County team witnessed ‘total devastation’ in the Panhandle

For a little more than a week, a team of 11 from the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office patrolled the streets of rural Bay County, helping where and when they could, providing relief for other law enforcement agencies who had arrived in the wake of Hurricane Michael.

The crew recently returned and gathered to share their experience.

“For the most part, it was total devastation,” said Lt. John Parow, who led the team. A week after the storm, trees were still down and power was spotty.

“The linemen are the heroes,” he said. The team would see as many as 20 line trucks along a road banging out new power poles and running lines in an effort to restore electricity as quickly as possible.

St. Lucie County’s crew joined those from Broward and Sarasota to create a team of 60 who assisted with road clearing, securing homes, and providing food and water to residents and pets.

They were originally expected to stay in tents on the grounds of the Bay County jail, but plans changed while en route, according to Lt. Parow. Instead, the 60-member team bedded down in a parking garage/conference center. The conference center was the first floor of the building, with the parking garage on top.

The team tried to sleep in the conference center – where there was one bathroom and one shower – but cars constantly drove above them. Being on the Bravo (overnight) shift, the St. Lucie team attempted to sleep during the day, but the noise made that difficult.

Portable showers were eventually brought in, which helped alleviate hygiene issues.

Despite the difficulties the crew endured, each member would return again if asked.

“I would be willing to do it in a heartbeat,” Det. Matthew Gerdis said, adding he was sure all the others would do so as well. They each nodded their heads in agreement.

Det. Pat Ivey, from the Agriculture Unit, has previously been deployed to other hurricane-ravaged areas, including Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

“There is absolutely no comparison,” Det. Ivey said of the destruction inflicted on Florida’s Panhandle and Louisiana. Florida’s devastation was much worse, in terms of damage to property.

He recalled meeting a Vietnam veteran who had stayed during the storm, taking care of his 95-year-old mother, his wife and their two children. Det. Ivey said the veteran tried to brace the front door of their home as a tornado came through. The winds busted the door in, sending him flying into the kitchen where he broke ribs and punctured a lung.

He has no insurance, Det. Ivey said of the vet. “He lost everything.”

Perspective is one of the takeaways from his relief work in Bay County. He said that when you sit in your easy chair and complain about a little leak in the ceiling, well, the Hurricane Michael-ravaged area puts it all in perspective.

Dep. Randy Hunter said it was great to be considered for the mission and that it was a great experience overall, especially being able to work with other agencies.

The sleeping conditions and lack of showers … “those were the least of our worries,” he said.

Dep. Hunter added that they were able to help stray animals and stranded motorists and, by and large, the community of Bay County is resilient.

The team was able to communicate with loved ones back home in St. Lucie County while they were gone. “They want to make sure you’re safe,” Lt. Parow said. “There’s always risks for us.”

One teammate who left behind a loved one was Det. Joe Bell, who celebrated his 13th wedding anniversary away from his wife while he was in the Panhandle.

He said he made it up to her – he brought her strawberries and cooked dinner for her.

Bell was the self-appointed chef for the team and boasted that it was the best food the squad had. Reactions on his fellow teammates’ faces varied.

Sheriff Ken Mascara noted that when he received the call to send a team, there was no hesitation. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office has called on the assistance of other agencies over the years and now it was their turn to return the favor.

“It’s not if we’re going to have a weather event,” Sheriff Mascara said, “it’s when … This is a way for us to pay [it] back.”

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