Screenshot courtesy C-Span: Gov. Ron DeSantis greets President Joe Biden during a visit to areas impacted by Hurricane Ian.

Those recovering from Hurricane Ian will have a little bit more time to obtain financial reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. During a visit by President Joe Biden to Southwest Florida to survey storm damage, the administration announced it would double the amount of time governments, individuals and other entities have to seek full reimbursements.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said communities declared major disaster areas automatically have 30 days from a disaster in order to apply for full reimbursement costs on debris removal, emergency overtime and temporary repairs. Once FEMA surveys the severity of a storm’s impact, extensions may be granted. For areas affected by Ian, that has been expanded to 60 days, double the normal allowed timeframe.

 “The situation is catastrophic,” Criswell said. “Many homes remain underwater. We want to encourage people to remove debris faster, but we know it’s hoing to take them a long time to get in there.”

Biden has declared 19 counties in Florida as major disaster areas, with Sarasota and Manatee counties among the first to receive the designation.

At the same time, Sarasota County in particular continues on a road to recovery. The Department of Education announced 70 of 75 school districts in the state are open with in-person classes again. Still, school at five districts, including Sarasota, will be closed for the time being.

That doesn’t mean school will be out for all students forever. All schools from Venice north intend to open as soon as Monday, October 10, as part of a first phase reopening. A second phase of schools will open the following week on Oct. 17, including Atwater Elementary, Cranberry Elementary, Englewood Elementary, Glenallen Elementary, Lamarque Elementary, Toledo Blade Elementary, Heron Creek Middle Woodland Middle, North Port High and Suncoast Technical College-North Port.

Screenshot courtesy C-Span: Gov. Ron DeSantis greets President Joe Biden during a visit to areas impacted by Hurricane Ian.