The worst mistake of Bill Tokajer’s career was not ordering his department off Anna Maria Island before Hurricane Helene hit on Sept. 26, 2024.
The Holmes Beach police chief shared that regret at a hurricane preparedness seminar held in advance of the June 1 start of hurricane season, where he and other officials described the damage from Helene and from Hurricane Milton, which followed on Oct. 9.
Helene pushed 4 to 5 feet of water onto the island and into buildings, including the police station. Milton “blew the top stories off condos,” Tokajer said.
“Leave early,” he said, warning that officers and other first responders are pulled off the road during the worst of a storm.
“Our crews leave at a certain point,” West Manatee Fire Rescue Lt. Josh Atkins said. Many residents did not evacuate for Helene, he said, but most did for Milton after seeing what Helene did — not only to low-lying areas but to parts of the county that had never flooded.
Attendees watched video shot by local officials showing the Gulf of Mexico flowing like a swift river into the parking lot at Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach during Helene’s surge.
“Storm surge is the biggest threat,” Atkins said. “If there is a mandatory evacuation, please evacuate.”
The Holmes Beach Public Works Department estimates it will spend another two years repairing damage from the 2024 hurricane season — a total of four years.
“There is still a lot of trash in the water from the ’24 storms,” Atkins said. “Just because the storm is over doesn’t mean all the bad stuff has gone away.”
Officials urged residents to watch the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration storm track and to evacuate nearby rather than hundreds of miles away, since returning home can be difficult. Shelters should be a last resort for those without nearby family or friends, they said. Evacuees should bring everything they and their pets need, including proof of pet vaccinations.
Manatee County has 26 shelters, three of them pet-friendly. Special-needs medical shelters require advance registration.
Officials also advised residents to pick up sandbags and stock cash and gas well in advance; pack water, food, batteries, flashlights, a weather radio and prescriptions; and shut off power, gas and water before leaving.
Lesser-known lessons from 2024 include:
• Evacuate with electric bikes, golf carts and cars from flood-prone areas. Their batteries can ignite when wet.
• Move possessions you want to save but won’t immediately need to higher ground — with family, friends or in storage — a week or two before a storm.
• Expect nails everywhere after a flood. Carry a spare tire or repair kit.
• Put valuables you can’t carry on top of the refrigerator or the highest point in the home.
• Plastic storage bins can float away or capsize in a flood.
• Most injuries occur after a storm. Watch for downed power lines, install a carbon monoxide detector if using a generator, and get an electrical inspection before restoring power to a flooded home.
Peak hurricane season runs from August through October, Atkins said, with the statistical peak on Sept. 10.
Cindy Lane is a staff writer for the Tampa Bay Beacons. She can be reached at clane@tbnweekly.com.