TAMPA — Everyone should get flood insurance – even if you’re not in a flood zone.

What You Need To Know

  • Hurricane season begins in June, and Floridians are encouraged to update their preparedness plans and kits with at least seven days of supplies for each person and pet in the household.

  • Late Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at transferring the responsibility for preparing for and responding to threats such as cyber-attacks and hurricanes to state and local governments.

  • Spectrum News asked the interim FEMA director if those areas in ‘Flood Zone X’ are under review for re-classification.

  • To date, FEMA has approved over $1.5 billion to assist Floridians affected by Milton, Helene, and Debby. 

That’s the message from the head of the Florida Division of Emergency Management and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The agencies are touring the state, visiting areas severely impacted by hurricanes Helene and Milton.

While recovery efforts from last year’s storms continue, FEMA is stressing the importance of being prepared for the upcoming storm season. 

FEMA held a joint press conference with the Florida Division of Emergency Management in Tampa on Wednesday.

They outlined some key steps that all residents should take before the hurricane season that starts June 1.

Both agencies are encouraging Floridians to update their preparedness plans and kits with at least seven days of supplies for each person and pet in the household.

Throughout the week, interim FEMA director Cameron Hamilton has been meeting with local officials, business owners and others regarding the ongoing recovery efforts in Florida.

On Wednesday, he was joined by Kevin Guthrie, the executive director for the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Late Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at transferring the responsibility for preparing for and responding to threats such as cyber-attacks and hurricanes to state and local governments.

Hamilton said that since his appointment in January, plans have been initiated to overhaul FEMA’s operational readiness as an organization. 

“We've surged our staff and support,” said Hamilton. “We've upped our numbers of deployments, and we've made sure that all survivors understand that they have our singular focus.

"There is an appeals process. I don't like that process, to be perfectly frank," he said. "My parents got a letter of denial that has my name written on it. I have to wrestle with that and own that, which is why we're making changes now to be more sensitive, agile, and responsive to every survivor because that's what they deserve.”

To date, FEMA has approved over $1.5 billion to assist Floridians affected by Milton, Helene, and Debby.

During consecutive storms in Florida, there were FEMA-designated zones that were unexpectedly affected by flooding.

Spectrum News asked Hamilton if those areas in ‘Flood Zone X’ are under review for re-classification. He said that new surveys and assessments are occurring to update their flooding data so that people are aware of any potential risks.