Governor DeSantis visits Madeira Beach, city still recovering from Hurricane Helene damage
MADERIA BEACH, Fla. - Governor Ron DeSantis was in Madeira Beach on Wednesday and said progress is being made along the coast in recovering from Hurricane Helene.
John's Pass, like many of the barrier islands, was badly damaged by the storm. Some homes were rendered uninhabitable. But, the governor said he's been impressed with the progress that's been made as businesses and homeowners work to rebuild Pinellas County.
"The Division of Emergency Management as well as Volunteer Florida, are coordinating with volunteer organizations to offer free muck and gut services for residents in the area. So this will help clear the homes of debris and irreparable building materials like wet drywall and rotten wood," shared DeSantis.
READ: Clearwater father survives Hurricane Helene on roof, boat: 'Craziest night of my life'
The state announced that this weekend, an "insurance village" will be held in Clearwater for those who need assistance in filing insurance claims. It will be held Friday-Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Long Center at 1501 North Belcher Road.
During his visit, the governor visited the intersection of Village Boulevard and 129th Avenue. There, DeSantis announced that Walmart would be donating cleaning supplies and that private contractors were stepping forward to help those who are elderly or otherwise unable to begin restoring damaged homes.
"I see a lot of people working really hard," said DeSantis. "I see a lot of progress from the initial reports and my initial survey here a few days ago."
The state has also helped clear sand from 16 miles of road, and power is now restored to almost everyone in Pinellas County.
VIDEO: Time-lapse footage shows Hurricane Helene making landfall in Big Bend area
"Florida Department of Transportation, they've removed 50,000 cubic yards of sand. You see all this sand that gets brought in with the storm surge. You still have some plies you see that's been put on the side," shared DeSantis.
According to the governor, sand that has been hauled off in Pinellas County will be stored and used for beach renourishment.
The busiest streets in Pinellas County have stopped all at once. Simple things, like a slice of pizza, are impossible with entire kitchens piled on the sidewalk on Madeira Beach.
"We plan on rebuilding and getting open as soon as possible," said Adam Canon of De'Losa's Pizzeria.
RELATED: Hurricane Helene death toll rises to 12 in Pinellas County
He is waiting for an insurance check to cover the cost of cleaning and new equipment, after four feet of water got inside his business.
"Get the money that we pay into every month," he said. "Now's the time."
Florida's CFO Jimmy Patronis said 42 insurance carriers will be on hand, with assurances that they'll help homeowners with money to help get them stabilized in the short term.
"I've told the insurance carriers, if you are going to participate in our insurance village, you must write checks on site," Patronis said.
The owner of one coffee shop on Madeira Beach said they are on the verge of reopening, but that power has not yet been stable. They have five employees eager to get back to work.
"The bleeding out of the bank account hurts," said Jason Brokhausen of Llama Java Coffee. "But, our employees, we need to get food on their table just as much as we need to pay our bills. So, yeah, there's an urgency."
The governor envisions a scenerio where businesses will reopen one by one, as opposed to all at the same time, and a lot of that will depend on how much damage they sustained.
DeSantis also said power has been restored to anyone that can safely receive it in Pinellas County. As of Wednesday morning, about 20,000 Floridians are still without power.
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