Hurricane Hermine left a mark on coastal Hernando County last week by way of flood damage and power outages.
On Friday morning, power companies reported approximately 4000 residents without power. They worked quickly to get the power back on in homes around the county. Flood mitigation companies responded to homes in Hernando Beach throughout the weekend.
Numerous side streets in coastal areas flooded and remained closed on Friday. Pine Island Drive was submerged in areas. Pine Island Park suffered damages to the observation deck, playground equipment and parking lot and is currently closed for repairs. Bayport park also remains closed due to extensive damages to the pier and property.
Osowaw Boulevard flooded in the storm. Osowaw and Shoal Line Blvd (heading to Aripeka) had to be closed again on Friday afternoon as water started covering the roadway with the approach of high tide at 3PM.
A structure fire was reported on Mangrove Drive in Hernando Beach. The homeowner was subduing the fire with a garden hose and was assisted by the Hernando Beach fire department and Hernando County Fire Rescue. There were no injuries.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission rescued several individuals via jon boat from coastal areas, including two people assisted at a residence on Minnow Creek Drive in Hernando Beach and a woman rescued from Ray Drive in Weeki Wachee. The FWC picked up a pregnant woman and her five year old child from their Wimberly Court home in Weeki Wachee as water was rising to the back door of the residence. She had no transportation to evacuate.
Many people were touched by the image of Hernando County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Woodward assisting a gentleman to safety during the storm early Friday morning in Aripeka. His mobile home was rapidly being overtaken by rising waters.
The sheriff’s office reports that the rescued individuals were able to find places to stay with family or friends.
Sheriff’s deputies worked diligently to remove debris from roadways, continued assisting area residents and assessed damages by air and by boat over the weekend.
As with any weather event providing an abundance of rain, concerns arise over the Withlacoochee water levels at Trilby (northern Pasco County), where the river is prone to flooding. “Action levels” are reached when the river gets to 10.5 feet. The river remains below action levels. NOAA predicts the river to be at 9.1 feet by Saturday September 10th.
Hernando County Sheriff’s Office Damage assessment teams conducted initial impact assessments throughout the county on Saturday, Sept. 3rd and Sunday, Sept. 4th. The teams surveyed a total of 535 structures. Of those 535 structures, 2 were destroyed, 18 have major damage, 179 have minor damage and 334 were determined to be affected in some way. They estimate total damages at $7,794,269. Eight commercial structures were included in this survey. One business was determined to be destroyed. Information from the assessments will be provided to local and state officials to assist in recovery efforts.
In the aftermath of Hermine, community support of affected residents and first responders was apparent. Subway in Brooksville and Publix at Barclay brought lunch to the first responders at the Mobile Command Center stationed at the Coast Guard Auxiliary building on Friday afternoon.
School Board district 2 contenders along with the race’s winner, Linda Prescott, made it a point to help out in Hernando Beach over the weekend. Mario Littman and Willis Reese II publicly offered to assist area residents who needed help cleaning up their damaged property. Littman was defeated in the school board district 2 race while Reese dropped out of that race earlier this year. Littman posted a lighthearted message on facebook stating, “The two biggest political losers in the history of history are willing to come help you for free.” Reese spent Sunday helping a woman with her fallen tree, while Littman and his two teenage sons worked hard with Linda and Mike Prescott along with Michael Gordon helping out in Hernando Beach. “My boys and I spent quite a bit of time down there today I think it’s important to teach them about doing right and helping others in need. They are at that age now 13 and 15. Where they can actually do things. I’m lucky to be healthy enough to be out there with them. They worked pretty hard today,” Littman said. (Michael Gordon was on the ballot for school board district 4.)
Spring Hill business woman Sandra Day started a Gofundme page to help Hernando Beach residents get back on their feet. She raised $2,475 of her $10,000 goal within three hours with donations from 21 generous community members. She explained, “This is personal to me as my sister Eileen lost everything in Super Storm Sandy a few years ago and I witnessed first hand how this turns lives upside down. I rushed into action to help her and want to help perfect strangers because that is what we Americans do! ”
Taipei Taipei in Brooksville offered to serve those affected by the storm or those in need of a good meal, but may not have the money to pay. The restaurant posted the following message on their facebook page Friday morning, “If you can’t cook , I can. If you are worried about money, it’s on me..”
A group of volunteers assembled in Hernando Beach on Labor Day to help residents clean out their flooded homes. Volunteers included Central High School ROTC students.
There were so many examples of community members assisting those in need, Hurricane Hermine will hopefully be remembered in Hernando County for illustrating our community’s resilience and good will.