At Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Ian evacuees receive help from across political spectrum

DAYTONA BEACH — U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz thanked American Red Cross volunteers at the Ocean Center Wednesday and attempted to offer encouragement to evacuees of homes damaged by Tropical Storm Ian.

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Waltz said he's also visited the Emergency Operations Centers in Volusia, Flagler and St. Johns counties in an effort to get a handle on how the federal government can continue assisting storm victims.

"I'm really appreciative of the (Biden) administration for making the disaster declarations quickly," Waltz said.

Those declarations have unlocked funding for individuals and for debris removal.

Waltz said previous hurricanes "kind of knocked the rust off the system" and this time around things should go more smoothly.

"Getting the counties reimbursed, I hope, will be a lot faster," he said. "So far, I think it is being managed at a local, state and federal level about as well as it could."

About 200 remain at Ocean Center

On Wednesday, the fifth day of housing people at the Ocean Center, some 200 people plus dogs, cats and birds remained. There were separate areas for people with special needs, people with pets and a general shelter area, said LaTonya Daniel, executive director of the American Red Cross' Space Coast Chapter.

The population was down from about 270 at its peak.

Some people, whose phone service wasn't working last weekend, have since been able to contact family with whom they can stay, Daniel said.

But some new evacuees are arriving, as well.

At the Ocean Center, volunteer nurses were on hand to help people with special needs, while other volunteers were helping to provide continental breakfasts and two hot meals daily plus snacks and water.

Some of the Ocean Center residents were able to use Votran and go to work during the day, returning at night, Daniel said.

The operation at the Ocean Center is only expected for approximately another week, at which point FEMA will be in position to help transition the evacuees home or to new homes.

Nay vote on FEMA funds?

Last Friday, the House passed a bill that averted a government shutdown by providing limited funding for a wide array of government agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The vote was 230-201, with all but 10 Republicans — including Waltz — voting no.

The bill, known as a continuing resolution, was intended to be a stopgap during times when Congress fails to pass a budget prior to the start of a fiscal year. It carries on funding agencies at the same levels as in the previous year until a budget can be established.

Waltz rejected criticism that his vote against the continuing resolution on Sept. 30 was a vote against FEMA funding for Ian relief.

"It's just an inaccurate characterization and it's unfortunate to see that kind of political hit come out," he said.

The continuing resolution funds the entire government. He's opposed to such legislative stopgaps on principle. "I have voted, and you can check the record, against continuing resolutions my entire time (in Congress)."

"It's a terrible way to run the government. It gives no one any clarity on what their budgets are going to be..." he continued.

Yes, funding for FEMA was in the resolution, "but to say this was a vote against a package for Hurricane Ian is inaccurate. It's misleading and people shouldn't be doing that," he said.

Waltz said he is pushing the leaders of Congress on both sides to provide supplemental funding for Ian relief in all states before the end of the year.

Red Cross officials thank community for support

Community leaders from across the political spectrum have helped the Red Cross in assisting storm evacuees, Daniel said.

Volusia County has made the Ocean Center available.

State Sen. Tom Wright and Halifax Urban Ministries delivered clothes to the Ocean Center, while Daisy Grimes led an effort to disburse clothing and supplies, Daniel said.

Cory Mills, the Republican nominee for Florida's 7th Congressional District, had delivered bread, water, cereal, baby food, baby formula and other supplies to the temporary shelter on Saturday, when evacuees from Ian were being moved from the four high school shelters to the Ocean Center.

Mills returned Wednesday with more supplies that he had purchased.

"We brought a 26-foot truck in here because we knew they needed supplies. We knew supplies would eventually be on the way and Red Cross would deliver and FEMA would eventually get set up but we wanted to try to ensure that they had what they needed at that moment," Mills said. "Literally upon getting everything deployed, they were using our materials to make lunches and people hadn't even had lunches yet. This is about helping the community."

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This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Congressman Michael Waltz pledges help to Ian evacuees at Ocean Center