With our county reeling from the one-two punch of back-to-back hurricanes, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) wants you to know that we are in your corner, keeping you safe. Whether we’re pulling people from flooded homes, cutting trees blocking the road, helping traffic flow through intersections with no lights, or protecting you from disaster-chasing criminals who want to steal from you or scam you, PCSO is by your side as we all work to recover and rebuild.

We learned some hard lessons from these two storms – chief among them that when the evacuation order comes, you should heed it because, if you need us in the middle of a hurricane, “We aren’t coming.” The sheriff said it as Hurricane Helene approached, again as Hurricane Milton loomed, and we’ve repeated it in our messaging over and over again. When hurricane-force winds are blowing, when storm surge gets high, first responders can’t come for you if you call 911. We want to, but even our tallest high-water vehicles and our toughest boats can’t make it through the water and debris that inundated our barrier islands and low-lying areas. 

But the second they could respond without becoming casualties themselves, our deputies raced to save people from the devastation that both hurricanes brought to our area. After Helene they responded through storm surge that was still thigh-high in places, over the dunes of shifting sands that covered Gulf Boulevard, pulling people from debris, helping them off their roofs, and getting them to family, shelters, or hospitals. Hurricane Milton brought less surge but terrifying winds that uprooted trees and tore down power lines. It mostly spared the barrier islands as far as storm surge, but parts of Pinellas County that weren’t in evacuation zones unexpectedly flooded. Our deputies helped rescue almost 500 people from an apartment complex that still had more than six feet of standing water the morning after the storm. They went door to door through the hardest-hit neighborhoods, checking to make sure everyone was okay. And, heartbreakingly, first responders recovered the bodies of the 12 people who perished in Hurricane Helene. Two additional deaths in Pinellas County were attributed to Hurricane Milton.

Closures help keep people safer after the storm passes, giving officials and utilities time to assess the damage. After Helene passed, we kept the barrier islands shut for a few days. With standing water, downed power lines, and dangerous debris, it was just too hazardous for anyone except first responders to venture into, and additional traffic would compromise the herculean efforts of state and local partners to clear the roadway of sand. The aftermath of a storm is no place for gawkers, sightseers, or looters.

After Milton ravaged Pinellas, the entire county was closed for a while. Many roads were impassible because of fallen trees, traffic lights were out at many major intersections, and more than half of the county was without power. Bridges were closed, and deputies blocked land access to Pinellas until crews had a chance to assess the major hazards. Access resumed by midday, but the area was full of hazards for a long time afterward.

Our deputies worked long hours, some sleeping at the station, some never getting a day off for more than two weeks. All that time, crime never stopped – as soon as the storm was over, we had the usual calls for domestic batteries, neighbor disputes, narcotics violations, and traffic crashes. Some calls for service were storm-specific, such as a suspicious person who might be a looter, or a “found property” call that was a boat instead of the usual wallet or bike. While half of our deputies handled these calls, the rest worked specifically on making our county whole again. 

Amid every tragedy, there are always some unscrupulous people who want to take advantage of people’s suffering. PCSO will not tolerate looters. We have enhanced patrols throughout all of the barrier islands, especially overnight, and our deputies will arrest anyone caught looting. Scammers will also be afoot – check out the article below for common post-hurricane scams and how to avoid them.

We’ve gone through great hardship, but now is the time to help our neighbors as we look to the future. Pinellas County is strong, and together we will rebuild our vibrant and thriving communities again.

Now, with the waters receded and debris piled by the roadside, there are still months of recovery ahead for our county. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Pinellas County Emergency Management, and countless public and private organizations and individuals have come together to clean up, provide services, and connect residents to ways to get help.  

You can find an abundance of information put out by the county about closures, boil water notices, help finding a place to stay, food assistance, reporting damage, cleanup, and much more. You can also call the County Information Center at 727-464-4333 or contact them through their chat. FEMA assistance is available to help affected residents with temporary housing, repairs, and other post-disaster needs. You can call them at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or apply online at www.disasterassistance.gov. If you are experiencing emotional distress from the hurricane, you can call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline at 800-985-5999, or call or text the Suicide and Criss Lifeline at 988. If you have lost or found a pet, visit the county’s Lost and Found Pet Resources page, or check with local shelters.

