911 calls in Pinellas County due to Hurricane Idalia aim to raise awareness of flood dangers

St. Petersburg, Florida. – As we move into the second half of hurricane season, Pinellas County officials hope that issuing emergency alerts due to Hurricane Idalia will raise awareness of the flooding threat from storms.

“I think these shots show how scary it is when water comes into your home,” said Cathie Perkins, Pinellas County emergency management director. “That's why we're issuing these evacuation orders, because we believe people in these areas are at risk. It's a horrible place to be, that zone where water comes in, and you don't always know how high it's going to rise.”

“I'm stuck,” one 911 caller said in a released recording. “I was in a restricted area and my car is flooded. I don't know if it's going to make it. I just don't know what to do.”

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This caller was not alone. Pinellas County received more than 60 emergency calls from people who did not follow mandatory evacuation orders before Hurricane Idalia last August.

“I'm stuck,” said another caller. “I don't know what to do. Should I climb to the roof? Should I try to swim out?” he asked.

Officials said storm surge in Idalia in Pinellas County was two to five feet high. Perkins said emergency responders were still able to respond, but that's not always the case.

“There have certainly been problems and delays in getting supplies to people and the concern is that, particularly when the storm surge hits, at some point they won't be able to get there or they won't be able to respond when the winds get stronger,” Perkins said.

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“We really want to make it clear to people that unfortunately, if they decide to stay in the evacuation zones, there is a risk that no one will be able to get to them. They may then no longer be able to take life-saving measures to prevent themselves from being killed,” she said.

Perkins said after every storm, they try to figure out why people didn't evacuate. She said officials wanted to reiterate that PSTA offers free rides to shelters and that there are three types of shelters in Pinellas: pet-friendly, for the general population and for people with special needs.

“People with special needs didn’t know there was a registry and services for them,” she added.

People can register for the registry and find more information about storm preparations on the district's website.

“Don't neglect hurricane season. I know it's tempting,” Perkins said. “We're approaching the second half of hurricane season, but it's the busier time, and as we've seen, it doesn't take a hurricane to cause us problems. The three things I always tell everyone are you have to know your risk. You have to make a plan and you have to stay informed.”

The hurricane season lasts until November 30th.

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