PENSACOLA, Fla.— Today, Governor Ron DeSantis was joined by Florida Department of Commerce Secretary Alex Kelly at a Walmart in Pensacola to provide updates on Florida’s ongoing recovery efforts following Hurricane Isaias and highlight additional resources available to impacted Floridians.
The Governor highlighted Walmart and the Walmart Foundation’s commitment of $1 million in funding and supplies to support hurricane recovery efforts across the Panhandle. Walmart is providing free hot meals, mobile showers, laundry services, Wi-Fi and device charging at locations throughout Northwest Florida.
Governor DeSantis also announced that nine Points of Distribution are now open across Escambia, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington counties, providing free bottled water, shelf-stable food and other essential supplies to residents impacted by the storm.
As of 1 p.m. EDT, power has been restored to more than 70% of impacted customer accounts.
Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin at approximately 9:30 p.m. EDT on Friday, October 9, as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. The storm brought damaging winds across Northwest Florida, with gusts reaching 116 mph in portions of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
State Preparedness and Public Safety
Florida State Guard
The FSG deployed nearly 400 soldiers to support recovery efforts, including damage assessments, debris removal, roadway clearance, distribution operations, and search and rescue missions.
The Crisis Response Battalion has deployed four amphibious rescue teams, 10 cut-and-toss teams, six skid steer teams, and five transportation teams to support debris removal, rescue operations, and the movement of critical supplies.
Seven UAS teams and five aircraft are conducting aerial reconnaissance, damage assessments, search and rescue operations, and monitoring storm impacts.
Eight shallow-water boat teams are supporting maritime search and rescue operations and damage assessments.
FSG is providing aerial reconnaissance and live footage to the State Emergency Operations Center, including assessments of critical infrastructure, beaches, flooding, and debris.
FSG amphibious rescue teams are on the ground in the Shoal River area, providing aid to majorly flooded areas.
FSG continues coordinating with FHP, FWC, and FDEM to support recovery operations throughout impacted communities.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s (FDLE) Emergency Preparedness Bureau is actively coordinating the state law enforcement response to affected areas. They have coordinated with law enforcement partners for 66 total missions over 8 impacted counties during Hurricane Isias preparation and recovery.
FDLE is coordinating assets to impacted areas from Hurricane Isaias, including equipment and mobile command posts, backup satellite and communications systems, and aviation assets at strategic locations. Portable towers are staged for emergency communications.
FDLE Jacksonville Regional Operation Center (JROC) sent an Incident Management Team (IMT) to Pensacola, FL, to reinforce operations in the Pensacola Region.
FDLE helped coordinate vendor provided resources to support the Florida Sheriff’s Association (FSA) base camp in Santa Rosa County to include bunk houses, restroom trailers, and shower trailers.
FDLE aviation facilitated partner agency aircraft repairs, restoring operational capability to assist with storm recovery efforts.
FDLE UAS teams conducted LIDAR mapping of impacted areas for damage assessment.
FDLE aviation assets were deployment to assist with damage assessments and law enforcement support for impacted areas.
FDLE is coordinating fuel services along Interstate 10 for local law enforcement. First responder refueling locations have been identified along the Interstate 10 corridor.
Florida Department of Military Affairs
The Florida National Guard (FLNG) has approximately 5,000 Soldiers and Airmen activated, staged throughout impact area. Units are conducting search and rescue, route clearance, ground and air reconnaissance, humanitarian assistance (HA), protection of critical infrastructure, flood mitigation missions as well as supporting state and local officials with high-wheeled vehicle support.
The FLNG has more than 1,300 tactical high-wheeled vehicles, 10 Zodiac boats, and 50 construction/route clearance vehicles available for this mission.
Additionally, FLNG have eight helicopters (one CH-47, one HH-60, and six UH-60) available.
The FLNG has completed 48 missions of 72 missions assigned by the SEOC, including:
Cleared more than 12,536 cubic acres of debris and 1,700 miles of roadway
Distributed 4,635 cases of water, 1,710 MREs, 2,646 bags of ice and 2,248 tarps.
20.8 flight hours for search-and-rescue and damage assessment.
