Florida's Latest News

Kat Cammack, Jared Moskowitz lead Florida request to Joe Biden to expand Debby emergency declaration

Following the landfall of Hurricane Debby, Florida lawmakers are calling on President Joe Biden to expand a state of emergency declaration.

U.S. Reps. Kat Cammack, a Gainesville Republican, and Jared Moskowitz, a Parkland Democrat, led a letter to the President seeking the change. The lawmakers asked Biden to activate a higher public assistance level, Category A, to ensure reimbursement for debris removal.

“Hurricane Debby continues to bring severe weather conditions, including high winds, heavy rainfall, and flooding, posing a significant threat to public safety and infrastructure,” the letter reads.

“By granting approval for Category A Public Assistance, we can efficiently mobilize resources, coordinate debris removal efforts, and mitigate the risks associated with post-storm debris.”

The request follows Biden declaring an emergency in Florida on Sunday before the storm made landfall.

Much of Hurricane Debby property loss may not be insured as many Floridians lack flood coverage

Deaths and destruction befell the people and property along the path of Hurricane Debby Monday as it became the first to make Florida landfall in 2024. A handful of deaths were soon reported but the homes and structures it damaged are not expected to amount to the financial catastrophe of the 2023 storm it followed along a similar path.

At least not as costly a disaster for insurance companies, anyway.

Debby became a tropical storm soon after it came ashore at 7 a.m. in Steinhatchee, a coastal town located at Florida's Big Bend, about 20 miles from  Keaton Beach, where Hurricane Idalia hit Aug. 30 as a Category 3 storm. Eleven months ago, Hurricane Idalia was the first major storm to hit the area in more than 125 years.

Four deaths have been attributed to the storm. The amount of property damage from high winds, flooding rainfall and storm surge was said to "modest" in comparison to what Floridians have been conditioned to fear and subsequently witness, state officials said.

OneBlood software partially restored after ransomware attack

OneBlood, the non-profit blood center that serves a portion of the Florida’s hospitals and medical centers, announced on Sunday that its critical software systems are beginning to come back online after being compromised by a ransomware attack.

The incident, which occurred on July 29, led the organization to implement manual processes to ensure the continued collection, testing, processing, and distribution of blood to over 250 hospitals in the region.

Susan Forbes, OneBlood’s senior vice president of corporate communications and public relations, confirmed in a prepared statement that the software systems have cleared re-verification and are now operating at a reduced capacity. As the transition back to an automated production environment begins, the organization said it will continue to manually label blood products.

Moreover, OneBlood stated that it is starting to reintegrate its electronic donor registration process. Forbes expressed optimism about the recovery, anticipating a solid improvement in the blood supply over the next few days.

Orlando Health to acquire majority stake in Brookwood Baptist Health

Orlando Health on Monday announced an agreement to acquire Tenet Healthcare’s majority interest in Brookwood Baptist Health, a healthcare system based in Birmingham, Alabama.

The acquisition will see Orlando Health managing day-to-day operations of Brookwood Baptist Health in partnership with the Baptist Health System, which will continue its involvement and ensure the organization remains faith-based. Thibaut van Marcke, currently serving as Senior Vice President of Orlando Health Southeast Region and President of Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, will lead Orlando Health’s efforts in Alabama, the company said in a prepared release.

Amy Allen, President and CEO of Baptist Health System, welcomed Orlando Health’s involvement, citing their track record in delivering healthcare services and their readiness to invest in the Birmingham community.

“We are pleased to have Orlando Health join Brookwood Baptist Health as a majority and managing partner. We are excited to welcome them to Birmingham and to jointly support the faith-based mission of Brookwood Baptist Health,” she said.