Sarasota took a 130-mph punch to the chin when Hurricane Milton made landfall just off Siesta Key on Wednesday. Now, the region’s federal representatives must advocate for relief while acting as a watchdog on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s activities in the area.

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, received an aerial tour of the region two days after the storm hit, and saw the impacts of storm surge and heavy winds in Sarasota and Manatee counties. That’s especially hard after feeling indirect but potent effects from Hurricanes Debby and Helene mere weeks ago.

“It is truly devastating to see homes in such disrepair, knocked on their sides, roofs ripped off and sand and debris everywhere,” Buchanan said in a statement. “While power is out for much of the area, many are also still without running water. It is clear that it will take a considerable amount of time and federal resources before our area and residents can fully recover.”

That’s for a storm most officials concede turned out better than expected. Milton appeared on track to deliver Category 4 winds into Tampa Bay, a recipe for disaster long called Florida’s “worst case” storm scenario. Instead, the region saw storm surge below forecast levels and mere Cat 3 winds.

But there’s still plenty of work to do, and locals don’t want to wait forever. That’s why President Joe Biden wants Congress back in Washington, weeks before an election, to approve additional funding for FEMA to address the recent storms.

Buchanan said he’s willing to go back. “If it becomes clear that more funding is urgently needed for FEMA as we continue to assess the full damage to our state and region, the Congressman would absolutely support Congress reconvening to immediately pass a disaster supplemental package,” a Buchanan spokesperson told SRQ.

U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, hasn’t responded directly to a similar inquiry, but has intoned in press briefings that he wants Congress to take further action. He’d like the Senate to pass his Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act, which already cleared the House. At a Charlotte County press conference, he and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Naples, said the Senate should take up the bill.

“We call on Chuck Schumer to bring that bill up for a vote,” Steube said, putting an onus on the Senate’s Democratic Majority Leader. “It doesn’t just affect Floridians, it affects every American that was affected by a natural disaster since 2020 – from Hurricane Ian to Helene. Americans all across the country deserve tax relief and we’re hoping to get that through the Senate soon.”

The comments came before Milton hit, but those victims would benefit too. Scott sponsored the bill’s Senate version, and he wants Schumer bringing Senators into Session to take action on that and FEMA funding. He also has demanded Schumer act.

But Schumer isn’t even the most vocal opponent to bringing Congress back to Washington. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, publicly said FEMA votes can wait until after the election, and estimates on damage may take that long anyway.

Steube and Buchanan both seem reluctant to strong arm Johnson. That’s the nature of politics. House Democrats are the ones trying the shame Johnson to action. One hopes Buchanan and Steube are offering carrots to Johnson as Scott takes a stick to Schumer. But only the latter warrants press releases in the divisive world of federal politics.

It would be nice if voters, especially in times like this, would urge proactive action from lawmakers instead of just rewarding combativeness. But whichever tactic ensures the funding Sarasota-Manatee needs now will surely be appreciated no matter what.

Jacob Ogles is contributing senior editor for SRQ MEDIA. 

Photo courtesy Rep. Buchanan's office: Vern Buchanan surveys Manatee storm damage.

The Venice Theatre reopened Saturday, Oct. 12 following four days of closure due to Hurricane Milton. The anniversary production of George Kelly's comedy "The Torch Bearers" resumes in the temporary Raymond Center. The acclaimed three-person drama "Agnes of God" is playing in the Pinkerton Theatre. Tickets for the entire 2024-2025 Season are available at www.venicetheatre.org. The box office is in the process of contacting ticket holders about rescheduling missed performances or issuing vouchers to be used at a later time.  

Note: This article was written and shared on Tuesday, October 8, ahead of Hurricane Milton. 

As recent events have heartbreakingly reminded us, it’s not a matter of if a crisis will arise but when – and this hurricane season has been anything but unexpected. 

As I write this on Tuesday, Oct. 8, Hurricane Milton is rapidly intensifying in the Gulf of Mexico, expected to make landfall as one of the worst storms to impact our region in over 100 years. On Sunday, our team at Visit Sarasota County (VSC) activated our crisis operations and began working in lockstep with Sarasota County Government – and will continue to do so closely throughout the storm and ensuing recovery. 

While emergency services lead the response, VSC plays a vital behind-the-scenes role to ensure the safety of our visitors, businesses, and residents. 

Hurricane Milton is the latest example within a growing list of crises. Hurricane Helene arrived as our community was still recovering from the historic flooding caused by Storm Debby. Excessive rainfall gave way to aggressive storm surge during this latest storm, leaving our neighbors and businesses along the barrier islands in desperate need of relief. While most of Sarasota County remained open and operating normally, Siesta Key, Lido Key and Longboat Key sustained significant damage, revealing a stark contrast within our community.

As the organization tasked with promoting our destination, VSC understands the nuances of navigating the natural disasters our hospitality industry endures each year. Restaurants, attractions and retail shops must batten down the hatches and halt operations, with employees eager (and hopeful) to return to normalcy and earn that next paycheck. Our lodging partners accommodate not only evacuates before the storm but also displaced residents and relief workers as recovery efforts unfold in the days, weeks, and sometimes months following. 

