On Wednesday, a FEMA mobile disaster center was set up in Palm Beach Gardens, one of the communities affected by the tornado outbreak spawned by Hurricane Milton, which made landfall three weeks ago today.

Meanwhile, Martin County residents are seeking expert guidance as they continue their recovery efforts. Many are facing insurance claims and are looking for additional assistance.

Families hardest hit by the tornadoes describe the recovery process as a whirlwind of confusion and uncertainty, with each step toward rebuilding raising new questions.

Martin County hosted a workshop Wednesday night at the Blake Public Library in Stuart, where dozens of residents hoped to find answers. Unfortunately, not everyone left with them.

“Just total devastation that I’ve been through. Mentally and emotionally, overwhelming,” said Cecelia Smith, a Port Salerno resident. “We’re grateful that everyone is concerned, but we’re not getting the answers we’re looking for.”

Nearly a month after the tornadoes tore through the Treasure Coast, families like Cecelia Smith’s still face an uphill battle to get help. Her house in Port Salerno is in ruins, with a gaping hole in the roof.

Her next steps remain uncertain — a question she posed to the panel of recovery experts.

“Mainly a lot of us are looking at housing, people who need a place to stay. I mean, most of us can see family and friends, and you know, eventually that wears off,” Smith said.

While waiting for insurance claims to be processed, FEMA provides one-on-one assistance for essentials such as temporary housing, emergency repairs and property loss.

Officials advise residents to save all receipts, photos and contractor estimates for inspection.

“Let’s say you’ve been affected by the storm in a medical or dental situation, we may be able to help you with that. If your car was damaged and that’s your only transportation to and from work, we may be able to help you with that,” said FEMA’s Renee Bafalis.

Right now, about 1,500 FEMA inspectors are evaluating homes in Florida.

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If your application says “Not Approved,” it could be because you’re missing documents like proof of insurance or ID.

Even with approval, FEMA only covers the gaps that insurance won’t, leaving families like Smith in a tough spot — she has insurance, but she doesn’t.

“Your homeowner’s insurance only agrees for six months, and no leases write six-month leases. So maybe some of the rentals that see this and say, well, they’ve been hit by a tornado, by a natural disaster. Maybe they’ll be a little lenient,” Smith said. “It’s a process, it’s a process. We have to go through the process and be patient with it.”

When registering with FEMA, residents receive a registration number and will be contacted by an inspector, who may call from an out-of-state number. FEMA staff will make three call attempts before reassigning the case, so residents should check voicemails.

Another important tip is to always check for FEMA badges when agents visit your home.

FEMA’s Mobile Center in Palm Beach Gardens, located at The Nest Golf Course off Sandhill Crane Drive, will operate from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm until Friday, November 1st before moving to Jupiter.