FEMA Mobile Assistance Centers Now Offer Document Scanning For Applicants
November 3, 2020
FEMA mobile registration centers in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties will provide additional services to Hurricane Sally survivors, allowing them to have supporting documents scanned into their records.
Survivors who have been asked by FEMA to provide additional documentation should read their FEMA letter carefully and make sure they have everything they need when they arrive at the centers. Applicants do not have to visit a center to submit documents to FEMA – they can mail, fax or submit documents online as well. Information on these options can be found in their FEMA letter.
FEMA mobile centers offering registration and document scanning are located at:
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Escambia County Equestrian Center
7750 Mobile Highway
Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Document scanning: Nov. 2-14
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Gulf Breeze Community Center
800 Shoreline Drive, Gulf Breeze
Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Closed Nov. 3 (election polling site)
Document scanning: Nov. 2, Nov. 4-14
Pensacola State College
5988 U.S. 90, Milton, FL
Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Document scanning: Nov. 2-14
The centers operate under COVID-19 protocols to ensure visitors and FEMA personnel are safe. Distancing and face coverings are required.
It is not necessary to visit a center to register with FEMA. Disaster survivors with uninsured losses can also apply by:
- Visiting DisasterAssistance.gov;
- Downloading the FEMA App; or by
- Calling 800-621-3362 (800-462-7585 TTY). Multilingual operators are available. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, seven days a week.
The deadline to register is December 1.
53 New COVID-19 Positives, No Additional Deaths Monday In Escambia, Santa Rosa
November 3, 2020
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST UPDATE.
The Florida Department of Health reported 53 new COVID-19 positives in Escambia and Santa Rosa County on Monday with no additional fatalities.
Here is the latest data:
Total cases: 13,730 (+26)
Non-Florida residents: 1,400
Total deaths: 272
Long-term care facility deaths : 126
Current hospitalizations: 54 (+6)
Number of tests last day: 355
Percent positive last day: 6.3%
Percent positive last week: 5.0%
Escambia County cases by location:
Pensacola: 10,000 (+20)
Cantonment: 1,007 (+5)
Century: 944
—-including 773 Century prison inmates
Molino: 159
McDavid: 75
Bellview: 19
Walnut Hill: 18
Perdido Key: 10
Gonzalez: 7
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 6,048 (+27)
Non-Florida residents: 68
Total deaths: 88
Long-term care facility deaths: 20
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 368*
Number of tests last day: 88
Percent positive last day: 14.7%
Santa County cases by location:
Milton: 3,031 (+9)
Gulf Breeze: 883 (+1)
Navarre: 821 (+7)
Pace: 506 (+1)
Jay: 160
Bagdad: 14
Florida cases:
Total cases: 812,063
Florida residents: 801,371
Deaths: 16,834
Hospitalizations: 49,485*
*“Hospitalizations” in the statewide and Santa Rosa County totals is a count of all laboratory confirmed cases in which an inpatient hospitalization occurred at any time during the course of illness. Most of these people are longer be hospitalized. The FDOH does not provide a count of patients currently hospitalized. The Escambia County number is current data compiled each day from the local hospitals.
*The Florida Department of Health does not have a clear standard or definition of “recovered” and does not report a number of recovered individuals.
**Data Sources: Florida Department of Health, Escambia County, City of Pensacola, local hospitals.
Colder: Monday Night Low Around 40 (Upper 30s In Northern Escambia)
November 2, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Clear. Lows around 40. Northeast winds up to 5 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 60s. North winds up to 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: Clear. Lows in the mid 40s. Northeast winds up to 5 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny. Highs in the lower 70s. Northeast winds up to 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear. Lows around 50.
Thursday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 70s.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 50s.
Friday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 70s.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 60s.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. A 20 percent chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 70s.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 60s.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 70s.
One Month Remaining To Apply For Hurricane Sally FEMA Assistance
November 2, 2020
Florida Panhandle residents who have uninsured losses resulting from Hurricane Sally have until December 1 to register with FEMA for disaster assistance. One month after residents in five counties became eligible for federal disaster assistance, more than $94 million has been approved in federal grants, loans and flood insurance payments.
As of October 29:
- FEMA has approved $19.2 million to 4,554 individuals and households.
- The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved $25.9 million in disaster loans for 653 homeowners, renters and businesses.
