7-foot storm surge devastates St. Augustine neighborhood

Homeowners not sure where to turn; Leaders tour St. Johns County damage

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Homeowners in Davis Shores, the first community over the Bridge of Lions on Anastasia Island, were hit hard by Hurricane Matthew.

A 7-foot storm surge left raw sewage and flooding in homes throughout the neighborhood.

Every street was piled with mountains of debris after the storm washed away people's life stories. Mattresses, couches, wood piles and appliances litter the neighborhood once considered a paradise by dozens of families.

“This is pretty much my whole house. We just got married two years ago and bought a bed with our wedding money, and there it sits,” Cheryl Briggs said. “I’m an artist and paint furniture, and it was completely destroyed.”

Briggs and her husband, Tony, own two houses on the street, and both were gutted by a 5-foot wave of water from Hurricane Matthew.

“Our kitchen was in here -- pretty much gone,” Briggs said, choking up. “You can see the top cabinets...”

They've ripped out the walls themselves and stashed what could be spared in just one room. An insurance adjuster hasn't called them in five days.

“It’s just … people are lost right now,” Briggs said. “They’re relying on niceness of strangers to help us get through this time.”

Photos show aftermath of storm surge on Davis Shores, other St. Augustine neighborhoods

City workers were out Wednesday trying to give what resources they could to residents, including pamphlets and water.

A group from a nearby jewelry store ditched work to pitch in, offering waters and sodas or to help move things.

Strangers drove by and offered food. One woman dropped off a hot meal and a hug to devastated homeowner Amy Arnow.

“I lost my home. I lost 15 years of everything I had,” Arnow said. “All my son's toys, all my old Christmas cards, all my photo albums, they’re gone. I can’t get that stuff back.”

Arnow's home was flooded by 4 to 5 feet of water and also raw sewage.

“We had to leave our cats. They’re OK, they’re alive, but this is where they scratched trying to get out,” Arnow said.

Further inside, raw sewage still litters her bathroom, five days after the storm.

She said she's leaving her home for good, because it's unsafe for her, her son and her cats t o live in ever again.

State, national leaders tour damage

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., toured homes in St. Johns County on Wednesday to get a first-hand look at the damage left by Hurricane Matthew.

"We're going to do everything we can do help on an individual level, get the relief and support you need. And No. 2, to send a message to the world and people who want to come here that this area is back in business," Rubio said.

Florida’s chief financial officer also toured the area Wednesday, describing what he saw as “devastating losses.

WATCH: Sen. Rubio tours damage in St. Johns County

Jeff Atwater met with insurance companies that cover the state, because he wanted to make sure customers will get the money they should get from their policies.

“We wanted to hear from them,” Atwater said. “Did you prepare right? Are you in touch with your customers? Are you going to be able to deliver on time? We wanted to hear directly.”

Many insurance agencies have created outdoor check-in areas where customers can drive up and file their claims.

Atwater said he is still concerned with reports of fake adjusters showing up at residents' door steps. 

“Consumers, if they haven't heard from anyone to help them make the claim, they're going to be prone to people coming up and down the streets... and most of those, unfortunately, are fraud,” Atwater said.

It's also important to note that wind and flood insurance are considered two separate claims. 

Anyone with concerns can call the consumer hotline at 877-693-5236.

Residents urged to avoid beaches

A day after St. Johns County leaders voted to extend the county's state of emergency through at least next Tuesday, county officials advised residents to avoid the beaches until debris has been removed from walkways, the shore and parking lots.

St. Johns County has begun clean-up on the county’s 42 miles of coastline in the wake of Hurricane Matthew. Debris removal planning and operations are underway for all county beaches, including Ponte Vedra Beach, South Ponte Vedra Beach, Vilano Beach, St. Augustine Beach, Butler Beach, Crescent Beach and Summer Haven.

All vehicular beach access points are closed due to erosion, debris, flooding and dune reduction.

Many walkovers and pedestrian access points were also severely damaged or destroyed.

For more information on beach clean-up and access during the post-storm recovery, please call the St. Johns County Emergency Management Citizen Information Line at 904-824-5550.

Storm debris must be piled at the curb. Do not bag, barrel, or mix with household waste. Household trash, and bagged debris of any kind, will not be picked up with storm debris. Debris contractors will make multiple passes until cleanup is complete.

Recycling collection begins on Wednesday.

St. Johns County residents can receive text messages regarding instant updates on Hurricane Matthew relief and recovery efforts by texting STJOHNSFL to the number 888777.

Salt Life Food Shack in St. Augustine will show its thanks to St. Johns County first responders by serving them free meals Friday from noon to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. (Valid ID required). 

Boil water notices lifted

St. Johns County Utilities lifted the boil water notice for customers on Anastasia Island and Ponte Vedra Beach at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. By 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, portions of Ponte Vedra Boulevard from south of Mickler Road to 1279 Ponte Vedra Blvd., were also cleared of their boil water notice.

This includes:

  • 1129 to 1279 Ponte Vedra Blvd.
  • Gnarled Oaks Drive
  • Broken Pottery Drive
  • Sea Hammock Way
  • Old Ponte Vedra Drive                                   

All St. Johns County and City of St. Augustine Utility customers east of the Intracoastal Waterway are no longer under a boil water notice, and there are currently no boil water notices for St. Johns County utility customers.

For additional questions regarding post-Hurricane Matthew recovery, please call the St. Johns County Emergency Management Citizen Information Line at 904-824-5550 or the boil water notice hotline at 904-209-2731.

