What we did after the storms
When Helene and Milton came through, we didn't watch from the sidelines. Here's some of the work we did:
- Base camps for the people restoring power. We ran logistics for the temporary base camp at Tropicana Field: housing, meals and showers, plus the office and command-center trailers that kept the response running. It served Duke Energy and TECO linemen, line crews who came from as far away as Canada, the Red Cross and first responders. Melissa coordinated it on site.
- Every site that got hit. We also supplied other base camps, including Wimauma, the Strawberry Festival grounds and Monticello. After Helene, we got the Strawberry Festival site set up so fast that it needed less than planned, so we shut most of it down and moved it to Tropicana Field.
- Convoys of people, supplies and fuel. Steve coordinated convoys bringing in crews, resources and badly needed gas and diesel. Gas stations were empty the whole way. We made it anyway, sometimes leaving vehicles along the route and going back for them later to save fuel.
- Cell service. Steve worked to keep local cell towers up and running.
- Eyes in the sky. Steve is also an FAA Part 107 certified drone pilot. He's licensed to fly commercially, and to fly during disasters with FAA clearance, when the airspace is closed to most flights. After a hurricane, the sky is often the only road that isn't flooded.
Before that: Hurricanes Ian and Idalia
- D-SNAP food benefits. After Hurricanes Ian (2022) and Idalia (2023), Steve worked with the Florida Department of Children and Families to coordinate disaster food benefit (D-SNAP) sites in St. Pete. After Ian, he also helped run the site at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Thousands of people came. The line went around and even inside the stadium.
- Debris auditing. After Ian, Steve audited debris removal and recovery sites in St. Petersburg so the city could document the cleanup and get reimbursed by FEMA.
In the field
Around St. Pete
When there isn't a storm, you'll find us out around town.
Why it matters for your taxes
Disasters don't just damage homes. They lose paperwork, change deadlines and raise tax questions nobody has time for. We've seen recovery up close, so we know what people are dealing with. If a storm has hit you, start with our hurricane resources page, or book a free Office Hours call.
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