JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis announced a $10 million budget allocation to support all eight of Florida's search and rescue teams.
Speaking in Jacksonville's Fire Station #50, home to the 250-member Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 5, the governor said it was important in the wake of last year's collapse of the Surfside condo complex and hurricane response, for these teams to get more funding for their critical work.
In addition, DeSantis said there would be another round of $1,000 bonuses going to Florida firefighters and first responders.
"It's going to be money well spent," DeSantis said.
Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said the urban search and rescue teams were pushed to extreme lengths in responding to Surfside in addition to Texas and Louisiana to assist cities recovering from tropical disasters.
The funding will go towards equipment and additional training for each team, including a training event bringing all eight teams together.
