Just when we were all feeling a little bit smug about not experiencing any major hurricanes in our area since David in 1979, in 2004 a little monster named Frances snuck up on us. We were all focused on reading about the effects of Cat 4 Hurricane Charley which had made landfall on August 13, 2004 over southwest Florida into Cayo Costa and on into Punta Gorda with 145 mph winds and continued north causing extensive damage to central Florida and up through interior east coast states before it dissipated as a depression in Canada. Suddenly we had a new contender.
On August 17, 2004 City Council passed a resolution to support recovery efforts for Hurricane Charley victims and authorized the City Manager to allocate funding for costs related to requested aid response, and considered sending City personnel to help out in their recovery efforts.
Just a little over three weeks later on September 5, 2004, Hurricane Frances, after doing severe damage throughout the islands as a Cat 4 and stalling between the Bahamas and the east coast of Florida, made landfall at Sewall's Point in northern Martin County as a Category 2 with 105 mph winds and a 55-80 mile diameter eye wall. It slowly wreaked havoc as it crossed the peninsula leaving destruction and power outages in its wake. Just eleven days later on September 16, Hurricane Ivan came ashore in Gulf Shores, Alabama but storm surge damage was felt all the way to Tampa Bay, 500 miles away.
At home, Sebastian was reeling from Hurricane Frances damage and widespread power outages. Power lines, trees and street lights were down, roofs were damaged, and along the riverfront boats were damaged and moved on land and sunk all along the riverfront, docks were damaged, sidewalks buckled, and distribution centers were being set up and manned by the Division of Forestry. The City had opened up the municipal airport for FPL and out of state power trucks staging for the area got to work.
I remember heading to City Hall when I was able to get out of my street the next morning. The City Hall building had an emergency generator that had kicked on and I looked out the front door and saw people lining up outside the front door. I had nothing to offer at that time but a cup of coffee which seemed just about enough to them at that time. The new City Hall construction to our east and Police Facility renovation was in progress and nearly completed. Roof tiles piled on top of the new Council Chambers for installation had been tossed causing damage to vehicles in the lots, the records room roof in the old City Hall (schoolhouse) and the police facility. Due to my staffs hard work and commitment prior to the storm all the shelves had been covered in plastic saving over 300 boxes of City records. Water was pouring down the walls and with the help of city staff we moved the boxes out and piled them into the main hallway. City staff rallied and starting doing whatever they could to assist residents.
FEMA personnel soon arrived on the scene and took up residence in our old City Council Chambers to assist property owners with making their claims and providing blue roofs to protect integrity of homes with roof damage. City Public Works staff worked non-stop on removing downed trees to open roads and many slept in our chambers overnights on cots, their families fending for themselves however possible. Everyone had a job to do and we just got to the business of helping the community as best we could. Council met and approved allowing professional businesses to work out of their homes if there was damage to businesses for a period of six months.
Power outages would continue over the next couple of weeks. It was an interesting time. As much as it was uncomfortable and stressful, there became a feeling of camaraderie with neighbor helping neighbor. There were some who experienced such extensive damage and trauma from house damage during the storm that it lingered for a long time for them. I did not have that experience and considered myself extremely lucky. My little wood frame held up very well with its hip roof but many newer homes of my street which were block had roof damage. Those with gable roof seemed to be an issue. Neighborhoods became a sea of blue.
On September 22, Mayor McCollum read and presented a proclamation, commending members of the US Army Corps of Engineers and Operation Blue Roof who were stationed in Sebastian, to its Team Leader, Buck Ober, who had become a friend to Sebastian as were many of his staff. The City Manager reported on damage estimates which totaled a little over $3 million for government property, damaged signs and debris removal. He advised damage to the stormwater retention and conveyance systems could be an additional several thousand to a couple of million dollars. He explained some of this would be reimbursable from the City's insurance policies and FEMA. The Mayor pointed out the FEMA would mainly reimburse overtime costs and debris removal.
Just as recovery got under way, and power started to come back on, we heard that a new Hurricane named Jeanne was following nearly the same path as Frances but it was a Cat 3. FEMA personnel were required to leave our area for the duration of the storm event, but promised to return once it cleared the area.
Hurricane Jeanne came in on September 26 at almost the exact location in Martin County where Frances had arrived and once again a large 55 mile eyewall wreaked havoc and damaged whatever hadn't been damaged by Frances and then some. Once it passed, FEMA reps returned to continue and start anew the blue roof program and claims process. New damage occurred and power that might have just been restored was out again. It would be almost a repeat performance of assessing damage and opening roads and carting debris away much of it still left over from Frances.
On September 30th The City Manager distributed and read into the record the "City Council Information Letter-Special Thursday Evening Edition-September 30, 2004" dated September 30, 2004, relative to Hurricane Jeanne response and recovery.
