Tampa Bay Area Officials Request That Feds Merge Helene and Milton Into One Disaster

‘Merging the two storms into one disaster will help expedite a lot of red tape to make [our recovery] much quicker,’ Pinellas County commission chair said.

A sign is seen at the Pass-A-Grille Women's Club in St. Petersburg, Fla., ahead of Hurricane Milton's expected landfall, on Oct. 7, 2024. Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images

ST. PETE BEACH, Fla.—The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners announced that they asked the federal government to merge Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton into a single disaster, and they expect that request to be granted shortly.

The announcement was made by Board Chair Kathleen Peters as she spoke alongside President Joe Biden in St. Pete Beach during his visit on Oct. 13. Peters explained why the consolidation request would help local recovery efforts.