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Florida's Senators Raise Concerns Over FEMA Wait Times

Debris piled up outside a house in downtown Orlando after Hurricane Irma. Courtesy Matias de la Jara
Debris piled up outside a house in downtown Orlando after Hurricane Irma. Courtesy Matias de la Jara

Concerned over long wait times, Senators Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio sent a letter to FEMA.

In their letter, Rubio and Nelson cited complaints by residents calling FEMA for housing assistance who ended up waiting on hold for up to four hours and FEMA is quoting 45 days for a home inspection, a required step for assistance claims payout.

They also cite a 2006 report from the Department of Homeland Security that found those affected by Hurricane Katrina averaged only a 10 minute wait time and around 10 days for a home inspection.

The Senators recognized that FEMA Administrator Brock Long has dispatched nearly 4,000 inspectors, but urged Long to improve wait times.

Brendan covers space news for WMFE, everything from rocket launches to the latest scientific discoveries in our universe. He hosts WMFE's weekly radio show and podcast "Are We There Yet?" which explores human space exploration. Brendan is a native Floridian, born and raised in Broward County. He moved to Central Florida in 2005 to attend the University of Central Florida. He began working at WMFE as a college intern where he discovered his love for public radio.