Many homeowners and businesses are still picking up the pieces left blown across the Southeastern U.S. by Hurricane Helene, and the region is again preparing for another devastating event as Hurricane Milton barrels toward the Tampa, Fla. area. Those by the coasts are already conditioned to know what to do in the event of a major hurricane, but we thought it prudent to put together a list of relief resources for business owners and residents.
Considering our industry tends to focus on several regions where warm climates lead to luxurious homes owned by wealthy people who are seeking the latest and greatest in smart home and entertainment technology, Tampa, and Florida in general is a region that many integrators call home.
Homes will undoubtedly be damaged or destroyed, existing project sites will be blown apart, and warehouses and offices may be submerged underwater later this week, with Milton gearing up to be even worse than Helene. Currently, Milton is aimed right at the Tampa Bay area and will cross the Florida peninsula, a reportedly rare occurrence in Atlantic hurricanes.
For now, we at CE Pro hope we can provide a little bit of relief with this list of resource for any business owners that are likely to be impacted by Hurricane Milton, and he hope that everyone in the path of the hurricane is able to stay safe.
Information for North Carolina business owners impacted by Hurricane Helene
- Business Recovery Portal
Published by a partnership of SBTDC, the N.C. Community College’s Small Business Center Network, the N.C. Rural Center, and the North Carolina Department of Commerce. - State of N.C. Central Information Portal for Hurricane Helene
- List of U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Opportunities
- List of Federal Disaster Recovery Offices Open in North Carolina
- The state says it is the process of submitting an Emergency Application for a Disaster Recovery Dislocated Worker Grant from the United States Department of Labor.
- Learn more here.
Stay updated on Hurricane Milton in Florida
- Official announcements
- Executive orders
- Evacuation assistance and evacuation plans
- Shelters
- County emergency management websites
- Traffic and closures
- Flood safety
- More here.
Mobile apps to follow:
2024 Lighting Controls and Fixtures Report
Lightapalooza took place in late February, and the growth of the event has mirrored the rapid ascension lighting fixtures and controls.Download your copy now!
- Florida Storms – Florida Public Radio Emergency Network Google Play Apple Store
- Florida 511 – Get up-to-the-minute, real-time traffic conditions and incident information for the State of Florida with Florida 511.
- FEMA – mobile app
- Red Cross – mobile apps
- Gas Buddy – Gas stations availability
10/10/2024 Update: Relevant info from Florida Gov. Ron Desantis’ Oct. 10 Announcement
- Governor Ron DeSantis activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program, making $50 million available for businesses impacted by Hurricane Milton. Florida small business owners in need of assistance, including sole proprietors, are encouraged to visit www.FloridaJobs.org/EBL to apply for the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program. The program provides short-term, zero-interest loans to small businesses that experienced economic injury or physical damage due to Hurricane Milton. Interested applicants can apply now through December 4, 2024, or until all available funds are expended.
- FloridaCommerce and the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) activated the Business Damage Assessment Survey in response to Hurricane Milton. Business owners can self-report physical and economic damage caused by Hurricane Milton. Survey responses will allow the state to expedite Hurricane Milton recovery efforts by gathering data and assessing the needs of impacted businesses. Businesses can complete the survey online by visiting FloridaDisaster.biz and selecting “Hurricane Milton” from the dropdown menu.
- Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC) has disaster relief resources and information for Floridians in need of housing options and other housing related support. For more information click here. FHFC has also activated FloridaHousingSearch.org to assist hurricane-impacted Floridians in locating an affordable rental property. This free, statewide search platform is being constantly updated to ensure all listings are accurate. Floridians can also call 1-877-428-8844 for assistance.
- Updates on business closures and business resources are consistently being updated at FloridaDisaster.biz.
- FloridaCommerce is working with private sector banking partners to ensure that evacuees have access to banks and are able to withdraw cash.
- FloridaCommerce activated the Private Sector Hotline at (850) 815-4925, open daily 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Inquiries may also be emailed to [email protected].
