Pinellas To Host Virtual Meeting On Tropical Storm Eta Damages

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Pinellas County residents along the beaches and in low-lying areas and mobile home parks were impacted by Tropical Storm Eta, with many incurring damages from rain and storm surge. They now face issues with insurance, uninhabitable homes and questions about disaster assistance.

To address those concerns, Pinellas County Emergency Management and Floodplain Management will hold an online conversation, “Flooding: Fact, Fiction and FEMA,” on Tuesday, Dec. 15, from 6 to 7 p.m.

Moderator Hank Hodde, the county’s sustainability and resiliency coordinator, will be joined by Joe Borries, Pinellas County Emergency Management Operations manager; Lisa Foster, floodplain manager; and Jess McCracken, whole community engagement specialist.

Representatives from local municipalities are expected to join the conversation to talk about the flooding risks in Pinellas County, disaster assistance, insurance policies and protecting a home in the wake of a flood. Questions will be addressed throughout the event.

Register in advance for this webinar here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Additionally, Pinellas County has launched a new Disaster Risk Survey as part of an effort to understand the community’s vulnerabilities to a major disaster. Residents and Pinellas County business owners can access the survey by clicking here.

A major disaster in this context, is defined as a large-scale natural or man-made disaster, that could cause massive-scale reconstruction of our buildings and infrastructure; redevelopment of neighborhoods; and/or recovery of our families and businesses.

The survey is a part of Pinellas County’s post-disaster redevelopment planning efforts, which is supported by a recent $75,000 Resilience Planning Grant awarded to the county by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection under the State of Florida’s Florida Resilient Coastlines Program. The grant funding is being used to identify local communities' vulnerabilities.

The aftermath of a major disaster event such as a hurricane is extremely complicated and could mean several months or years of recovery. This could disproportionately impact some of families, neighborhoods and businesses, based on several factors such as income, locational risks, presence of young children or elderly, etc.

Identifying the risks and critical concerns that residents and businesses might face following a major disaster will enable the county to plan and prepare for the potential outcomes. Identifying factors that make some of communities and businesses more vulnerable will help the county plan how to extend much-needed support and address issues that can improve their capacity for a successful and speedy recovery. Therefore, getting feedback is extremely critical for the success of this effort.

In addition to the community vulnerability analysis, the Resilience Planning Grant is being used to evaluate the county’s Comprehensive Plan’s Coastal Management Element to identify policies that help address flooding. The Resilience Planning Grant is provided by the state of Florida to promote community-resiliency planning and support projects that address risks associated with floods, other disasters and changing coastal conditions.

The time-frame for the grant runs through June 30, 2021.

For more information about the event, call Pinellas County Emergency Management at 727-464-3634 or email ema@pinellascounty.org.

See related stories:

• Pinellas Sheriff Rescues 33 People During Tropical Storm Eta
• Madeira Beach Seeking Help To Repair $8.5M Damage Caused By Eta
• Pinellas County Commissioners To Hold Special Meeting Regarding Tropical Storm Eta
• Pinellas County Declares Emergency As Tropical Storm Eta Nears