Monday Marks Hurricane Dennis Anniversary 

Officials urge preparedness one year after destructive storm

Release Date: July 7, 2006
Release Number: LTR-06-33

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ORLANDO, Fla. – Monday will mark one year since Hurricane Dennis struck Florida’s panhandle and offered a prelude to what would become the most active hurricane season in history. Dennis’ destruction gave a glimpse of the additional challenges that would later face Floridians and other Gulf Coast residents due to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.

The hurricane’s anniversary, along with this year’s brush with Tropical Storm Alberto, should serve as a reminder to Floridians that it is not too early for a hurricane or tropical storm to strike. In turn, it is not too early to prepare for the next event, cautioned officials from the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Florida’s State Emergency Response Team (SERT).

Officials continue to urge Floridians to prepare for a hurricane by assembling disaster supply kits, updating family disaster plans (including preparations for pets) and making sure homes and businesses are disaster-ready. In-depth information on hurricane preparedness can be found on www.fema.gov, www.ready.gov and www.floridadisaster.org.

Preparations should also include buying flood insurance, as even homes not directly hit by a hurricane can fall victim to storm-related flooding. Visit www.FloodSmart.gov or call 1-800-427-2419 to learn how to prepare for floods, how to purchase a National Flood Insurance Policy and about the benefits of protecting homes and property against flooding.

Dennis made landfall as a Category 3 storm near Navarre Beach, Fla., at approximately 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 10, with 120-mph winds and a 6.5-foot storm surge. Its storm surge rose to 7 feet in parts of the Panhandle and to 9 feet in the Apalachee Bay region. Dennis left 680,000 people without power in four states and caused significant damage more than 170 miles east of its eye; officials say this should prompt residents to pay attention to all tropical storm and hurricane warnings, even if their homes are not in the direct projected path of an oncoming storm.

The following is a snapshot of recovery activities:

• Ten Florida counties were declared eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance programs: Bay, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Taylor, Wakulla and Walton.

• After Hurricane Dennis, 38,852 people applied for Individual Assistance programs. Residents of the federally designated counties received $6,618,037 in Housing Assistance which may have included grants for renting another place to live and money to help repair a damaged home to safe and sanitary conditions. Residents in the designated counties received $14,899,295 in Other Needs Assistance, which may have included grants to pay for medical, dental, transportation and other eligible needs caused by the disaster.

• Affected individuals and businesses were approved for $32,600,800 in U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest disaster loans.

• Thirteen counties – Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Monroe, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Walton and Washington – were designated to receive all categories of Public Assistance, making local governments and certain nonprofit groups eligible for grants to fund emergency protective measures, debris removal and the repair and rebuilding of infrastructure and facilities damaged by Dennis. In addition, five counties – Dixie, Jefferson, Leon, Levy and Liberty – were designated for Public Assistance to fund emergency protective measures and debris removal. To date, $147,068,659 in Public Assistance has been obligated to the state to fund 1,626 projects in the affected counties.

• In all, 267 families received direct housing assistance in the form of travel trailers and mobile homes. So far, more than 70 percent of them have found more permanent housing solutions.

• A total of 14 Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) served 19,973 residents throughout the affected area. The first DRC was up and running July 12, only two days after the disaster was declared. The last DRC serving Hurricane Dennis victims closed Oct. 11. At the DRCs, citizens received information about available state and federal disaster assistance; received help completing low-interest loan applications from the SBA for homeowners, renters or business owners; inquired about the status of their application for federal assistance; received referrals to voluntary organizations to help with immediate unmet needs; and learned about cost-effective measures to reduce the impact of future disasters.

FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Last Modified: Friday, 07-Jul-2006 16:34:56