Hurricane Isaias came through the Panhandle hard, and Santa Rosa County deputies spent the storm on the roads. Their own homes were taking damage while they answered calls and kept people safe, with no way of knowing what they’d find when they finally got back. That’s the part most people don’t see. First responders don’t get storm days. They get storm duty.
After the skies cleared, law enforcement agencies from Leon, Polk, Lake, Citrus, Hernando, Sumter and Columbia counties deployed to Santa Rosa County to give those deputies a break. The visiting crews are handling road patrols and leading chainsaw teams, cutting first responders and residents out of neighborhoods that were choked with downed trees and debris. The state says the vast majority of customers now have power restored, but the cleanup continues.
What stands out here is the same thing that makes the Suncoast a good place to live. Neighbors help neighbors, and counties help counties. We know recovery here takes more than crews and generators. It takes people showing up for each other. That’s exactly what Florida did for Santa Rosa County.
Have you ever given a neighbor a hand after a storm? Tell us about it in the comments.
