FLORIDA – Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis shared storm recovery resources and flood insurance claims information ahead of Tropical Storm Helene, which is expected to hit the Florida Panhandle Thursday.
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Helene is expected to bring devastating wind, rain, and flooding along the Florida Gulf Coast.
All Northeast Florida counties are under a state of emergency.
RELATED | Mayor: Jacksonville area should prepare for ‘major wind event’ when Helene hits Thursday
Patronis said the PrepareFL website has resources and information for storm preparedness tips.
“If you have coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program, be prepared to document potential damage so you can make your claim quickly if needed,” Patronis said.
He said Florida is taking Tropical Storm Helene seriously and residents should too.
“Even before it was declared a tropical depression, the governor has already issued an emergency declaration out of just the fear of what this storm could be,” Patronis said.
He also said Helene looks like it could follow a similar path of Idalia and Debby, both of which made landfall on Florida’s Big Bend.
Idalia was a Category 3 hurricane and Debby was a Category 1.
Jacksonville was spared a direct hit from Idalia, but there was flooding in low-lying areas near the St. John’s River, like Memorial Park.
Debby brought heavy rain and strong wind to Duval County as a tropical storm, causing schools to be closed for a day.
“We’re seeing some similarities now with Helene, a large storm over 200 miles wide, it’s going to have bands that are going to extend farther into the state of Florida that we’ve seen in a long time,” Patronis said.
He said Urban Search and Rescue Teams are mobilizing and warned people with vehicles with lithium-ion batteries, like scooters, e-bikes, and EVs are moved to high ground.
“We saw with Hurricane Ian, we had about 19 EVs that caught fire from no other reason but salt water storm surge,” Patronis said.
He urged people to follow the warnings of local officials as the storm approaches.