ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — More help is available in St. Lucie County for the residents impacted by devastating tornadoes that hit South Florida and the Treasure Coast last week.
WPTV reporter Michael Hoffman learned about the added assistance that will help storm victims.
Currently, at a Walmart located on U.S. Highway 1 in Port St. Lucie, showers, portable restrooms and washer-dryers are available to help people with the bare necessities. This is being offered by Walmart and Walmart contractors who tell Hoffman these services will stay in place as long as they are needed.
It's basic assistance like this that many need the most after the deadly twisters ripped through communities.
Hurricane
IMAGES: Hurricane Milton's impacts in South Florida, Treasure Coast
Officials with the county tell WPTV that the base of relief operations — the Fenn Center in Fort Pierce — has helped 2,500 families since opening last Saturday. As early as Saturday, it will transition to a FEMA-run Disaster Recovery Center.
FEMA is also going door to door to help people sign up for disaster assistance throughout the county and has set up relief stations in the Spanish Lakes Community where an EF3 tornado claimed six lives.
St. Lucie County spokesperson Erick Gill told Hoffman that when times are the darkest, it's the effort from the community that really makes the difference.
"On one hand it's devastating to see neighborhoods get destroyed like that, but it is uplifting when you see the amount of community support," Gill said. "Our public information lines, people have emailed the county [asking], 'How can we help? How can we volunteer?' And it's great. We encourage people to do that, just make sure you're doing that through a local, reputable nonprofit."
Gill said the Fenn Center will stay open to provide help as long as it's needed.
