Federal response strengthens after Hurricane Milton

In the aftermath of Hurricane Milton’s devastating impact on Florida, the Biden-Harris Administration has mounted a robust federal response to assist recovery efforts. Officials said the administration ensured there were pre-staging personnel and resources before the storm hit, and teams were swiftly deployed to support state and local officials. The administration said the focus spotlighted search and rescue, power restoration, and debris cleanup as immediate priorities.President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have communicated closely with state leaders, receiving updates on the storm’s impact and coordinating federal support. Biden, who spoke with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, emphasized the federal government’s commitment to aiding recovery. He assured DeSantis that the federal government would provide “any federal support the state needs to speed response and recovery.”To expedite relief for residents, Biden said he directed FEMA to open disaster recovery centers across the affected areas, offering centralized resources for individuals seeking federal assistance. As part of restoring power, the Federal Aviation Administration authorized Florida Power and Light to deploy drones for damage assessment, allowing ground crews to accelerate repairs.The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Coast Guard have also been tasked with assessing how quickly the...