Gratitude in the wake of Hurricane Idalia

August 30, 2023

While the Tampa Bay region was spared Hurricane Idalia’s worst impacts, we owe a great deal of gratitude to those in our community and around the state who always stand ready to act when severe storms threaten us. TECO marshalled thousands of workers from more than 20 states to help restore power – including line crews, tree trimmers, and damage assessors. City of Tampa and Hillsborough County staff, as well as their peers across the region, assembled in Joint Information and Emergency Operations Centers, leaving their own families behind to serve others. First responders including police, fire and healthcare workers remained on high alert. And dozens of local nonprofits and volunteers participating in Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) and regional Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOADs) are putting their disaster plans into action. Many of these selfless people will be heading north to assist those who have suffered the brunt of Idalia’s wrath.

Since I arrived in Tampa seven years ago, I’ve been deeply impressed with the way this community comes together and gets the job done during times of crisis. We are truly lucky to have such professional and collaborative leaders in our local government, business and academic institutions. But those who deserve the greatest respect and thanks are the teams that support these leaders and the rest of us. They keep us safe, informed, and help us get back up and running as quickly as possible.

Many residents and businesses in low-lying areas and waterfront communities around Tampa Bay have a long weekend ahead dealing with storm damage and flooding. If you need assistance or wish to volunteer, here are a few resources you can investigate:

Hillsborough County Stay Safe Resources: https://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/residents/stay-safe/storm

Post-hurricane Business Recovery Assistance: https://floridadisaster.biz/

Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County: https://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/businesses/entrepreneur-and-small-business-support/resources-and-training/florida-small-business-development-center

Business Damage Assessment Survey: https://floridadisaster.biz/BusinessDamageAssessments

Florida Disaster Fund: https://www.volunteerflorida.org/donatefdf/

Enterprise Florida Business Disaster Assistance Resources: https://www.enterpriseflorida.com/disaster-assistance/

Stay safe,

Craig