Flood victims confront Gov. Crist ~ Federal disaster monies

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Flood victims confront

Gov. Crist

Governor visits relief center

Updated: Wednesday, 27 May 2009, 3:52 PM EDT

Published : Tuesday, 26 May 2009, 8:31 PM EDT

* Lypka/MyFoxTampaBay.com

DAYTONA BEACH - Governor Charlie Crist visited flood victims and

flood-damaged areas in Daytona Beach Tuesday, and asked President Barack Obama

to

declare the area a federal disaster zone.

The cost of the damages is estimated to be $50 million, and hundreds are in

need of assistance.

Crist saw first-hand some people whose lives were turned upside down by the

flooding at the Holly Hill Recreation Center, now a service center for

flood victims.

And he got an earful.

" What is he going to do to help us right now, " said Caiafa, one of

the flood victims waiting at the service center.

Caiafa is a single mother and is one of the hundreds who are in need of

federal assistance, a request which is pending now on the president.

Caiafa does not feel the process of providing federal aid is quick enough.

Her house is flooded and she knew exactly what she wanted to say to Charlie

Crist.

" What do we do in the mean time, sir? I need some help. My ceiling has

collapsed and I need some help before I get black mold, " she told the

governor.

" What do we do? Do we tear it down? Do we have to wait? "

" You're not staying there now are you? " Governor Crist asked her.

" Yes, I am, " she told him.

" Well, you can't stay there with those two kids, " he said.

Crist visited victims like Caiafa and told them that the relief center

opened for flood victims.

" It's like a clearing house for information, if you will. To make sure they

can get to the right agency and give them the help that they need, " he

said.

After a few hours, Caiafa says she felt more at ease after getting some

advice.

" The mold, you can always get a contractor out to your house and the state

will reimburse you, " she said.

Governor Crist said that he hopes President Obama will sign the federal

disaster declaration by the end of this week.

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