TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the first rescue mission from Haiti with evacuees who were otherwise unable to return home due to the ongoing political crisis in Haiti. Florida brought 14 Floridians home from Haiti to Orlando Sanford International Airport via emergency flights coordinated by the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Watch Governor DeSantis’ remarks here.

“This is the second time that Florida has stepped up to ensure that Americans have a way out of an unstable political situation abroad,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “I am proud of the work we have done to get Floridians home and reunite them with their families. We will also continue to dedicate resources to prevent the flow of illegal immigrants from reaching our shores while the situation in Haiti deteriorates.”

“Thanks to Governor DeSantis’ swift leadership, the Division is expediting resources to do whatever it takes to bring residents home while protecting Florida’s border security,” said Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie. “We will continue to work with local law enforcement partners and run more flights to evacuate citizens trapped in Haiti.”

The Florida Division of Emergency Management will continue to lead efforts for additional flights bringing Floridians home. Upon landing in Orlando, citizens are able to access resources from multiple state agencies, including:

• Meals
• Lodging
• Transportation
• Basic health and medical screenings
• Care supplies for infants, toddlers, seniors and pets
• Family reunification center
• Hope navigators and counselors
• Children’s activity center
• Florida License on Wheels (FLOW) center for replacement of identification

This effort follows Governor Ron DeSantis’ announcement earlier last week directing more than 250 additional law enforcement, Florida National Guard and Florida State Guard resources to the Florida Keys in preparation for an influx of illegal immigrants from Haiti.

Read Governor DeSantis’ Executive Order declaring a State of Emergency and authorizing FDEM to execute rescue operations here.

If you or someone you know is a Florida citizen who is unable to leave Haiti due to the current situation, visit FloridaDisaster.org/Haiti to fill out a form to let us know.

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