Armed security guards patrolled the grounds of a Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster recovery center set up this week at the municipal auditorium in Sarasota, as hundreds of people came to seek help in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.
Nerves are frayed after a series of floods and hurricanes. First Debby, then Helene, and last week, Milton. Earlier this week, FEMA workers were the target of threats in North Carolina, and one man was arrested, amplifying safety concerns for FEMA workers across the country.
Peter Fraenkel, FEMA's disaster recovery center manager, lamented the rumors and misinformation that are running rampant, especially online.
"And what drives me crazy is some of our esteemed congressional leaders are promoting it," said Fraenkel, who oversees the Sarasota FEMA center at 801 N. Tamiami Trail.
Florida congressman Matt Gaetz has accused FEMA of wasting taxpayer money and not doing enough to help Americans recovering from Hurricane Helene.
And former President Donald Trump has claimed, without evidence, that FEMA was diverting money to migrants and "going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas."
Fraenkel, who said he has been working dawn to dusk every day, urged people to come to the disaster recovery center, in person and early, if they can, to avoid long lines.
"One of the things I do like to stress is for people not to listen to the rumors that are out there, not to listen to their neighbors, to be honest with you, because there's a lot of misinformation going on out there," said Fraenkel.
"Come in, talk to us, get the truth from us, and what we can provide for you."
That could include money for home repairs, rental assistance if a home is uninhabitable, funds to pay for a damaged automobile and possibly medical benefits, he said.
FEMA does not pay for loss of food due to a power outage, and does not cap benefits at $750 per person, as online rumors have alleged.
Misinformation has made FEMA's job harder when the agency is already stretched thin, said Fraenkel, who added that the center must close before dark, at 7 p.m., due to security concerns.
"It's really too bad, because there's a lot of misinformation that's going on out there, and that's caused people to start behaving in a manner that maybe they normally wouldn't," he said.
It's not required to visit a FEMA center in person to get aid, but it can help the process, Fraenkel said.
FEMA has opened Disaster Recovery Centers in Citrus, Columbia, Gilchrist, Hillsborough, Madison, Manatee, Pinellas, Sarasota, Suwannee, and Taylor counties to help Floridians affected by hurricanes Milton, Helene, and Debby.
FEMA encourages survivors to apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by downloading the FEMA App.
Here is a list of FEMA disaster recovery centers in Florida:
Citrus County
West Citrus Community Center
8940 W. Veterans Drive
Homosassa, FL 34448
Open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Sunday
Columbia County
Lake City Reporter
180 E. Duval St.
Lake City, FL 32055
9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Sunday
Gilchrist County
Gilchrist County Fire Station #2
460 NW. County Road 138
Branford, FL 32008
Open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Sunday
Hillsborough County (Mobile Center)
David Barksdale Senior Citizen Center
1801 N. Lincoln Ave.
Tampa, FL 33607
Open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Sunday
Madison County
The Bridge Church
1135 U.S. East 90
Madison, FL 32340
Open 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday
Manatee County
GT Bray Park
5502 33rd Avenue Drive W.
Bradenton, FL 34209
Open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Sunday
Pinellas County
Botanical Gardens – Magnolia Room
12520 Ulmerton Road
Largo, FL 33774
Open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Sunday
Sarasota County
Sarasota Municipal Auditorium
801 N. Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, FL 34236
Open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Sunday
Suwannee County
Hale Park
215 Duval St. NE.
Live Oak, FL 32064
Open 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Monday-Sunday
Taylor County
Loughridge Park
1100 W. Hampton Springs Ave.
Perry, FL 32347
Open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Sunday
To find other center locations go to fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a zip code to 43362.