If you would like to volunteer, or donate money or items such as food, personal care items, cleaning supplies, or tools to relief efforts, you can find more information here. 

Signing up with Alert Pinellas is a great way to stay informed about storms, emergencies, and other vital information in Pinellas County. Choose what location you would like to receive information about – such as home, work, or your child’s school – and also whether you would like to receive notifications on you cell phone by call or text, by land line, or email. Don’t let the next hurricane catch you unprepared. 

 

Now that the devastating Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton have passed and we come together as a community to clean up and help our neighbors, there are plenty of people with less benevolent intent. The aftermath of a disaster is ripe for scammers to try to take advantage of you. 

You may start getting phone calls, emails, or texts with heart-rending images and descriptions of families who have lost everything. You want to help, but be aware that if anyone reaches out to you for a donation, they may well be scammers. They might use real or AI images and stories to elicit your sympathy, but any money you send will go directly to a scammer and won’t help any storm victims. 

If you want to donate, don’t trust anyone who approaches you out of the blue. Instead, look up trusted charities that have a legitimate website and history, and then search for any reports of fraud or complaints about that charity. You can also reach out directly to local organizations that might need your help. Your city government may know who needs assistance, or you can check with local nonprofits to see what you can do. The county has a list of possibilities here. Donations don’t have to go to a huge organization – maybe a local animal rescue or organization for the homeless could use some help. Make sure your money goes to the people who need it, not to criminals.

If your house or business sustained damage, you’ll want to get everything cleaned and repaired fast – but so do thousands of other people, and contractors may be in short supply. If someone approaches you while you’re shoveling sand out of your living room and says they can help you, be skeptical. There are storm-chasing scammers who go wherever disaster hits, hoping to make a quick buck. They’ll seem friendly and helpful and may make tempting offers – they can start work right away when every other contractor can’t start for weeks, or they may offer to pay your insurance deductible. But they’ll demand payment upfront, and chances are after that you’ll never see them or your money again.

Before you hire anyone, research the company and get recommendations from friends. Check their references and their certifications – they need to be licensed and insured. Get a written contract, read it completely, and don’t pay the full amount until all work is done and any liens are released. 

Criminals may also come door to door offering repairs as a distraction for theft. One may hold your attention at the front door while another sneaks into your house through a back entrance. Or they may convince you to let them into your home to view damage and rifle through your drawers for your jewelry or checkbook. Don’t let anyone in your home unless you were the one to contact them, and don’t let them roam unsupervised. Remember, you don’t have to open your door to anyone.

You might be relieved when your insurance adjuster or FEMA agent shows up, but be aware that scammers may be posing as insurance or government representatives. The real agents will have official identification that includes their photo. Scammers may demand an inspection or application fee, but the real agents will never charge a fee or try to get your bank or credit card information. 

Deputies have been doing everything possible to protect you and your home during and after the hurricane. After mandatory evacuations, deputies increased patrol of the places you had to leave. Unfortunately, looters see abandoned houses and businesses as perfect targets. In the chaos of recovery, they may pretend to be homeowners or repair crews and go into houses to steal. While it is legal to take anything that is put at the curb for waste pickup, thieves had been going up onto people’s property to steal things that residents had simply put outside to dry. If you see anyone suspicious in person or on a remote camera, you can call 911.

After a disaster you may feel stressed and desperate, and more willing to jump on what seems to be an offer of help. But the same cautions apply. Don’t make hasty decisions. Don’t pay upfront, or pay by non-traditional means like Venmo, gift cards, or crypto. Don’t click links. Don’t give out your personal information. Be wary of people who approach you with offers that seem too good to be true. 

Every child deserves to have a joyful holiday season. You can help by joining us on Saturday, December 7 at Fort De Soto Park for this year’s Ride And Run With The Stars. For more than 30 years, this has been the Tampa Bay area’s largest law enforcement fundraiser. Money raised at Ride And Run With The Stars goes directly to the Christmas Sharing Project which provides toys, bikes, clothes, and necessities to kids who are in need because of economic hardship or who have been victimized by crime. 

Ride And Run With The Stars is a family friendly event that includes running, biking, and family races as well as vendors, specialized vehicles, a K-9 demonstration, and Santa and Mrs. Claus arriving in a helicopter to meet children and hear their Christmas wishes. There’s also an online auction. 

To register or for more information, visit www.rideandrunwiththestars.com.