MIAMI — With at least 70 people dead in Florida in the wake of Hurricane Ian, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell promised to provide assistance to Floridians as they recover from the powerful Category 4 storm, but also said it’s important to consider the risk of rebuilding in the state’s most vulnerable regions.
“When individuals are starting to make decisions about what they’re going to do and what their next steps are, they really need to understand what their risk is,” Criswell told CBS’ "Face the Nation" on Sunday morning. “We need to make sure that we have strong building codes, because we have risks all over.”
Lee County — where some of the worst-hit areas, including Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel and Pine Island, are located — has reported 35 deaths following the storm. Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno has said the storm surge reached a height of 10 feet or more.
