CFO Jimmy Patronis Urges Floridians to Make Final Preparations for Tropical Storm Nicole

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis is urging Floridians to make final preparations to homes and property ahead of Tropical Storm Nicole. Tropical Storm Nicole is expected to strengthen into a hurricane and bring heavy rain, damaging winds, storm surge and possible tornadoes to Florida’s east coast. Florida’s Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) teams stand ready to assist with Tropical Storm Nicole recovery. The State Fire Marshal’s Office oversees Florida’s US&R teams, which are deployed to aid communities that have been impacted by a natural or man-made disaster. Additionally, the Division of Investigative and Forensic Services (DIFS) detectives will be deployed as needed pre and post-storm to aid in search and rescue, recovery and to guard against consumer fraud.

CFO Jimmy Patronis said, “As we just saw with Hurricane Ian, storms can intensify and change direction quickly. Now is the time to finish final storm preparations ahead of Tropical Storm Nicole. DO NOT take this storm lightly. Residents must heed all watches and take this storm seriously. We have all eight US&R teams that are standing ready to assist with recovery efforts. My office will continue to coordinate with the Florida Division of Emergency Management as the storm progresses.

“If you own an EV, please be sure to move your car to high ground. As a result of Ian, we have seen multiple EV fires that were caused by saltwater storm surge. Let’s not let this happen again and take the necessary steps now to prevent a fire from happening in the future.  Additionally, after the storm passes, beware of the signs of post-storm fraud and call my Insurance Consumer Helpline immediately at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (693-5236) for insurance claims assistance. Stay safe, Florida.” 

Final Storm Preparation Tips and Reminders for Floridians:

• Make sure to stock up on food and water and take only what you need.

• Never run a generator inside or too close to your home or garage.
• Use sandbags and plastic sheeting to ward off rising water.
• Take photos of items in your home to help make the recovery process easier.
• Gather all insurance, financial and other important documents and secure them in plastic bags.
• Secure outdoor objects, such as grills and lawn furniture, so that it cannot get displaced by high winds.
  

Floridians can call the Department of Financial Services’ toll-free helpline at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (693-5236) to talk to a knowledgeable insurance specialist Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or contact us via email at Consumer.Services@myfloridacfo.com. Visit PrepareFL.com for storm related resources and information.

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About CFO Jimmy Patronis 
Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis is a statewide elected official and a member of Florida’s Cabinet who oversees the Department of Financial Services. CFO Patronis works each day to fight insurance fraud, support Florida’s firefighters, and ensure the state’s finances are stable to support economic growth in the state. Follow the activities of the Department on Facebook (FLDFS) and X (@FLDFS).