Assisted with the relocation of 50 special needs residents.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
In addition to the 75 local Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers, 28 additional FWC officers have deployed to areas impacted by Hurricane Isaias with additional specialized equipment including:
10 airboats
18 shallow-draft boats
Nine ATVs and side-by-sides
Six larger platform vessels
75 four-wheel-drive vehicles
Four swamp buggies
A team of officers conducted night patrols in Okaloosa and Santa Rosa County. They focused on being visible in affected areas as well as conducting proactive patrols in rural parts of the affected area.
A derelict vessel reconnaissance flight was conducted, and officers documented 36 derelict vessels on the waterways of Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton counties.
Pilots conducted reconnaissance flights around the Shoal River to monitor flooding status.
A team of officers worked to complete welfare checks. After discovering several potentially dangerous situations caused by down trees, the officers worked to quickly remove the trees from houses and vehicles.
Florida Department of Corrections
The Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) is currently in storm response and recovery.
At FDC Institutions: All facilities are secure, and all inmates have been accounted for. Staff accountability is complete.
In FDC Circuits: The Office of Community Corrections has resumed fieldwork operations. Staff accountability is complete.
FDC has mobilized damage assessments teams in Region I and Region II to survey impacts. At this time, minor damages have been reported at institutions in Region I, and no damage has been reported in Region II.
Several FDC institutions impacted by the storm are safely operating on generators. and repopulation is underway.
FDC posts public updates at FDC.MyFlorida.com/weather-updates.
Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice has initiated wellness checks on staff and youth in impacted areas. Youth and staff in DJJ facilities are accounted for and safe. There is minimal damage to facilities, and DJJ will continue its post-storm recovery efforts including the continued assessment of facilities and post-storm clean-up.
DJJ continues to coordinate with its staff, providers, and law enforcement partners to ensure juvenile assessment centers and detention screening units remain operational post-storm.
Youth on community supervision with office appointments will be given specific instructions from their juvenile probation officers about office closures.
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) troopers continue supporting recovery operations by clearing roadways, escorting utility crews and critical supplies, managing traffic, and monitoring flooding, including:
Four Troopers are assisting FDOT with traffic control in Santa Rosa County at SR87/Springhill Rd.
Four Troopers are providing security in Escambia County while traffic signals are restored.
Four FHP cut teams have completed 60 debris removal missions, while 46 Quick Response Force personnel are assisting with roadway clearance and emergency response.
201 troopers are operating across impacted areas and the Central Panhandle, including managing intersections in Milton and maintaining a law enforcement presence along I-10.
FHP UAS teams are conducting damage assessments, monitoring rising floodwaters, and supporting search and rescue operations.
FHP’s Aviation Unit are supporting recovery efforts, evaluating traffic and roadway conditions and monitoring river flood levels and its impacts on bridges, roadways and communities.
Two high-water rescue vehicles and seven skid steers are staged to support ongoing recovery efforts.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) issued an emergency order waiving certain commercial vehicle requirements, motorist fees, and late renewal penalties to support recovery efforts.
Health and Human Services
Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs
All U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Outpatient Clinics will reopen on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026.
Homeless Veterans in the Florida Panhandle may contact the VA National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at (877) 424-3838.
Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities
The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) continues monitoring facilities, providers, and clients in storm-impacted areas, with no unmet needs reported.
APD-operated facilities are supporting 436 residents, with an additional 14 hospitalized. Sunland Center experienced temporary power outages and downed trees but reported no structural damage.
APD is monitoring 145 group homes serving 700 residents across affected counties. One group home in Panama City relocated residents as a precaution, with no unmet needs reported.
APD continues outreach to more than 2,700 clients living in family homes or independent and supported living settings to assess needs and provide assistance.
APD has established regional emergency reporting channels and made emergency resources available to clients, families, and providers.
Florida Department of Health
The Florida Department of Health (DOH) continues supporting medical response and recovery efforts, including coordinating emergency medical services, distributing critical supplies, and addressing public health concerns.
DOH warehouse operations are running 24/7 to distribute critical medical supplies and resources.
DOH is augmenting 911 emergency response capabilities in five counties and mobilizing an AmbuBus to assist with patient transportation.
Special Needs Shelters remain open in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Boil Water Notices remain in effect in seven counties: Escambia, Holmes, Jackson, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Walton, and Washington.
DOH is coordinating water service restoration for health care facilities in Escambia County and deploying environmental health resources to impacted communities.
Continued demobilizing resources, such as patient movement assets and responders.
Environmental Public Health Strike Team (EPHST) are mobilizing to Santa Rosa.
