For Immediate Release: October 16, 2026
Contact: Governor’s Press Office, (850) 717-9282, media@eog.myflorida.com
Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Florida Requests Approval for Major Disaster Declaration Following Hurricane Isaias
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) has submitted a request to President Donald Trump for a Major Disaster Declaration following Hurricane Isaias. The request seeks additional federal resources to support impacted communities across Northwest Florida, including Public Assistance for 15 counties and Individual Assistance for eligible residents in 8 designated counties.
“As recovery efforts continue, Florida has submitted a Major Disaster Declaration request to the federal government. We are requesting Public and Individual Assistance to help support Panhandle residents, local governments, and infrastructure affected by the storm,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “In addition, we are now partnering with Emergency RV to provide temporary housing for Floridians displaced by Hurricane Isaias. We will be doing everything we can to help these families rebuild their homes, and in the meantime, we want them to be able to keep living in their communities with as little disruption to their daily lives as possible.”
“Our teams have worked tirelessly to document the impacts of Hurricane Isaias and identify the needs of affected communities,” said FDEM Executive Director Jared Perdue. “We remain focused on supporting recovery efforts and working with our federal partners to secure the additional assistance Floridians need to recover.”
Securing a Major Disaster Declaration requires extensive coordination between state, local and federal partners to document storm-related damage, identify unmet needs and demonstrate the severity and magnitude of the disaster.
Since Hurricane Isaias made landfall, FDEM has worked alongside county emergency management officials, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) to conduct damage assessments of homes, businesses and critical infrastructure throughout impacted communities. Teams in the field and at the State Emergency Operations Center worked around the clock to compile and validate the information necessary to support Florida's request. For Public Assistance, FEMA evaluates eligible disaster-related damages against established per capita indicators at the county and statewide levels. These assessments help demonstrate the financial impact of the storm and support the need for federal assistance.
Florida's request includes Public Assistance for the following 15 counties: Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Walton and Washington.
If approved, Public Assistance would make federal funding available to eligible state and local governments and certain nonprofit organizations to offset disaster response and recovery costs. Depending on the categories authorized, eligible expenses may include:
- Debris removal and emergency protective measures.
- Emergency response operations necessary to protect public health and safety.
- Repair or replacement of damaged roads, bridges, public buildings, utilities and other critical infrastructure.
This funding is particularly important for Florida's smaller and fiscally constrained counties, where the financial burden of responding to and recovering from a major hurricane can significantly strain local resources.
The request also seeks Individual Assistance for residents in Bay, Escambia, Gulf, Holmes, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington counties who experienced damage to their homes and personal property as a result of Hurricane Isaias.
If approved, Individual Assistance could provide eligible households with funding for temporary housing, basic home repairs, essential personal property and other necessary disaster-related expenses, depending on the programs authorized and individual eligibility. The program is designed to help residents address uninsured or underinsured losses and begin the recovery process.
Upon federal approval and the opening of registration, eligible residents in designated counties will be able to apply to FEMA for assistance at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362.
Florida is partnering with Emergency RV to provide temporary sheltering for Floridians displaced by Hurricane Isaias. The program will prioritize eligible residents whose homes sustained the most significant damage, providing a safe place to stay as they rebuild and recover. If your family has been displaced by Hurricane Isaias and needs temporary shelter, more information and the application to apply are available on EmergencyRV.org.
While Florida awaits federal approval of the Major Disaster Declaration request, state and local response and recovery operations remain ongoing across impacted areas. The SERT continues to prioritize restoration of critical infrastructure and coordination of resources to support impacted communities.
FDEM will continue working closely with FEMA, SBA and local emergency management officials to identify additional recovery needs and pursue available federal assistance. Florida remains committed to supporting impacted communities throughout the response and recovery process and ensuring Floridians have the resources necessary to recover from Hurricane Isaias.
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