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FPL lights up holidays for Bay Area first responders who served during Hurricanes Helene, Milton

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Published  November 26, 2024 6:39pm EST
Manatee County
FOX 13 News

Bringing first responders some holiday cheer

Kailey Tracey reports.

LONGBOAT KEY, Fla. - Florida Power and Light Company usually turns the lights on, but Tuesday, they turned on lights of a different kind, ones that spread holiday cheer for first responders.

FPL decorated four local fire and police stations as part of its annual Holiday Hero Lighting event. Those stations included Longboat Key Fire Rescue Station 92, Holmes Beach Police Station, West Manatee Fire Station and Bradenton Beach Police Station, giving back to first responders who gave so much during and after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. 

"We really wanted to bring holiday cheer to the folks that worked so closely with us in coordination for restoration as well as the community," Devaney Iglesias, FPL’s external affairs manager, said.

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"One of the most rewarding parts of our job is being there for the community and in their darkest of times, but during this time of year, being able to flip the script and really just come out to bring holiday cheer to put a smile on people's faces. And more importantly, this community needs to know that we're all here supporting it to get back up and running and for it to get back to normal. This is our little piece of being able to deliver a little slice of normal back to the community," Iglesias said.

They used their bucket trucks on Tuesday not to fix broken power lines, but to hang thousands of sparkling LED holiday lights. 

"It just kind of brings a little stability and just kind of peace and joy back into what we've been through in the last couple of months," said Lt. Lenard Diaz of the Bradenton Beach Police Department.

Volunteers that helped decorate on Tuesday include FPL employees, FPL retirees and community members.

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"I've been doing this for 35 years, and to have Florida Power and Light come out and decorate a station and with much enthusiasm and so much to see, it's an honor," said Assistant Chief Fire Marshal Jane Herrin of Longboat Key Fire Rescue.

With the storms’ scars still visible, the first responders said holiday decorations help them continue to focus on recovery.

"It just shows joy. It shows a little bit of the simplicity that the beach is coming back and showing everybody taking their time, whether it's volunteering or doing stuff like this and putting the lights up. It just shows the kindness that everybody has," Lt. Diaz said.

FPL also surprised the first responders with energy-efficient holiday lights and a Christmas tree that they can pick out for free at a local tree lot. 

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