- FloridaCommerce is hosting daily private sector coordination calls. Briefings will be provided by Emergency Support Functions and private sector partners. For call information email [email protected].
- Comcast has opened more than 261,000 public Xfinity WiFi hotspots in areas it serves across the state. The free and public hotspots are open for anyone to use, including non-Xfinity customers. For more information visit Finder.wifi.xfinity.com. Comcast is also positioning crews and equipment to immediately respond after the storm, should there be any service interruptions for Comcast Business or Xfinity customers.
- Spectrum announced it will help residents stay connected by offering free, unlimited access to Spectrum Wi-Fi access points in Florida. A map of locations can be viewed at Spectrum Out-of-Home WiFi Map: Get WiFi Access Anywhere.
- The Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) offers online resources to Floridians who may need help finding information about their financial services provider(s), including state-chartered banks and credit unions, mortgage servicers, and other financial businesses and professionals.
Relevant info from Florida Gov. Ron Desantis’ Oct. 8 Announcement
- The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) is staging assets and personnel across 13 offices statewide and is prepared to surge relief resources to areas impacted by Hurricane Helene that receive a second impact from Hurricane Milton.
- Updates on business closures and business resources are consistently being updated at FloridaDisaster.biz.
- FloridaCommerce is communicating and coordinating with more than 200 private sector partners across the state, encouraging them to review their emergency plans for their businesses and prepare their employees in advance of Hurricane Milton.
- FloridaCommerce is working with private sector banking partners to ensure that evacuees have access to banks and are able to withdraw cash.
- The Florida Small Business Development Center Network (SBDC) is coordinating with regional offices to prepare staff and clients ahead of the storm.
- FloridaCommerce and CareerSource Florida hosted a pre-storm briefing with the 21 Local Workforce Development Boards and 38 Community Action Agencies across the state to assist employees and employers after the weather event.
- FloridaCommerce activated the Private Sector Hotline at (850) 815-4925, open daily 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Inquiries may also be emailed to [email protected].
- FloridaCommerce is hosting daily private sector coordination calls. Briefings will be provided by Emergency Support Functions and private sector partners. For call information email [email protected].
- The Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) offers online resources to Floridians who may need help finding information about their financial services provider(s), including state-chartered banks and credit unions, mortgage servicers, and other financial businesses and professionals.
FloridaDisaster.biz Resources
- Business Damage Assessment Survey: FloridaCommerce and the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) activated the Business Damage Assessment Survey in response to Hurricane Helene. Business owners can self-report physical and economic damage caused by Hurricane Helene. Survey responses will allow the state to expedite Hurricane Helene recovery efforts by gathering data and assessing the needs of impacted businesses. Businesses can complete the survey online by visiting www.FloridaDisaster.biz and selecting “Hurricane Helene” from the dropdown menu. It’s unclear if this will also extend to Hurricane Milton. (FloridaDisaster.biz)
- Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan (Hurricane Helene): Governor DeSantis activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program, making $15 million available for businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene. Small business owners in need of assistance are encouraged to visit FloridaJobs.org/EBL to apply for the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program. Businesses in the following counties, including sole proprietors, are eligible to apply: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington. It’s unclear if this will also extend to Hurricane Milton.
U.S. Small Business Adminstration’s Disaster Assistance program
- Applying for SBA Disaster Assistance provides financial support to individuals and businesses affected by natural disasters. The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers low-interest loans to help repair or replace property, equipment, inventory, and other business assets that have been damaged or lost. The application process begins by registering with FEMA and then completing the online application through the SBA’s Disaster Loan Assistance portal. The SBA works closely with applicants to provide guidance and offers flexible repayment terms to alleviate the financial burden during recovery.
FEMA Hurricane Relief Resources
Those impacted by Helene, Milton or both can apply for FEMA assistance by:
- Calling the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362.
- Online by visiting disasterassistance.gov.
- Downloading and applying on the FEMA App.
This is not an exhaustive list of relief resources for hurricanes, so if you have knowledge of additional resources, email us at @[email protected].
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