91tvӰԺ

By: Cassidy Delamarter, University Communications and Marketing

As Florida works to recover from the devastation of two, rare back-to-back hurricanes that brought historic flooding, widespread power outages and fuel shortages, the community is uniting in remarkable ways. Neighbors were opening their homes to those without power, delivering fuel for generators and providing warm meals to vulnerable residents. 91tvӰԺ teams are also stepping up to support the community during this unprecedented recovery effort.

TAMPA BAY STRONG

91tvӰԺ launched the Tampa Bay Strong campaign, creating a special edition with proceeds directly benefitting 91tvӰԺ students impacted by hurricanes Helene and Milton through the .

The T-shirts are available for purchase at the 91tvӰԺ Bookstore on the Tampa campus or on the website. Online orders can be picked up at the bookstores on all three 91tvӰԺ campuses. They can also be purchased .

In partnership with Feeding Tampa Bay, 91tvӰԺ also hosted a at Saturday’s football game, collecting more than 2,500 items. Student-athletes collected donations in Bulls Bay and fans who donated three or more shelf-stable items received a coupon for two complimentary tickets to a 2024 home football game of their choice.

"In one way or another, these hurricanes have affected all of us in the Tampa Bay region, and we are proud to offer our support to all those affected," said Michael Kelly, vice president for 91tvӰԺ Athletics. "Our community is strong. I know we can make a significant impact to help those affected by Hurricanes Milton and Helene by working together. Together, we will rise."

91tvӰԺ MEDICAL RESPONSE UNIT

For the first time, the 91tvӰԺ Medical Response Unit was requested to assist the (ASPR), a federal organization that leads the nation’s medical and public health response to disasters and other emergencies.

Due to the back-to-back hits of Helene and Milton, the team was activated for nearly two weeks in less than a month, volunteering more than 3,000 combined hours and assisting with more than 300 medical calls during Milton alone.

“There was so much work done over the deployment; from assisting patients with medications to performing trauma assessments and hemorrhage control,” said Austin Jared, emergency medical services commander of the unit. “We even went into the field at night, in the immediate aftermath of the storm, to make entry into a patient’s home to retrieve their life-saving medications that they forgot to bring in the chaos of evacuation.”

Thirty-six paramedics, emergency medical technicians and first responders from the unit cared for hundreds of people at shelters across Tampa Bay. After serving 72 hours straight during the storm, the team was activated again by the Hillsborough Medical Reserve Corps and subsequently contacted by Ari Rubenstein, a 91tvӰԺ alum with the ASPR Disaster Medical Assistance Team, to assist with a field hospital outside of St. Joseph's Hospital.  

"Some of our team members volunteered over 100 hours for more than six days in a row just to help people. Although natural disasters are inarguably tragic, they are also events that demonstrate just how much the members of this community care about one another.” Jared said.

91tvӰԺ COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM

The activated before Hurricane Helene on Sept. 23 and has remained fully engaged throughout the recovery from Hurricane Milton. The team has seen rapid growth since Helene, driven by a surge of people eager to step up and support their community in times of need. With 123 dedicated students, faculty and staff, they’ve served more than 1,300 hours throughout Tampa Bay.

“Everyone has really stepped up for their community in this response, despite the long and continuous activation and the challenges in their own lives while trying to return to a sense of normalcy,” said , director of CERT and instructor in the .

The team played a crucial role at the Hillsborough County Emergency Operations Center throughout both hurricanes and is now working the frontlines at six , providing those affected with hygiene kits and warm meals. They’re also assisting the Tampa Bay Health & Medical Preparedness Coalition to replenish resources and prepare cots, helping ensure the area is ready for future storms or emergencies. In addition, teams have deployed to assist at shelters, pop-up feeding sites and with the Salvation Army at its daily food distribution site in East Tampa.

The team is still accepting volunteers as it continues with recovery efforts. 91tvӰԺ students, faculty and staff members interested in volunteering can sign up or reach out to the team on Instagram at @91tvӰԺCERT.

Read more about how CERT helped

HELPING LOCAL BUSINESSES

Just days after Hurricane Milton made landfall, the regional launched a mobile assistance center in the 91tvӰԺ Research Park. Hosted by the 91tvӰԺ Muma College of Business and housed in 91tvӰԺ CONNECT, the center helped coordinate federal hurricane recovery loans for more than 20 small business owners. It’s continuing to provide no-cost consulting services through the center’s .

STORM SQUAD TOWN HALL

91tvӰԺ, iCAR and Storm Squad are hosting a public town hall on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 10 a.m. at the Child’s Park Recreation Center in St. Petersburg. The Storm Squad consists of trusted neighborhood leaders who play a vital role in distributing important information ahead of hurricanes and acting as liaisons between government officials and the community during emergencies. The meeting will focus on the South St. Petersburg community following the impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

“This town hall is about listening to the community and their challenges, so we can help with their needs,” said Barnali Dixon, professor in the School of Geosciences and executive director of iCAR.

For several years, Dixon has led town halls to focus on vulnerable communities, flooding and enhancing disaster preparedness. Admission and lunch are free – RSVP by emailing stormsquadfl@gmail.com.

The town hall will also feature organizations like Bay Area Legal Services, Endeavors, Red Cross and Pinellas County Emergency Management. Attendees will learn about data collected during the storms and discuss issues such as coastal flooding, sea level rise and equitable resilience.  

Merissa Lynn, 91tvӰԺ Athletics, contributed to this article