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Key West Navy Families Temporarily Relocate To Jacksonville Following Evacuation

ROB O'NEAL
/
THE KEY WEST CITIZEN VIA AP
This Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017 photo shows homes leveled by Hurricane Irma on Big Pine Key, Fla.

Many Navy families who had to evacuate from Key West before Hurricane Irma are finding a temporary home in Jacksonville.

More than 1,800 people from Naval Air Station Key West are being temporarily reassigned to either Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Naval Station Mayport or to facilities in Atlanta.

NAS Jacksonville Fleet and Family Support Director Carolyn McCorvey said an Emergency Family Assistance Center at the base is helping not only the Key West evacuees but also local families affected by Hurricane Irma. 

The Emergency Family Assistance Center has representatives from medical, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, American Red Cross, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Greater Jacksonville  USO, Child Development Center/Child Youth Program, Personnel Support Detachment Jacksonville, FEMA and the Salvation Army all partnering to help with relief.

“Now the design of the Emergency Family Assistance Center is like a one stop shop. So families don’t have to go to several different help and resources on base or out in the community to get help,” said McCorvey.

McCorvey told WJCT News that the center is offering help with finding housing, enrolling in schools, as well as pointing the new arrivals toward financial and medical services. 

Kelton Givens can be reached at newsteam@wjct.