Flood

370 homes in Gulf Breeze proper flooded. Two hundred are still flooded. Residents said Fema never showed up, the Red Cross never showed up but local churches showed up to help. Gulf Breeze Methodist Church is helping with cleaning up homes, removing carpet, flooring, sheet rock, and feeding residents and workers. They re also handing out flood buckets to flood victims in Gulf Breeze and "down the Hwy" flood victims. Chumuckla sent local volunteers from their churches. Some residents are still being housed in the recreation center.



Fema can not assist until Obama signs the order.

same here church groups doing a lot of clean up work, and food.

cool1 wrote:same here church groups doing a lot of clean up work, and food.

That's what Christianity is all about!

So sorry you both have this going on but very happy good folks have stepped up to do the right things in the community. Are there any needs that others can help you with?

Thank you...how thoughtful. I was lucky my house did not flood, we had waist deep water in the street. Stranded for 5 days but nothing more.

Gov Scott just sent the official letter yesterday to Obama. I would imagine the counts in both county's are not correct and there is more damage.

I read in the PNJ that the minimum amount of damage to trigger FEMA involvement is $26 million. I think I've seen more damage than that in Gulf Breeze, Cordova Park and Scenic Highway alone.

How did pcola vote in the last election? We've seen how vindictive he can be... closing open air monuments... etc.

PkrBum wrote:How did pcola vote in the last election? We've seen how vindictive he can be... closing open air monuments... etc.

That is a valid consideration I agree.

But there's another way to look at all this too. I have no doubt that many of the people who are opposed to anything having to do with the federal government, are now some of the same people asking "where is FEMA?" lol

Another thing to consider.  There's one big difference with this and the aftermath of a hurricane.

Most people who are impacted by a hurricane CHOSE to live near the shoreline.
Unless they're kidding themselves,  they know there is always a possibility that a hurricane can fuck them up.
But that wasn't the case with the flash flood.  Especially a 300-500 year rain event (as some are calling it) like what was just experienced.  Most of the victims of the flash flood had no clue they would ever be in harm's way.
I guarantee you there's not one homeowner on Piedmont Rd who ever in their wildest imaginations believed what happened could ever happen.

ppaca wrote:Gov Scott just sent the official letter yesterday to Obama. I would imagine the counts in both county's are not correct and there is more damage.

FEMA evaluated South Santa Rosa county 4 days ago.

Joanie, FEMA may have evaluated but it was all over the news last night that Scott did not send a letter asking for Federal help until yesterday May 5th along with his declaration of state emergency.

Have to edit, then again the news has been wrong before.

Bob wrote:

PkrBum wrote:How did pcola vote in the last election? We've seen how vindictive he can be... closing open air monuments... etc.

That is a valid consideration I agree.

But there's another way to look at all this too.  I have no doubt that many of the people who are opposed to anything having to do with the federal government,  are now some of the same people asking "where is FEMA?"  lol

Bob, you are correct, I have been following wear fb page and reading comments every night and some of the same poster's that have said to hell with federal government are the same one's asking where is obamafloodcare now?

Although my heart goes out to everyone who lost their homes and belonging's in this I hope once in a life time flood, I will repeat what the insurance flood adjuster said yesterday, (I cannot believe more did not have flood insurance) he could not believe it. Although I am not in a flood zone after the heavy rains the April after Ivan we decided to take it out. Probably won't pay nothing because of my deductible and my losses are minimal, except for my car and I'm still waiting on adjuster. My neighbor's around me lost just about everything and none of them had flood insurance.

Good reading, go to weartv fb page and find the GB city meeting last night and see all the hateful comments against us that live out here. I think everyone knows that this was an act of God at the meeting but were complaining how the pumps and locations of pumps were set up. Also believe me damn near everyone that was flooded don't have money, seems like most the money people live on the outer edges along shoreline and fairpoint and have better drainage and some sit up higher.

ZVUGKTUBM wrote:Buy flood insurance. I live in Flood Zone X, and my premium for 2014 will be $414.00 for coverage of $200K structure/$80K contents, with a $1K deductible. It is due on May 30th, and I will pay it no later than next week.

I have carried flood coverage since 1991. I always knew if my house ever flooded, it would be from a major rain event and not a hurricane. I skated last week, but there was major flooding in neighborhoods within 0.5 mile from here.

