FEMA Denies Hurricane Isaac Claims By Escambia, Santa Rosa

September 21, 2012

FEMA has denied assistance to Escambia and Santa Rosa County to cover costs associated with damage and  cleanup from Hurricane Isaac.

A preliminary damage assessment found Pensacola Beach lost 250,000 cubic yards of sand, which will cost about $8 million to fix. Perdido Key lost 180,000 cubic yards and had up to $6.3 million in damage. About $10.4 million of the Escambia damage was eligible for FEMA reimbursement.  Santa Rosa County estimates $704,000 in damages in the unincorporated areas — $4,000 to parks and $700,00 for Navarre Beach erosion and total damages of $1.2 million.

In a letter to Gov. Rick Scott, FEMA said the damage sustained across Florida was not of such severity and magnitude to qualify for assistance.

“Certainly we are surprised and disappointed with FEMA’s decision to deny assistance to the Florida counties impacted by Hurricane Isaac,” said Escambia County Administrator Randy Oliver. “We feel strongly that the nearly $11 million in damage Escambia County sustained from Isaac is significant and should qualify for relief.  We stand ready to join Governor Scott in appealing this decision to FEMA.”

Scott  has already asked the Division of Emergency Management to appeal the denial.

Comments

15 Responses to “FEMA Denies Hurricane Isaac Claims By Escambia, Santa Rosa”

  1. joslyn on September 24th, 2012 6:28 am

    Wow those who say “we got this” obviously are not home owners or single parents or from Florida for that matter. You have failed to realise that government Scott also asked that the individuals who were hit hard by the early June floods be helped in this current Isaac request for Assistance. I alone lost my home to that flood and bank of America has yet to release the insurance check even for clean up. The flood damages are I guarantee is the cause of the west Nile breakouts in escambia county. As for the beach repair..that is the highest attraction to our area. Go back home where
    you belong if you don’t support this areas needs. We mtatives who suffer from you taking our jobs can sure use the work.

  2. Sane American on September 21st, 2012 11:07 pm

    @ Bob
    Maybe one day you will wake up and understand that the beaches aren’t rebuilt simply for the people living on the beach. Pensacola Beach brings in more tax revenues than anywhere else because of tourism. It’s not about those that live there. Without tourism, Pensacola might as well not be on the map, other than NAS. If you honestly believe it’s for those that live there, you’re a moron. Remember when the oil spill happened and this whole area suffered? That’s right, no tourists were coming here. Maybe you can’t see the forest because of the trees, but get the splinter out of your own eye and see the big picture.

  3. Bob on September 21st, 2012 9:28 pm

    Maby the county commissioners of these county’s will share some of that BP windfall to help thoes poor people on the beaches. We all know they need help so they can build our enconmy from the top down.

  4. Sane American on September 21st, 2012 4:04 pm

    @ Safebear
    If you mortgage your home, by law you have to have insurance. Actually, the only way to have a home without insurance is if you own it. Which means you have no house payment. And I can assure you, everyone on the beaches around here have homeowners insurance. It’s actually public land that the request was made for, as no one owns land on the beach. You can sign a 99 year lease for a lot, but you’ll never own it.

  5. Safebear on September 21st, 2012 2:24 pm

    Get a truck and start hauling sand citizens if you want the beach fixed. That FEMA money needs to be used for people who receive damage from a storm, not to repair what Mother Nature thought needed to be reorganized.

    And on that topic – Anyone in a flood zone or on the beach should be required to show proof of insurance on their house/property every year when they pay their taxes just like car insurance. If they can afford to build them fancy houses, they can afford to insure them.

  6. Wayne on September 21st, 2012 1:36 pm

    Yep, Cant send any money to Escambia or Santa Rosa counties becuase we have to save it to send to all the foreign countries. JEEZ what a mess

  7. old man on September 21st, 2012 12:26 pm

    Aa miracle has happen fema has finaly done snmething right let the people that live on the beach pay for the sand it is not smart to build your house on sand

  8. charlie w. on September 21st, 2012 9:49 am

    Maybe FEMA has realized that the sand on the beach will replace itself except for the dumb that built right on the water. Enough tax payers money for the stupid!

  9. Mike on September 21st, 2012 9:42 am

    About time some govt agency denied this local area money that is not from the storm. Fema has done something right for once!!

  10. eeyore on September 21st, 2012 9:20 am

    …wasnt there some saying about people who buld their house in/on sand…lol

  11. LIfendason on September 21st, 2012 8:41 am

    I cannot believe we asked for money, emergency money at that for misplaced sand. Thank goodness FEMA said NO!

  12. Lady on September 21st, 2012 8:19 am

    I think it’s time the government or anyone else stops spending money on putting sand behind businesses/homes on the Gulf. We CANNOT AFFORD THIS. When people build on beach they should assume all costs for damages to sand, etc. because no agency can keep funding this. This sand was put there by Mother Nature and the government of any kind cannot keep funding this.

  13. Abe on September 21st, 2012 7:46 am

    Good job FEMA!
    We’ve got this.
    Now…
    Eject the Governor and company for asking for the money from the citizens of the other 49 States. Seems that the Governor has a Socialist streak in him afterall.

  14. PSU1Earl on September 21st, 2012 7:40 am

    Everyone that wants to cut federal government spending should be cheering…

  15. SW on September 21st, 2012 3:59 am

    Eject the Federal government from FL. Exercise your 10th amendment sovereignty!