Response to Hurricane Helene
Our team is also actively working on response efforts for Hurricane Helene. Read the top takeaways from our recent briefings and access the Corporate Aid Tracker here.
Hurricane Milton made landfall south of Tampa Bay, Florida, on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, accompanied by tornadoes, bringing heavy wind and rainfall throughout the night and into Thursday. While the anticipated catastrophic storm surge in the Tampa Bay area did not materialize, tornadoes and flooding caused widespread destruction. At least 140 tornadoes hit statewide, with Matlacha Island, near Fort Myers, bearing the brunt of the damage. Numerous buildings were destroyed, utility poles snapped, and fires broke out. Rainfall averaged 6 to 12 inches, with localized totals up to 18 inches across central to northern Florida. At least 16 people have died.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation convened private and public leaders for a briefing following Hurricane Milton to share the latest updates on the ground, identify the most immediate needs, and discuss ways the private sector can assist relief efforts.
Key Takeaways
- Unusual Tornado Activity: The number and intensity of the tornadoes formed from Hurricane Milton are atypical. They caused extensive damage to central Florida, with 38 F3 tornado strikes across the state.
- Pre-positioning Matters: The decision to stage personnel and supplies throughout the impact area allowed for smooth evacuations and swift response to the hurricane.
- Robust Private Sector Engagement: Speakers highlighted Florida’s strong relationship with the business community and discussed resources available to small businesses for disaster management.
- Compounded Impacts: Many communities in central Florida and the Big Bend are dealing with compounded and complex impacts from several hurricanes that have hit the state this year, including Milton and September’s Helene.
- Long-Term Support: All speakers expressed their organizations’ commitment to supporting hurricane response and long-term recovery in Florida. Housing and the health of the state’s small businesses are long-term concerns.
How to Support Response Efforts
If you'd like to make a donation, the U.S. Chamber Foundation resource page includes a list of trusted organizations responding to the most immediate needs.
Organizations may also visit floridadisaster.org for more information on Hurricane Milton resources.
Response Efforts
In the wake of Hurricane Milton's landfall, organizations on the ground demonstrated their readiness with a swift and coordinated response. Alex Kelly, secretary of the Florida Department of Commerce, spoke of the strategic staging of commodities and staffing that enabled quicker response activities. 96% of roads and bridges have been cleared of debris, and nearly two million accounts have had their power restored from a high of almost four million without power. The shelter population has also significantly decreased from about 85,000 to around 13,000 within 24 hours.
Rescue teams have conducted approximately 1,600 search and rescue missions in the past 24 hours since landfall, and officials have established three resource sites to provide individuals, families, and businesses with immediate access to resources. The state is receiving diesel and passenger fuel, and FEMA is working with the Army Corps of Engineers to assess ports in the Tampa area. Florida has deployed $50 million in funding for emergency small business loans, issuing $26 million in the last day. The state’s business damage assessment survey is also available to get feedback on private sector needs, with 400 responses thus far for Hurricane Milton and 1,800 for Hurricane Helene. FEMA’s Leiloni Stainsby, deputy associate administrator, reasserted FEMA’s promise to provide a fact sheet on federal resources for businesses.
Non-governmental organizations have been essential in response to Hurricane Milton. Trevor Riggen, president of Humanitarian Services at the American Red Cross, said they currently have 1100 volunteers on the ground, with about 200 more scheduled to arrive tomorrow. The American Red Cross and The Salvation Army played a critical role in sheltering, hosting about 85,000 across Northern Florida and Southern Georgia. Greg Tuck, assistant national community relations & development secretary of The Salvation Army, remarked, "We're pre-positioned in disaster areas because of our year-round service in over 1100 communities, and it's certainly an honor to partner and work with our partners like the American Red Cross and many others on the front lines."
Long-Term Resilience
Hurricane Milton has exacerbated the need for long-term resilience across the Big Bend and Central Florida. Several hurricanes this past year, from Milton and Helene to Debby and Francine, have devastated housing availability in these areas. Thomas Corley, the chief operating officer of SBP, a national disaster recovery nonprofit, explained that his organization is committed to helping vulnerable families rebuild their homes. He estimates $15 million will be needed to cover housing construction costs over the next 3-4 years. Jessica Vermilyea, the interim director of operations for National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), said,"At the end of the day, we all have the same objective, and that is to help people recover and restore housing and communities."
Business Community's Role
The private sector will have a significant role to play in the response and eventual recovery from Hurricanes Milton and Helene. Mark Wilson, president and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, offered a picture of the economic importance of the impact region. “There are 5.7 million people in the counties that are the most impacted…When you look at Florida's labor force of 10 million, you have about 2.7 million working there. About $350 billion of our state's $1.6 trillion economy happens to be in those counties that are [the] most impacted." Cash was mentioned as the best way for companies and individuals to donate, as it allows response organizations to obtain necessary resources for survivors.
Florida is grappling with severe impacts from several hurricanes this year, underscoring the need for coordinated action. Ensuring the resilience of affected communities moving forward will require a combination of immediate relief, sustained support, and innovative solutions that address both humanitarian and economic needs.
The private sector, government agencies, and nonprofits must continue working together to rebuild stronger, more resilient communities in the face of increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters.
About the authors
Desmian Alexander
Desmian (Des) Alexander is associate manager of global resilience programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