- The National Flood Insurance Program has received 4,383 claims and paid $49.7 million.
December 1 is also is the deadline to apply to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for low-interest disaster loans for physical property damage. The deadline for working capital applications is July 2, 2021.
Cantonment Man Charged With Burglary After Hurricane Sally
November 2, 2020
A Cantonment man has been charged with burglarizing storage building after hurricane Sally.
Jacob Dakota Boswell, 24, was charged with felony burglary and petit theft.
Boswell allegedly took items including a welder, air powered tools, side grinders, electric wrench, drill and a torch with hoses from a detached storage shed on River Annex Road. Boswell then tried to sell some of the items to a neighbor, admitting that he took them, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report.
Boswell then returned some of the items to the owner, saying he had found them, the report continues.
When approached by deputies, Boswell said the victims’ grandson and he had a “worked out a deal” about getting a torch and hoses, the report says. Boswell says a few days after Sally, he saw the victims’ garage door open and went inside to take the items because of his arrangement with their grandson.
The victim told deputies there was not any agreement made.
Boswell remained in the Escambia County Jail Monday morning with bond set at $7,000.
Stefani Road Speed Limit Lowered North Of 10 Mile Road
November 2, 2020
The Escambia County Commission has lowered the speed limit on a portion of Stefani Road.
The commission voted to lower the 40 mph speed limit to 35 mph on Stefani Road from West 10 Mile Road to West Roberts Road. The change was made after complaints from residents and subsequent studies.
The change created a consistent speed limit on Stefani Road in a residential community. The speed limit on Stefani Road south of West Roberts Road was already 35 mph.
Pictured: The speed limit was already 35 mph on Stefani Road south of 10 Mile Road, such here just south of 9 1/2 Mile Road. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
EREC Crews, Fresh Off Local Power Restoration, Head To Mississippi To Help With Hurricane Recovery
November 2, 2020
Fresh off power restoration at home, line crews from Escambia River Electric Cooperative are working to restore power in coastal Mississippi following Hurricane Zeta.
The EREC crews are assisting Coast Electric Power Association in Gulfport.
Zeta left 65,000 of Coast EPA’s 83,000 members without power.
“Our cooperative finished power restoration to our membership on Friday following Hurricane Zeta,” said CEO Ryan Campbell. “But we have fellow cooperatives still working to rebuild their damaged power systems. Once our linemen had a chance to rest from working around the clock restoring power to our members, they volunteered to go help fellow cooperatives hit by this devastating storm.”
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gas Prices Decline To Lowest Level Since June, AAA Says
November 2, 2020
The statewide average gas price in Florida is at its lowest level since June, according to AAA.
The state average dropped 4 cents last week to an average price of $2.05 per gallon. Gas prices are on a 29-day streak of declines, and It appears that trend will continue this week.
The state average is 41 cents less than this time last year, and 15 cents less than what the price was on the last presidential election in 2016.
The average price per gallon in Escambia County Sunday night was above the state average at $2.09. The lowest price to be found Sunday night in cantonment was $2.05 on Muscogee Road, while two Pensacola stations bottomed out at $1.83.
Crude oil prices are tumbling - dropping 10% last week and another 3% overnight. The market is concerned that global fuel demand will continue to struggle thanks to rising COVID-19 cases both domestic and abroad.
“Gas prices are declining as Floridians prepare to drive to the polls this Tuesday,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Although drivers in some metro areas are already paying sub-$2 gas prices, the latest round of crude price drops could drag the state average below $2 for the first time since early June. The state average could eventually sink to $1.90 per gallon, unless wholesale gasoline prices recover.”
UWF Awarded $6 Million Grant To Lead National Cybersecurity Workforce Development Program
November 2, 2020
The University of West Florida will lead a coalition of 10 institutions designated as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity in establishing a program to address the critical national shortage of qualified cybersecurity professionals in the U.S. The National Security Agency selected UWF to oversee the program, which will launch in the spring and be funded by a two-year, $6 million grant.
“The National Security Agency is excited to have the University of West Florida serve as the coalition lead for a new cybersecurity education and workforce development program,” said Diane M. Janosek, Commandant, National Security Agency’s National Cryptologic School. “Their unique program transitions veterans and first-responders into cybersecurity professionals qualified to shore up critical gaps in our nation’s critical infrastructure sectors.”
