This week, I traveled to my hometown of Panama City to assess damage following the severe weather that the area saw earlier this week. This was a big wind event. We saw damage firsthand in Bay County and Marianna, where vehicles had been destroyed, and roofs of houses had been thrown across yards. I implore everyone who received damage from the storm, to go ahead and call your carrier, your insurance agent, or you can call my office at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO in order to try and start to expedite an insurance claims process. The devastation was immense, but I know that these communities will be restored with strength and efficiency. 

Lastly, on Wednesday, I issued a Consumer Alert warning the public to beware of purchasing Amazon's lithium-ion replacement battery packs for Dyson vacuum cleaners, which according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) pose a fire risk. These batteries pose a serious threat, and they are incredibly dangerous if they catch fire. Once a fire begins, it can spread quickly and become extremely difficult for firefighters to put out. Floridians should ensure that lithium-ion batteries are certified for safety by checking for nationally recognized testing laboratory markings like UL, ETL, CSA, or SGS. It's very important that consumers are aware of the new and unprecedented threat that lithium-ion fires pose to Floridians and their property. As your CFO and State Fire Marshal, I will continue to provide consumers and firefighters with the proper tools and information to prevent these serious lithium-ion battery fires.   

Sincerely,

Jimmy Patronis Chief Financial Officer State of Florida

Stay Connected Follow Jimmy Patronis on Twitter   Follow Jimmy Patronis on Facebook