ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The names Helene and Milton are still fresh in our minds — and for good reason. Those storms were a harsh reminder that living in paradise comes with a price, fundamentally changing how Tampa Bay-area residents approach hurricane preparation.
The rain fell on St. Petersburg Saturday morning as families gathered for Hurricane Preparedness Day, and for many, memories came flooding back. After years of shrugging off warnings, this city is finally listening.
“I think it was a wakeup call. I hope it was because, you know, we don’t call evacuations lightly. There’s a reason for it,” said Mary Burrell with Pinellas County Emergency Management. She’s seen the dramatic shift in attitudes since last year’s devastating storms…