- President Joe Biden visited Keaton Beach and Perry to tour damage from Hurricane Helene.
- More than 250 buildings in the county were damaged by the category 4 storm.
- Watch the video to hear what it means for neighbors in this community to have support from the president.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Devastated homes in Keaton Beach are just one example of the widespread destruction President Biden saw firsthand here in Taylor County.
I spoke with some Taylor County neighbors who said they are grateful for leaders like Biden visiting their community.
Law enforcement and secret service were around every corner in Keaton Beach Thursday ahead of Biden's arrival.
A response like this is something Taylor County native Nina Newcomer said she has never seen.
The destruction all around is something also unfamiliar to her.
"To see this aftermath, the catastrophic damage, it's heartbreaking," Nina said.
Her and her husband Charles traveled from Perry to Keaton Beach as President Biden and other leaders visited the area.
He was in Taylor County surveying damage after the category four hurricane destroyed more than 250 homes in the area.
He was joined by Senator Rick Scott.
Our cameras captured him as he went to meet the president.
The Newcomers said they are glad to see President Biden and other leaders in town.
After experiencing extensive damage from Idalia. they said FEMA aid helped them a lot and other neighbors could benefit from that now.
"I'm grateful for him and really appreciative of the assistance and how fast the response was to our rural area," Nina said.
During such a hard time, Charles said it's important to come together.
"Having him and the governor come here just shows that political parties don't matter," Charles said. "When a hurricane comes, it doesn't care who you vote for."
For people experiencing this damage, national help from FEMA is available.
They opened up a disaster relief center in Perry Wednesday at Loughridge Park.