In response to questions from Council he said that Indian River Drive will be open to pedestrian traffic only in safe areas for the time being, that unsafe homes are being inspected and dealt with on an individual basis, that he would check on notice for unprotected pools; that rugs and furniture must be hauled away by the property owner and that Code Enforcement is advising people of this; that the focus of City staff for the next six months will be recovery with the exception of large projects already approved; and that most calls from residents were for tarps and FPL questions.
City Council met in emergency meetings and began the processes needed to recover. They passed an emergency ordinance to waive travel trailer use in residential districts because many homeowners with extensive damage would not be able to enter their homes until repairs could be done. Some lived in trailers from six months to a year.
Ordinance No. 0-04-19
AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA, SUSPENDING ENFORCEMENT OF CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE RELIEF FROM HURRICANES FRANCES AND JEANNE; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS, SEVERABllllY AND EFFECTIVE DATE.
Nick Blount, FPL External Affairs Manager for the Treasure Coast, and other representatives of FPL, came before Council on October 13th to update City Council on FPL emergency restoration activities since August due to Hurricanes Charley, Ivan, Frances and Jeanne. He thanked Sebastian residents and business owners for their patience during power interruptions and the City staff for their activities to keep streets clear, informing the public and providing the Municipal Airport for 1300 workers and support staff. He cited statistics for the four storms, said the company was proud of its restoration efforts but knows that more can be done to prepare for future events and will conduct meetings to that end. Asked what dictates FPL bringing in outside forces, Mr. Blount responded that FPL is a member of the Edison Electric Institute which is an organization of power companies with a mutual agreement among its members to assist one another. He said there were crews here in Florida from 41 states and Canada. Mr. Blount said FPL does not shut down its system prior to the storm because they would rather have transformers blow for safety reasons.
Discussions on going to underground lines took place. Mr. Blount said most new subdivisions' lines are placed underground, but that underground is not the answer to all problems because of flooding, digÂins, and location and restoration of failures; and that it is very expensive to convert to underground.
The City Manager reported on costs as follows: debris removal of 150,000 cubic yards of yard debris and 60,000 cubic yards of construction debris at a cost of $3.5 million; that he will be bringing back items regarding Indian River Drive restoration to the October 27 meeting for expenditures and contracts not to exceed $300,000; reported that signage down at 1000 intersections sustained damage in the amount of $400,000; stormwater and support infrastructure damage in the amount of $500,000; public buildings and facilities in the amount of $456,000; that the Golf Course had already begun restoration and its damage was in the amount of $172,362; total damage approximately $5.3 million with an overall impact of $500,000 from city coffers.
The City Manager responded that contractor Ashbritt and City crews are picking up yard debris and construction debris and that as far as furniture he is still waiting for a clarification from FEMA. Mayor McCollum said each government entity is responsible for its own debris pickup within its boundaries, that responsibility for CR512 infrastructure would be the County's responsibility but pickup of debris on CR 512 would be picked up by the City.
Mayor McCollum asked for an update and recommendation from the City Manager on this matter at the November 17, 2004 regular meeting due to the fact that there is an eight to twelve week time period to get an estimate. Mr. Coniglio said perhaps people could document their damage now in the event it is many months before they can pull a permit.
City Manager Report:
3,465,300 - Debris Removal
300,000- Indian River Drive
400,000 - Signage (Materials, Labor - Approx. 1,000 lights @ $400 an intersection)
500,000 - Stormwater/Support Infrastructure
456,000 - Building and Property Damage
172,363 - Golf Course Facilities
Total 5,293,662 ($5.3 million)
After factoring in FEMA & Insurance Reimbursements and Final Cost Impacts to the City of Sebastian are anticipated to be approximately $500,000-which as previously discussed, will be absorbed via reserves currently available
The City Manager and City Council, with able assistance of department heads worked diligently and professionally for the public in matters of assistance with financial aid, reimbursements to the City for funds expended, waivers for permits to begin to rebuild, hauling of debris, and the focus of City staff for the next six months would be recovery.
Though some fared better than others, as some lost their homes and suffered long lasting anxiety from the events, a theme emerged through it all for most that we found a new strength, made new friends, and learned that we are capable of making our way through adversity. A voice that resounded through this time was that of local musician Pete Harris who was a rising star in the same vein as Jimmy Buffett with his love of this paradise he had discovered as had all of us. He wrote and performed several songs about Sebastian. One of them was "My Hurricane Song'' and his words resounded with all of us.
'Well we're all torn up and we're all torn down
Two hurricanes in just three weeks coming through this town
And we're all torn up and we're all torn down
I know that
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