State of emergency extended

St. Johns County will remain under a state of emergency through at least next Tuesday.

That status should help people who are trying to repair damage to their homes and businesses.

Once the state of emergency expires, residents have to go through a lot of red tape to get certain things accomplished. For example, those living in Vilano Beach whose homes are teetering on the edge of collapse can now immediately take steps to protect what they own.

No matter where you look in St. Johns County, it's obvious the cleanup is going to take a while. That's why the St. Johns County Commission voted Tuesday to extend the state of emergency so that county officials and people living here can react immediately.

“For example, opening up shelters, getting supplies, taking construction projects that would normally have to go through for certain approvals, this gives a very broad approval for the county to protect the public and at this point start the recovery from this disaster,” said County Attorney Patrick McCormack.

While the extension helps people throughout the area, it is especially important for those in Vilano Beach. That's the section Commissioner Rachel Bennett serves.

“What my residents are wondering is how do we stabilize our shore. How can we get permission to put up a bulkhead?” Bennett said. “And the emergency proclamation will give them the ability to put up a 4-foot bulkhead and no more. And it has to be a temporary bulkhead.”

The county is also giving those people information on how to maneuver through the process to get something permanent done.

County officials said their jurisdiction only goes so far before they are superseded by the feds and the state.

WATCH: Coverage of historic storm | Sky 4 surveys Matthew damage

FEMA damage assessment

The Florida State Emergency Response Team and FEMA have compiled information regarding the FEMA Damage Assessment Process for St. Johns County residents and business owners affected by Hurricane Matthew:

  • Florida received a major disaster declaration on October 8, 2016. This declaration makes federal aid available for emergency protective measures and debris removal in St. Johns County.
  • Gov. Rick Scott’s request for Individual Assistance and for Public Assistance categories C-G is still under consideration while damage assessments are underway.
  • The State requested joint and federal-state Preliminary Damage Assessments be completed to evaluate damages to residential homes/property, businesses, and public infrastructure as a result of Hurricane Matthew.
  • The Property Damage Assessment is an information-gathering process. Teams comprised of representatives from local emergency management, the State of Florida, SBA, and FEMA will working together to gather damage information. It does not guarantee federal assistance.
  • Teams will not visit every home or business.
  • If a county is declared eligible for further assistance, individuals and households in the declared county may apply for that assistance.
  • Right now, the priority is clean-up. Residents and businesses do not have to wait to find out if federal assistance will be available before beginning their clean-up. However, they should keep repair receipts and document damages whenever possible.
  • Residents should notify their insurance agents of any damages sustained to their property. Individuals should also contact their local emergency management agency to report damage.

Residents who are in need of shelter, or have other emergency needs related to Hurricane Matthew, can call the St. Johns County Emergency Management Citizen Information Line at 904-824-5550 for additional information.

How to get insurance assistance

St. Johns County residents can call the Florida Division of Consumer Services for insurance assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew at 1-877-693-5236.

The phone line is active from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Consumer Services Division offers residents direct access to insurance experts who can answer insurance-related questions, including coverage, policies, and filing claims, that will follow in the wake of the storm as well as information and resources.

For more disaster resource information, please visit the Consumer Services Division website at http://www.myfloridacfo.com/Division/Consumers/hurricanematthew.htm.

County provides office space

St. Johns County is making public space available this week at the Main Branch Library, 1960 North Ponce de Leon Blvd., St. Augustine, to assist businesses in need of a temporary virtual office location. 

The large meeting room will provide tables, chairs, and public Wi-Fi for business representatives on a first-come, first-serve basis to conduct general business activities. 

The normal bank of computers are also available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Business representatives needing space this week to conduct private meetings may contact Main Library Assistant Branch Manager Amy Ackerman at 904-827-6940. 

For additional information about post-Hurricane Matthew business relief, please visit www.sjcfl.us, follow the county on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SJCFL, or call the Citizen Information Line at 904-824-5550.

Business owners who have experienced damages as a result of Hurricane Matthew are encouraged to fill out the Business Damage Assessment Survey at http://flvbeoc.org. The survey is utilized to determine the needs of businesses impacted by the hurricane to activate federal financial assistance and the Emergency Bridge Program.

St. Johns County has activated a hotline for residents and business owners with concerns regarding property and structural damage due to Hurricane Matthew. If you are concerned that your home or business has sustained structural damage due to Hurricane Matthew, or if you have storm-related permitting questions, please call the St. Johns County Building Services Structural Hotline at 904-827-6800.

The St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce also shared several resources for business owners:
Member directory | Business damage Assessment survey | Florida disaster resources, info

The University of North Florida will also deploy its emergency response Mobile Assistance Center to the St. Johns County Courthouse at 4010 Lewis Speedway in St. Augustine.

Equipped with laptops, printers, satellite communications, supplies and more, the MAC provides easy access for small business owners impacted by the hurricane to receive consultation from the Florida Small Business Development Center at UNF consultants, including information regarding disaster loan programs available to assist in disaster recovery.

"Communities recover faster from a disaster when small businesses get back to normal operations," said Cathy Hagan, Certified Business Continuity Professional and Area Director for the FSBDC at UNF. "FSBDC at UNF consultants will be staffing the MAC to help the businesses in St. Johns County through the recovery process."

FSBDC at UNF consultants will be available for consultation in the MAC from 2 to 5 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

The MAC will continued to be staffed at this location with schedule hours throughout the week of Oct. 17.

Business owners can contact Marge Cirillo, FSBDC at UNF Consultant in the St. Johns County office to set up an appointment at 904-209-1295.


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