HomeCommunity NewsLocal first responders offer...

Local first responders offer Hurricane Dorian assistance

ORLANDO – Anna Maria Island didn’t feel the effects of Hurricane Dorian, but Manatee County’s first responders didn’t take it easy as the storm swept by Florida’s east coast. First responders from around the state gathered supplies and equipment and journeyed to Orlando to gather at a staging area and await deployment to any areas hit hard by the storm.

Manatee County sent 28 first responder volunteers along with fire engines and other equipment to Orlando to await deployment. Participating departments include East Manatee Fire Rescue, North River Fire Rescue, Southern Manatee Fire Rescue, Bradenton Fire Rescue, Longboat Key Fire Rescue, Cedar Hammock Fire Rescue and West Manatee Fire Rescue which sent fire engine 131 along with firefighters Clayton Lease and Paul Hopkins.

Strike teams gathered for staging Sept. 3. With Florida being spared the hurricane’s wrath, the strike teams were not needed for hurricane relief efforts in Florida, and Manatee County’s team returned to the west coast Sept. 5.

In the event of a natural disaster, strike teams are formed with first responder volunteers to go into badly affected areas of the state and provide relief by helping in recovery efforts, assisting local first responders with rescue and fire response efforts and distributing supplies to local residents, among other assistance efforts.

Related coverage

Dorian continues to steer clear of AMI

Dorian prompts local state of emergency

Holmes Beach holds off on emergency declaration

Most Popular

More from Author

Fire department sued over rental regulations

BRADENTON – Almost a year after passing a resolution changing the...

Kruse talks beach parking, Island consolidation

HOLMES BEACH – About two dozen people came out on March...

Events

Wednesday, March 27 Creative Aging: Figurative Drawing Series, Island Library, 5701 Marina...

Police chief says beach parking plentiful in Holmes Beach

HOLMES BEACH – Spring break is in full swing on Anna...

Floridian Mortgage wins championship

ANNA MARIA – Spring has sprung and winter sports at The Center are coming to a close, with team Floridian Mortgage earning the win against team Moss Builders Thursday night in the adult co-ed flag football championship game. The top two teams in the league matched up in...

Man completes Chamber passport program in five hours

ANNA MARIA ISLAND - The annual Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s Passport Program is a fun way for residents and visitors to the Island to get out and discover Island businesses with a passport offered for free by the chamber. Participants are encouraged to get their passports...

One ARK Foundation raises funds for foster families

live music, delicious food and spirited fundraising as the One ARK Foundation held its second annual “Kindness Matters Extravaganza” at The Cheesecake Cutie & Cafe on March 21. “One ARK” stands for “one act of random kindness” and is a newly-established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by The Cheesecake...

Save our homes

This column should be titled “Save our Taxes,” since that’s what we’re really talking about. However, saving on property taxes is part of the Save Our Homes benefits and portability transfers are another piece of this law. In January of 2008, the Florida Legislature passed legislation that allows...

 Reel Time: Salon fundraiser meets with success

Salon (noun) - a conversational gathering of notables held at the home of a prominent person. On Saturday afternoon, Suncoast Waterkeeper held its Suncoast Salon fundraiser at the Sarasota home of Anna Maria residents Bill and Debbie Partridge. The event was a sellout and attracted some of...

Temporary paid parking vendors hired

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners considered four temporary use parking permits at the March 21 commission meeting and after much discussion, approved three with stipulations, denying one. Permit applications were submitted by developer Shawn Kaleta for temporary parking lots at 102 Third St. N., 207 Church Ave. and...

Fire department sued over rental regulations

BRADENTON – Almost a year after passing a resolution changing the district’s approach to taxing and inspecting vacation rental properties in residential areas, West Manatee Fire Rescue is receiving pushback from one rental owner. During a March 19 commission meeting, the district’s attorney, Maggie Mooney, informed the board...

Bridge Street traffic, parking among commission concerns

BRADENTON BEACH – In what was an unusually lengthy, seven-hour city commission meeting that began at noon on March 21, commissioners dove into parking and traffic issues, pickleball and organ donation. BRIDGE STREET ONE WAY? A Bridge Street business owner asked the commission to consider making Bridge Street one...

Scaccianoce new Bradenton Beach commissioner

BRADENTON BEACH – Ward 1 has a new commissioner. The application for commissioner by business owner and former Manatee County records manager Deborah Scaccianoce was approved by the commission and she was sworn in at its March 21 meeting. She filled the vacant seat left by former Commissioner Jake...

Kruse talks beach parking, Island consolidation

HOLMES BEACH – About two dozen people came out on March 20 to meet with Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse, bringing their questions for the candidate, who is seeking re-election in November. Kruse held a town hall meeting at the Island Branch Library where he answered every question...

Commissioners deny bids for paid parking

BRADENTON BEACH – Rather than partnering with an outside vendor as planned, commissioners are now considering city-managed paid parking lots throughout Bradenton Beach. The city had put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) on Feb. 9 to “Provide the City with a complete parking management and enforcement system...