Florida

My issue is that FEMA is hard to access. There’s ONE location way across the city to file claims, the FEMA app didn’t even have Milton listed to apply for aid for until like 3-4 days in. Finally were able to apply for emergency funds (son’s car was flattened by an oak tree—not covered by his insurance—and he’s still not back to work because his employer is a greedy arse who doesn’t even let people work a full 40-hr week so he doesn’t have to pay bennies, so something like this is just our tough luck), plus we’d already had notice that our landlord was selling our house out from under us at the end of this month and it’s doubtful FEMA will help with moving expenses. Further panic because hedge fund “landlords” have run amok here and regular people can’t afford to pay double the rent. No response yet to our application but I know people from last year’s big storm who lost everything and were well compensated.

We’ve been without power and keep getting texts that Miami (?!) and cities on the other coast are back to 100% but we’ll be waiting until at least midnight on the 17th for power. Of course, that’s FPL, not FEMA. We’ve lost our food but again, the relief centers are too far to get to (doesn’t help that my son is missing a leg, though he is able to ride his bike—just not that far, or with a load). I’m not sure what FEMA could do to reach more people in need. It’s a big town and they can’t go door to door.

In general, though, people seem very grateful (especially for the linemen heading in from ALL over the country!), and I haven’t seen any evidence of anyone lying about FEMA’s unwillingness to help—except the orange bawbag.

I’ve had arseholes at stoplights yell at me for bumper stickers, but lately, that kind of shit doesn’t seem as prevalent. Sarasota used to be a great democratic town—you’d have to go back to Lawton Chiles, I suppose, to be able to say we were a great blue state. I wish I knew how long it’ll be before we can say that again, at least in the coastal areas. I suspect the farmers inland will always lean disgustingly right. Unlike NC, we have a much bigger proportion of people who are not from here, so I think it’s less likely we’ll have that weirdly violent anti-FEMA crap.

Note my daughter is living in an RV on a mountain near Durham and escaped Helene’s destruction entirely, but she’s very wary of the MAGat bozos in general and is pretty good about steering clear of them.