Gov. DeSantis hands out checks to first responders as part of ‘Florida’s Heroes’ initiative

The state allocated approximately $208 million to distribute one-time relief payments of up to $1,000 to over 193,000 first responders

August 10, 2021 08:44 PM

20210810-AMX-US-NEWS-FLORIDA-HEROES-ONETIME-RELIEF-CHECKS-1-JK.jpg — Gov. Ron DeSantis hands out one-time relief checks to first responders at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 10, 2021.

Katherine Lewin
The Florida Times-Union

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis handed out checks to nearly 30 law enforcement officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office today as part of the ‘Florida’s Heroes’ initiative through the Department of Economic Opportunity.

The state allocated approximately $208 million to distribute one-time relief payments of up to $1,000 to over 193,000 first responders, including law enforcement officers, EMTs, firefighters and across Florida.

Mayor Lenny Curry and Department of Economic Opportunity Secretary Dane Eagle also attended the news conference.

“Last legislative session, we wanted to do something to recognize the people who wear the uniform and put themselves in harm’s way and while there were efforts in other states and communities across the country to defund law enforcement, we said we’re going to be funding law enforcement and then some,” DeSantis said.

The rest of the checks will be mailed out to JSO officers’ home addresses.

Eagle said the state coordinated with over 400 cities and 67 counties to send out “hundreds of thousands” of checks.

“The governor wanted to focus on a few areas and we’re here in Jacksonville, in Northeast Florida, to highlight the cream of the crop and what they have done over the course of COVID,” Eagle said.

Earlier Tuesday, DeSantis also gave checks to Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces in Surfside, which responded to the building collapse in June.