Red Cross Disaster Relief, Florida

Sheltering Shift 2: Wesley Chapel, Florida

Night Shift 7pm-7am

We all know that Florida had some bad hurricanes [and an estimated 27 tornado’s, courtesy of Milton], but I don’t think people understand that it’s not over. And I’m not referring to the emotional and physical damage that they will be dealing with for years to come, that is phase 2; some are still in phase 1.

In Tampa, neat piles of palm tree debris scattered about is the only evidence Milton ever showed his face. Yet 15 minutes down the road, entire neighborhoods are still completely inaccessible. Some of these residence are not fortunate enough to have anywhere else to go thus are in various shelters set-up throughout the state. I have had the privilege of meeting some of them and their stories are the kind that cause you to instantly feel like a dumbass for the last 18 things [you already forgot] that you complained about. Oh, I haven’t slept in 2 days? This woman thought she was going to die, lost all her belongings and is now living in a shelter without the slightest idea where she will be next week or when/if she’s going to get am money… Jesus, Summer….

“I have lived here for over 40 years. I’ve been through every hurricane. I remember the bad one back in ’92… I used to own a mortgage company and I remember they tried to put everyone in the flood zone… but really, everything’s a flood zone. You’re surrounded by water and people always think they’re not going to get flooded – like my neighbors. I kept telling them, they need to put their car away. You have to have a car. They said, ‘the water never comes up this high’. I am always prepared. I take my car somewhere, I lift up everything in the apartment and clean up…”

I would like to note that the way she spoke is a trait most of these people share. I don’t know if it’s shock or just a brain overload, but most of them tell their story in this manner. It can be hard to put it together at times.

“It was 11:30. We’re [referring to the locals who stayed] all online watching the – there’s a weather guy we all watch – we were watching and all the sudden the power went out.” The corner of her mouth tilted down and twitched.

“Blackness. Then all the sudden there was water shooting through the entire outline of the door. It was shooting in so fast in was arcing!”

She blurted out a nervous laugh. “I am always calm and composed. Every time… I don’t really cook, but I do a little here and there and I had this pot. I grabbed it and stuck it under the water pouring in. It was so stupid it looked like a cartoon.”

“Pretty soon there was water pouring in from everywhere. Water was shooting out of the toilet. I couldn’t even see the toilet. Everything was floating. I thought I was going to die. Water was coming from everywhere… brown water.

My neighbor has a learning disability and.. and… I was banging on the wall with- I called 9-1-1 and they asked if I was over 60, if I had a disability, if I had children…they couldn’t come but they asked if I needed a ladder and I said yes.

They kept calling back to check in and I finally… I…. there was people who needed it way more. I couldn’t get out anyways. I couldn’t open the door. I couldn’t get on the roof.

It was about 4:30 when the water began to go down outside. You can’t imagine – Wind, you hide from. Water – you run! When I would try to open the door to let some of the water out-WHOOSH!! It would come from everywhere, so powerful it would take everything with it! I kept having to open the door a bit, then shut. Open a bit, then shut.

When I finally could open the door I saw my neighbor walk passed, water still just below his waist; he looked like a zombie. No expression. No eye contact.”

To top it off, she said some slumlord owned the apartment building and they won’t give any assistance, return any rent, or even let them or FEMA in the building [and no one can get assistance until FEMA accesses the damage]. She took a quick breath and said she couldn’t go into that or she’ll break down again.

Hurricane Milton hit October 10th: it’s now the 27th and there are still thousands waiting for FEMA to access the damage. And though I have yet to hear something that would make me say FEMA is going the extra mile by any means, they are not at fault for the majority of delays; it’s the water.

17 days later and thousands still have 3 feet or more of water in their homes. When I ask why, they all respond, “Where’s it going to go!?”

“People don’t understand that the flooding gets worse after the hurricane leaves. All the rivers and lakes flood… we’re surrounded by water, where can it go? Can’t pump it anywhere. It just sits there”, another man explains.

Peoples refrigerator’s are still floating in their houses. Floating in sewer and garbage and alligators (yes, that’s a real thing). I think it’s important people know that.