TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the number of Americans rescued from political turmoil in Haiti by the State of Florida now exceeds 200 individuals. Since the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s first state coordinated rescue flight on March 20, a total of 220 Americans have been successfully evacuated from Haiti to Florida. The evacuations have been executed by the Florida Division of Emergency Management (the Division).
“When Floridians and other Americans are in need, the State of Florida acts,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “I’m pleased to announce that we’ve been able to successfully rescue more than 200 Floridians and other Americans from Haiti. Even when the federal government fails to act, Florida will always step up.”
“Being able to support our residents in this time of crisis is because of Governor DeSantis’ leadership and the collaboration between our state agencies and private and nonprofit partners,” said Division Executive Director Kevin Guthrie. “I am proud of the State Emergency Response Team for working around the clock to coordinate these emergency flights and get Floridians home safely.”
Of the Americans the Division has evacuated from Haiti, 95 percent are Floridians.Upon return to Florida, evacuees have immediate access to a multi-agency resource center, and then the Division gets them all the way back to their doorstep. The evacuations are provided at no cost to those who are rescued. To date, the resource center has dispensed more than 350 resources to residents returning home from Haiti, including:
- Meals and water
- Lodging
- Transportation home from the airport
- Basic health and medical screenings
- Care supplies for infants, toddlers, seniors, and pets
- A family reunification center
- Hope navigators, mental health counselors, and therapy dogs
- A children’s activity center
- Phones, SIM cards, and charging stations
- ID replacements through a mobile Florida License on Wheels (FLOW) center
In addition to ensuring Floridians are returned all the way to their homes, the Division also provided the U.S. Department of State with Florida’s completed Haiti Assistance forms, so other Americans could be connected with a federally coordinated flight home.
