Governor DeSantis tours flood-soaked Anna Maria Island

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Published  October 3, 2024 5:46pm EDT
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Governor DeSantis tours flood-soaked Anna Maria Island

FOX 13's Evan Axelbank reports.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND - Gov. Ron DeSantis toured Anna Maria Island on Thursday, where residents and business owners are trying to get back on their feet.

Every building the DeSantis toured endured severe damage from Hurricane Helene, with some seeing heavier damage than others.

Jimmy Cirillo, who owns the Bay Breeze Motel on the island, is working hard to begin refurbishing its swimming pool and guest rooms.

"I'll probably be one of the first put back together, but it doesn't even matter as all the businesses, all the restaurants, all the shops, all the beaches, are literally gone," Cirillo said.

Cirillo says his motel's main building was inundated with three feet of water. While he expects insurance to cover most of the damage to the building itself, he'll likely have to spend a hundred thousand dollars to fix the pool and surrounding landscaping.

 "They're just concrete block on the inside and outside," Cirillo said. "There's no stud work, there's no drywall. So I'm actually cheaper than your average bear, believe it or not."

DeSantis toured Cirillo’s northern Anna Maria neighborhood Thursday, announcing that he was sending the Florida National Guard to seaports to speed up the offloading of goods impacted by the longshoreman strike. 

READ MORE: Pinellas County begins storm debris pickup in neighborhoods that saw bad flooding during Helene

DeSantis also announced he is waiving restrictions on certain weight limits for trucks coming to mitigate any supply chain shortages caused by the strike.

Cirillo says that dealing with the consequences of a severe hurricane is enough, even without the added stress of possible supply chain shortages.

"This is something that would have significant impacts on the nation's economy anyways," Cirillo said. "But to have this happen in a way that could negatively impact people that are reeling from a Category four hurricane, that is just simply unacceptable."

Florida has also introduced an insurance workshop in Clearwater, where anyone needing help filing a claim can meet with representatives from more than forty insurance companies. 

Jimmy Patronis, the Florida CFO, says insurance reps promised to write checks immediately for those in legitimate need.

"If you've got a flooded car, you want to come; if you've got a flooded house, you'll want to come," said Patronis. "If you did have any type of windstorm damage, like roof damage or a tree on your house, you'll want to come."

READ MORE: Hurricane Helene death toll rises to 12 in Pinellas County

With heavy flood damage on Anna Maria Island, Cirillo says the only silver lining is that they could have lost more. 

"We could be those poor people in Western Carolina that had their houses washed away and some of them perished," said Cirillo. "So I actually feel lucky."

DeSantis said while the state compiles official numbers and analyzes individual deaths that, the death toll from Hurricane Helene stands at 15 people in the Tampa Bay region, 12 of those deaths coming in Pinellas County alone. 

DeSantis also said that he expects the official death toll to surpass 15 people.

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