Damage from Hurricane Ian continues to affect Key West.
Key West Mayor Teri Johnston joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about the city.
In fact, lights at the airport had more problems than people realized and night flights still aren’t occurring.
Johnston said, “We are hearing of more and more people who have particularly storm surge damage in their homes. We have made the determination to keep our damage assessment hotline open for another week.”
The city wants to capture all information for FEMA.
In addition to the damage to homes, about 100 liveaboards were affected.
Johnston said, “As with every storm, we are going to improve things…to make that situation safer in the next weather event.”
FEMA has included Monroe County in debris removal and major repairs.
Debris removal in Key West still continues this week.
The last segment of debris removal will be the appliance removal because the debris haulers have to empty out the Freon in all those appliances.
Johnston said, “We are still doing landscape and we are going to until every bit of this is gone. I know some of the side streets have not been handled yet, but we will get around to every, single home.”
What about waste and fuel in the waterways?
Johnston said, “I would imagine FWC and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection would take a look at those issues because it’s concerning. Every, single weather event that you have where you have a vessel that goes down, either partially or completely, you have a concern over that fuel tank and where that fuel is going.”
Individual assistance through FEMA is still pending.
Johnston said, “We check every, single day and Monroe County is still under review for individual assistance.”
For more information on individual assistance, click here: https://www.disasterassistance.gov/ or call 800-659-2955.
Additionally, anyone who has had damage from the hurricane, call locally at 305-809-1101. All the information collected there will be provided to FEMA.
Johnston said, “The more information that we have. The more accurate information that we have, the better chance we have of being reimbursed.”
Anyone in need of food or other help, contact the United Way of the Florida Keys and Collier County by clicking here: https://www.keysunitedway.org/
A fundraiser for the families displaced by the Flagler Avenue fire will be held tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. at the Green Parrot.
Johnston said, “It’s a wonderful community. We experience these incidents and we come together as a community and we recover. Hopefully this time we will learn lessons. We will build back stronger and better and more efficiently. Everyone has an opportunity for learning and for improvement.”