Should we stay or should we go?

By Joey Lachman

ST. PETERSBURG- This past hurricane season was one of the worst on record having 18 named storms according to NOAA scientists. Hurricane Milton was a near direct hit on the St. Petersburg area and left death, destruction and displacement. After the storm passed was when people began to realize the life changing impacts it left behind.

Local resident Kiel Serrano lost his apartment and nearly all his belongings. He says he is most grateful to have made it out ok with his family.

“The leaks started to appear from the rooftop and the whole rooftop came down eventually. My sister was in there so me and my mom we had to get in there and pull her out of the rubble.” Serrano recalls.  “It was a terrifying experience.”

For many people, this past hurricane season was the one that made them decide to move away. For Sale signs can be seen on nearly every block in an evacuation zone. Many people saw this coming and left after hurricanes Irma and Ian. Dominic DeFilipo is one of those people.

“I used to say that about clearwater when I had the condo in clearwater. I walked around there and used to say man this area is just begging for a hurricane. These houses are just begging for a hurricane to be destroyed.” Says DeFillipo. Clearwater was just waiting. That’s why I never developed any houses over there you know.”

Whether you are rebuilding or moving on it is important to have an action plan in place. Visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4834 for relief assistance. You can also check out https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/risk-management/hurricanes to learn more about hurricane action plans. Everyone has a different situation. It is important to analyze and evaluate you and your family’s best actions to protect yourselves from hurricanes.