Seven County health departments reported closure: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Holmes, Walton, and Washington. DOH is providing public health guidance on generator safety, flooding, safe drinking water, and other post-storm hazards.
Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) continues working with Medicaid managed care plans to ensure recipients have access to critical health care services following Hurricane Isaias.
All Statewide Medicaid Managed Care (SMMC) plans remain fully operational, with call centers assisting recipients and conducting outreach to individuals with medically complex needs.
Early prescription refills remain available to Medicaid recipients in impacted counties.
Medicaid transportation services have experienced minimal disruptions, and plans continue coordinating with providers to ensure continuity of care.
Medicaid recipients needing assistance can contact their managed care plan or the Medicaid Helpline at 1-877-254-1055, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
AHCA surveyors continue conducting post-hurricane on-site visits to assess conditions at health care facilities.
Florida Department of Children and Families
The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) continues supporting Hurricane Isaias response and recovery, coordinating more than 680 pallets of food, 110 pallets of water, and hot meal support for impacted communities.
DCF is supporting recovery sheltering in Okaloosa County and has mobilized a shelter support team, totaling 75 shelter personnel, 18 nursing support personnel, survivor shelter transportation vehicles, and a crisis counseling task force.
DCF is opening a comfort center at 150 East Pond Street in Century, Florida, beginning at 11 a.m. on October 12, providing residents with access to restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, food and water, feminine hygiene products, cooling tents, and a charging station.
DCF has also staged two shelter support teams, totaling 150 personnel, 32 nursing support personnel, and 18 survivor transportation vehicles, along with a crisis counseling task force.
DCF is completing outreach in impacted areas to assess the safety and unmet needs of families and caregivers involved in active child protective investigations, children in out-of-home care, and adult protective services clients. A resource center has been mobilized to provide essential items for impacted families.
Northwest Florida Health Network has activated resources to support impacted children in out-of-home care and individuals receiving behavioral health services.
DCF is conducting checks of licensed locations in impacted areas to conduct damage assessments and address unmet needs as it becomes safe to do so.
Floridians who currently receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) benefits and lost food due to Hurricane Isaias may be eligible for replacement benefits. Eligible households in impacted counties may request replacement benefits through Monday, October 19, 2026. For more information, visit MyFLFamilies.com/Isaias. DCF is continuing to evaluate additional SNAP options for affected counties.
Florida Department of Elder Affairs
The Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) coordinated with Area Agencies on Aging in storm-impacted areas to assess senior needs and provide critical resources.
Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging staff contacted nearly 700 seniors to assess needs and provide assistance.
Advantage Aging Solutions contacted more than 1,400 seniors, completed 391 wellness checks, and provided 415 meals, along with water and tarps in Gadsden County.
Elder Options initiated 646 calls to seniors across six impacted counties and coordinated with local service providers.
Ahead of the storm, service providers distributed 1,624 shelf-stable meals to seniors to support hurricane preparedness.
Two CARES assessors are deploying to a DOH operated Special Needs Shelter in Walton County (DeFuniak Springs) to compete assessments and safe discharges for four evacuees remaining in the shelter who are unable to return to their pre-storm residence due to damage to the home and/or utility disruption.
Infrastructure, Transportation and Education
Florida Department of Transportation
FDOT has over 1,100 team members activated for storm response.
A variety of equipment are in the field and working through various missions:
260 pieces of heavy equipment,1,400 generators, 100 pumps, 30 UAV teams.
All state-owned bridges have been inspected and are open for travel.
All interstates and major arterial roadways cleared less than 8 hours of landfall.
Crews completed Cut and Toss efforts on all state-owned roadways.
93% of traffic signals are operational in the storm-impacted area. 320 traffic signals have been restored on temporary generator power.
Executive Order is in place to waive standard size and weight restrictions for commercial vehicles transporting fuel, emergency equipment, services, supplies, and agriculture commodities.
Toll collections are suspended on Mid-Bay Bridge and Spence Parkway in Okaloosa County and Garcon Point Bridge in Santa Rosa County.
FDOT completed emergency road repairs at Grayton Beach State Park in 16 hours.
Road and Bridge Closures and Detours
Download the FL511 app or visit FL511.com for real-time road/bridge closures and potential detours.
Remember to never drive through flooded areas. The roadway beneath the water may conceal debris, or even power lines. Turn Around; Don’t Drown
Transportation Modes Updates
All seaports are open and operational.
