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Florida Gov. DeSantis awards $1K checks to first responders assisting in hurricane recovery efforts

DeSantis announces bonus checks in Sanibel Island

Ron DeSantis in Sanibel Island (Copyright 2022 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)

SANIBEL ISLAND, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded bonus checks each worth over $1,000 to first responders assisting in Hurricane Ian recovery efforts.

Gov. Ron DeSantis was joined by Department of Economic Opportunity Dane Eagle to present the checks to first responders on Tuesday morning.

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The governor said these bonus checks were part of another round of bonuses announced in early September.

“Checks were being sent to Sanibel and Captiva and all these places as the storm was brewing and so they didn’t end up making it to their intended recipients. So I told Dane, I said you know, I know there’s a lot of other things going on. But we don’t want these jets to get lost in the shuffle because these guys are out there and work and a lot of them may have had damage to their own homes,” DeSantis said.

The governor said the checks were worth a little over $1,300 to give first responders at least $1,000 to take home once taxes were taken from the money.

“Our first responders, our firefighters, primarily here today, were fighting day in day out to help make sure that we are getting up and recovering quicker than ever,” Eagle said.

Sanibel Island was one area hit hard by Hurricane Ian and its bridge, Sanibel Causeway Bridge, was a focus of repair due to the storm.

The governor announced last week the bridge was temporarily repaired to allow first responders and linemen back on the island.

“Now once the convoy goes across, they have to continue with some of the repairs. It is not going to be ready to have full-time civilian traffic. And so we said that this was something that would be done by the end of October and I’m actually able to report now that this will be open for civilian use Oct. 21,” DeSantis said during the news conference.

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About the Author
Brenda Argueta headshot

Brenda Argueta is a digital journalist who joined ClickOrlando.com in March 2021. She is the author of the Central Florida Happenings newsletter that goes out every Thursday.

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