The National Cybersecurity Workforce Development Program will focus on recruiting, preparing and placing transitioning military and first responders into cybersecurity work roles in critical infrastructure sectors, including financial services, defense industrial base and energy sectors. The cybersecurity workforce shortage tops 500,000 nationwide according to CyberSeek, a comprehensive cybersecurity workforce analytics website. Industry, government and nonprofit partners will collaborate with UWF and the academic coalition to align the workforce program with critical needs and prepare students for cybersecurity roles.
“Cybersecurity is an exploding field vital to our nation’s protection,” said UWF President Martha D. Saunders. “As a national leader in cybersecurity, UWF is proudly at the forefront of workforce development. We will continue developing talented cybersecurity professionals to protect us against cybercrime.”
The team will establish a nationally scalable certificate-based cybersecurity workforce development program that aligns with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education, or NICE, Cybersecurity Workforce Framework. The program will provide flexible pathways that accommodate participants’ diverse aptitudes, education and experience. Students will develop core competencies and skills through stackable and verifiable credentials and certificates. In addition to core knowledge and skills essential for critical infrastructure sector work roles, the program will integrate cutting-edge topics, including artificial intelligence, machine learning and threat intelligence.
“UWF is honored to lead this important national initiative to prepare and expand the cybersecurity workforce for our critical infrastructure sectors,” said Dr. Eman El-Sheikh, director of the UWF Center for Cybersecurity. “We will establish a scalable national cybersecurity workforce program that focuses on employability and can be scaled to include additional work roles, sectors, employers and institutions in future years. Our strong and passionate coalition team aims to solve the cybersecurity workforce crisis once and for all.”
The program will leverage strong partnerships across the financial services, defense and energy sectors to develop a national employers network, and prepare and place participants within those organizations. Recruitment will prioritize veterans and first responders, and eligible students will receive scholarships to participate. The workforce program pathways will be offered across the nation by the 10 CAE designated institutions, via delivery formats including face-to-face, online and hybrid. The program website will provide a one-stop shop to recommend cybersecurity work roles, connect students with CAE-C institutions offering workforce pathways and with employers hiring for those roles.
UWF will lead a team of nationally designated cybersecurity institutions, including Augusta University, Dakota State University, Eastern New Mexico University-Ruidoso, Florida International University, University of Houston, Metropolitan State University, San Antonio College, Cyber Florida at the University of South Florida and the University of Texas at San Antonio.
FDOH Reports 62 New COVID-19 Cases, No Additional Deaths In Escambia County
November 2, 2020
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST.
There were 62 new COVID-19 cases and no additional deaths reported Sunday in Escambia County by the Florida Department of Health.
Here is the latest data:
Total cases: 13,704 (+62)
Non-Florida residents: 1,399
Total deaths: 272
Long-term care facility deaths : 126
Current hospitalizations: 48
Number of tests last day: 1,569
Percent positive last day: 9.4%
Percent positive last week: 3.0%
Escambia County cases by location:
Pensacola: 9,980 (+42)
Cantonment: 1,002 (+3)
Century: 944
—-including 773 Century prison inmates
Molino: 159 (+1)
McDavid: 75
Bellview: 19
Walnut Hill: 18
Perdido Key: 10
Gonzalez: 7
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 6,021 (+27)
Non-Florida residents: 68
Total deaths: 88
Long-term care facility deaths: 20
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 365*
Number of tests last day: 326
Percent positive last day: 7.1%
Santa County cases by location:
Milton: 3,022 (+6)
Gulf Breeze: 882 (+5)
Navarre: 815 (+8)
Pace: 505 (+2)
Jay: 160
Bagdad: 14
Florida cases:
Total cases: 807,412
Florida residents: 796,802
Deaths: 16,789
Hospitalizations: 49,338*
*“Hospitalizations” in the statewide and Santa Rosa County totals is a count of all laboratory confirmed cases in which an inpatient hospitalization occurred at any time during the course of illness. Most of these people are longer be hospitalized. The FDOH does not provide a count of patients currently hospitalized. The Escambia County number is current data compiled each day from the local hospitals.
*The Florida Department of Health does not have a clear standard or definition of “recovered” and does not report a number of recovered individuals.
**Data Sources: Florida Department of Health, Escambia County, City of Pensacola, local hospitals.