
    • Five truckloads of blankets and five truckloads of cots to support displaced residents
    • Meals for first responders staged in Orange County

Power

  • 2.6 million people are currently without power
  • More than 200,000 accounts have been restored in southwest Florida, including: 
    • 62,000 in Sarasota County
    • 44,000 in Hillsborough County
    • 33,000 in Manatee County
    • 28,000 in Lee County
    • 14,000 in Collier County
    • 12,000 in Charlotte County
  • Keep track of your power restoration: 

Health and Human Services

  • Elder Helpline available: 1-800-96-ELDER
  • The Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas County is doing operational readiness checks to be able to reopen tomorrow
  • Senior Resource Alliance in Central Florida has initiated calls to senior clients in Brevard and Orange county to conduct welfare checks.
  • Boil Water Notices have been issued for 16 areas, over 11 counties, following the impacts from Hurricane Ian. DOH continues to monitor and maintain a comprehensive statewide list of notices for residents to access online.

Infrastructure

  • Most of I-75, outside Charlotte and Lee Counties, is open. Crews are working to re-open the rest of I-75.
  • FDOT has dispatched 100 engineers working in teams of 2 to perform bridge inspections.
  • FDOT inspectors have cleared 66 priority bridges in the areas most affected by Hurricane Ian.
  • Current conditions are highly hazardous. Please stay off the roadways until it is confirmed to be safe for travel.

Turnpike Service Plaza Closures

  • Fort Drum Service Plaza – Reopened 9/29
  • Okahumpka Service Plaza- Reopened 9/29
  • Canoe Creek Service Plaza – closed
  • Turkey Lake Service Plaza – closed

Road and Bridges

Up-to-date closures listed on FL511.com:

Brevard County

  • Richy Road Southbound at US-1 Southbound – All lanes closed

DeSoto County

  • SR-72 East at SR-70 – All lanes closed

Flagler County

  • SR-100 Eastbound at N. Central Avenue – All lanes closed
  • SR-100 Eastbound at Robali Road

 

Hardee County

  • SR-64 at Parnell Road – All lanes closed, both directions

Lee County

  • Pine Island Road Bridge
  • Sanibel Causeway

 

Manatee County

  • Cortez Bridge
  • John Ringling Causeway
  • SR-64/Manatee Avenue East – All lanes closed
  • SR-684/Manatee Avenue West – All lanes closed

Orange County

  • Florida’s Turnpike North at Exit 254: Orange Blossom Trail – On-ramp closed, all lanes closed
  • Florida’s Turnpike South at Exit 259: I-4 (Orlando) – On-ramp closed, all lanes closed
  • I-4 Express Lanes West at MM 79/I-4 West – All lanes closed
  • I-4 West at MM 77: Florida’s Turnpike – Off-ramp closed
  • S. Thornton Avenue at Thornton Lane – All lanes closed
  • SR-408 East at Exit 10B: SR-527/Orange Avenue – On-ramp closed
  • SR-417 Ramp to Exit 12: Turnpike Northbound – All lanes closed, both directions
  • SR-423/John Young Parkway (before & beyond SR-50) – All lanes closed, both directions
  • SR-436/Semoran Boulevard/Altamonte Drive East at Baldwin Park Street/Auvers Boulevard – Off-ramp closed, all lanes closed
  • SR-520 at SR-528 – Off-ramps closed, both directions
  • SR 527/Orange Ave/Rosalind Ave (before & beyond Gore Street) – Off-ramp closed, all lanes closed
  • SR 528 W at Exit 31: SR-520 – Off-ramp closed
  • SR-551/Goldenrod Road North at Nolton Way – Off-ramp closed, both directions
  • SR-551/Goldenrod Road North at Sun Vista Way – Off-ramp closed, all lanes closed
  • SR-552/Curry Ford Road East at Camelia Garden Drive – All lanes closed
  • US-441/Orange Blossom Trail North at Lancaster Road – All lanes closed
  • US-441/Orange Blossom Trail Ramp at Columbia Street – Off-ramp closed, both directions

 

Osceola County

  • I-4 West at MM 64/US-192 – On-ramp closed
  • I-4 East at MM 65/Osceola Parkway – On-ramp closed
  • I-4 East at MM 67/SR-536 – Off-ramp closed

 

Sarasota County

  • John Ringling Causeway

 

Seminole County

  • SR-46 West at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard/Rand Yard Road – All lanes closed
  • SR-46 East at Monroe/Upsala Road – All lanes closed

 

St. Johns County

  • Bridge of Lions

 

Volusia County

  • I-95 South at Exit 244/SR-442 – Off-ramp closed
  • Daytona Beach – Mason Avenue at Tower Street – All lanes closed
  • Daytona Beach – Main Street at S. Halifax Avenue – All lanes closed
  • Daytona Beach – East International Speedway Boulevard at North Beach Street – All lanes closed
  • Daytona Beach – East Orange Avenue at S. Beach Street – All lanes closed
  • Daytona Beach – Lytle Avenue at Palmetto Street – All lanes closed
  • New Smyrna Beach – North Causeway at Washington Street
  • Ormond Beach – Granada Boulevard at Halifax River – All lanes closed

Ports

  • Ports that are currently closed: 
    • Port of St. Petersburg
    • Seaport Manatee
    • Port of Fort Pierce
    • Port of Palm Beach
    • Port of Canaveral
    • Port of Fernandina
    • JAXPORT
    • Port of Key West
  • Ports that are open: 
    • Port Tampa Bay
    • Port Everglades
    • Port Miami
    • Port of Pensacola
    • Port Panama City
    • Port St. Joe

Airports

  • Tampa International Aiport - open
  • St. Pete/Clearwater Airport - closed
  • Sarasota Bradenton International Airport - emergency operations only
  • Southwest Florida International Airport - closed
  • Punta Gorda Airport - runway clearing in progress
  • Orlando International Airport - closing emergency operations only
  • Orlando Sanford International Airport - emergency operations only
  • Daytona Beach International Airport - closed
  • Melbourne Orlando International Airport - closed
  • Northeast Florida Regional Airport - emergency operations only
  • North Perry Airport - closed

Transit and Rail

  • HART has reopened
  • Palm Tran is open
  • Jacksonville Transportation Authority open
  • Citrus County Service is open