I have it and received my renewal a couple days before this flood and discussing the night it started whether to pay up (since we hadn't had a flood) or renew. I guess there is no discussing after this I will pay.

ppaca wrote:Joanie, FEMA may have evaluated but it was all over the news last night that Scott did not send a letter asking for Federal help until yesterday May 5th along with his declaration of state emergency.

Have to edit, then again the news has been wrong before.

Scott, according to FEMA protocol, does not have to send a letter to the President for FEMA assistance. The request is made through the Regional FEMA office and the President approves it. FEMA was contacted by Scott and they were here assessing the damage last week.

So, the request was made by Scott last week, when he declared a state of emergency.

Scott's letter was in regards to the delay. The recent tornadoes in Mississippi received FEMA approval in 2 days.

...The delay in our area continues despite written appeals to Obama from U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, Florida Gov. Rick Scott and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, who even gave a speech on the Senate floor in Washington.

I will never listen to wear tv again or Sue Straughn because she just said less than 15 minutes ago AGAIN the letter was sent yesterday by Scott requesting Federal Aid  and FEMA did do an assesment a few days ago. I did see where our reps appealed yesterday or Sunday somewhere. Don't remember.  Did see Nelson do a speech on the floor.   Maybe the delay could be that they updated the losses, channel 3 reported quite a few more today than a couple of days ago. Great Alan is just now saying we are going to have heavy rain on Saturday.

It does seem to me the govt should have declared a few days ago though.  I guess it depends on who's your governor and how he gets along with the Feds.

WEAR was wrong...the letters were in regards to the delays.

Joanie,

http://www.floridadisaster.org/eoc/PressReleases/05%2005%2014%20GOVERNOR%20SCOTT%20REQUESTS%20MAJOR%20DISASTER%20DECLARATION%20DUE%20TO%20FLOODING.pdf

http://www.floridadisaster.org/index.asp

On Monday, May 5, Governor Rick Scott requested federal assistance for Florida communities to assist in recovery from the recent severe weather and flooding event. Governor Scott requested a Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance for Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties.

“After a disaster, our goal is to work as quickly as possible to help communities recover and rebuild,” said State Coordinating Officer Bryan W. Koon. “While no entity can fully erase the impacts of this disaster, federal assistance will go long way to help those communities return a sense of normalcy.

If a declaration is received then Individual Assistance will be available to individuals in those qualifying counties. Governor Scott’s initial request is based on Preliminary Damage Assessments, and may be amended to include additional counties as Preliminary Damage Assessments are finalized.

State officials, in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and local county emergency management agencies, will continue to conduct damage assessments as additional counties complete their initial damage assessments. Visit www.FloridaDisaster.org/recovery for details about the damage assessment process and types of assistance that may be available.

Preliminary Damage Assessments are initiated by county emergency management agencies. Individuals who have experienced disaster-related damage to homes or businesses should call their local county Emergency Management Office to receive disaster-related information and to document their damages with officials.

For additional information about severe weather in Florida, and to Get A Plan, visit www.FloridaDisaster.org, follow FDEM on social media on Twitter at @FLSERT and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/FloridaSERT and www.Facebook.com/KidsGetAPlan.

Governor Scott Requests Major Disaster Declaration For Flooding

The President signed the declaration today.

Sue said lol.

I just heard it.

I had the information downloaded on my Nook but cannot copy the info. It said Scott activated emergency response teams 5/1/2014.

I know he mobilized the National guard also..they came through my neighborhood last week.

scott had to get the information from the preliminary damage assessment team fyi.

As bad as that was for y'all it wasn't a Katrina where the national guard needed to go in.

When it comes to things like roads flooded etc, really those are things that your local officials need to be guiding.

However, with all that said, churches often do step up to the plate in any of these types of situations. They are very community/people oriented and with that compassion comes the first thought of, what can we do to help.

You'll notice in just about any disaster the churches are usually much quicker than the govs in getting help to people. That's because they are the people.

The National guard assisted with evacuations.....not restoring law and order.

Joanimaroni wrote:I just heard it.

I had the information downloaded on my Nook but cannot copy the info. It said Scott activated emergency response teams 5/1/2014.

I know he mobilized the National guard also..they came through my neighborhood last week.

Yes, Scott did, but he had to make an official request to the govt which he did yesterday after everything was assessed. I did hear the national guard was activated but saw no one here in town.

Yes, it was some church's that were first on the scene, didn't see red cross until 3 days after.

Joanimaroni wrote:The National guard assisted with evacuations.....not restoring law and order.

The guard help evacuate Pensacola?

on edit. then y'all can thank scott for that. he had to do that preemptively.