FLORIDA CITY, Fla. (WSVN) – Gov. Rick Scott surveyed the Florida Keys after Hurricane Irma blew through the area, leaving disaster behind.
7News was on hand during Scott’s visit Wednesday and while it is understandable to see heartbroken communities and tears, the residents of Florida Keys also showed strength, perseverance and hope.
Scott got on board a UH-60 Black Hawk and headed toward the hard hit Florida Keys. He took in Hurricane Irma’s damage from above without a sound.
The 7News crews along with the governor then drove in humvees after landing at the Florida Keys National Airport.
Residents and business owners in Marathon who evacuated ahead of Irma have not been able to return because of the poor conditions.
Donna Quarberg who lives in the area had not gone back into her home yet, but was in awe of how high the water reached as she pointed at the water line on the exterior of her house.
“There’s gonna be a lot of work to do,” Scott said to a group of men.
They were looking to put in some hard labor and told terrifying tales of what happened during the hurricane on the Keys.
In Marathon, there was also a fully staffed operation center where the governor got inquiries about federal aid. “The expectations is they get their power back as fast as possible,” Scott told 7News.
A mobile home park in Sunshine Key was left in disarray, but supplies of relief were arriving by the hour. Scott promised that would continue after a final stop in Cudjoe Key before flying north from Key West to Homestead.
“Expectation that the federal law level that Congress is gonna act to make sure we have the funding,” he said. “At the state level, I’m gonna make sure we have the resources. And I expect local governments to do their job.”
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