Up to 96 hours in advance of Helene, for example, we were accessing the situation and pivoting our communications and resource-sharing accordingly. This work wasn’t accomplished in a silo. We asked our lodging partners to share room availability ahead of the storm and in the aftermath to assist local officials in providing emergency lodging. By the same token, we’re now encouraging local businesses to share their status – from Helene and Milton – and relaying this to the county for further aid. 

Taking a regional approach, we also connected with tourism bureaus and other associations across Florida to create a united front of support and determine the appropriate time to resume promotional efforts, only when our community is safe and ready to do so.

Knowing full well that hurricanes will continue to be a fact of life here in Sarasota County, we’ve made emergency preparedness a central pillar of our 2025 strategic plan. And there’s a clear reason for this: our local economy relies and thrives on tourism. 

In 2023, visitors to Sarasota County helped sustain 35,000 jobs, resulting in $978 million more in employee wages. Breaking this down even further, for every 92 visitors who come to enjoy the beaches, parks, museums and other attractions, one local job is supported. Tourism sustains and enriches economic opportunity in our community, leading to a better quality of life for all who call Sarasota County home.  

That is why, over the coming year, we’re committed to deepening our collaborations to keep the public informed and our hospitality industry strong. We’ll also continue to fine-tune our crisis management plan to encompass established and emerging best practices for the tourism sector.

Over these long two weeks, our hospitality partners have shared harrowing yet heartwarming stories, of team members and volunteers rallying together to get their businesses back on their feet. Yet, we know a good number has a longer road to recovery – especially in the wake of whatever impacts Hurricane Milton may inflict. 

As our community assesses what these immediate and longer-term needs will be, know that the team at Visit Sarasota County will be ready to help make sure our hospitality industry weathers the storm and comes back stronger than ever. 

Erin Duggan, CDME, is president and CEO of Visit Sarasota County. 

Photo courtesy Sarasota County: Siesta Key sign after Hurricane Milton.

FST's theatres are undamaged from Hurricane Milton and the campus has power. They are resuming performances as scheduled. FST is happy to welcome you back to the campus to enjoy A/C, regular food service, and the best of contemporary theatre. Phones are still down. If your performance was impacted by Milton, a member of our Box Office staff will be reaching out to you to assist with rescheduling. 

In the wake of Sarasota's direct hit from Hurricane Milton, I very much hope that you and your loved ones are safe. You are all in my thoughts. Needless to say, the aftermath is difficult — but I know that this community is resilient and will pull through together! Many people have asked about how both campuses of our beloved Selby Gardens fared during this major storm event. I have been able to do initial assessments with my team. As you can imagine, we do have damage and considerable clean up to do. Both campuses will need to remain closed until further notice. In addition, Lights at Spooky Point at our Historic Spanish Point campus is canceled. Here are some initial observations from both campuses: DOWNTOWN SARASOTA CAMPUS: Power is out and some power lines are down, 20% of solar panels came loose and were damaged, new buildings appear in good condition, historic structures appear in good condition, a portion of glass in the conservatory and in all greenhouses is broken — but the structures are still standing and the living collections are unharmed, numerous downed trees (but not our Bunya Bunya, Banyans, or Moreton Bay Fig), large quantities of debris, several shipwrecked boats came ashore that are not ours, damaged boardwalk in the Ann Goldstein Children's Rainforest Garden, similar storm surge effects to Hurricane Helene (with docks and decks already damaged from that storm). HISTORIC SPANISH POINT CAMPUS: Power out/some power lines down, approximately 20 major trees are down blocking access/paths, large quantities of debris, historic structures appear in good condition except a chimney of the White Cottage came down, some pathways washed out, Cock's Footbridge has major damage, similar storm surge effects to Hurricane Helene (with docks and decks already damaged from that storm), preparations for Lights at Spooky Point were significantly damaged — so the event is canceled. I know that so many of you are dealing with your own recovery efforts at your homes or with your businesses. Our hearts are with you. Others have asked how they can support Selby Gardens during this challenging time. Here are a number of ways you can help Selby Gardens: Make a contribution to our Hurricane Milton Recovery Fund, donate your Lights at Spooky Point tickets to the Hurricane Milton Recovery Fund or request a refund by contacting specialevents@selby.org. Renew your membership to continue your vital annual support here. Volunteer for our clean up efforts at both campuses and sign up by contacting volunteers@selby.org. Thank you for your continued support of Selby Gardens, and I wish you all the best with your own hurricane recovery efforts. Our extraordinary community will get through this together! 

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HCA Florida Englewood Hospital reopened hospital and emergency room operations on Thursday, October 11, 2024. The hospital is prepared to treat patients needing care for everything from post-storm and recovery illnesses and injuries to major emergency and acute care needs. Outpatient Rehabilitation and Wound Care services will reopen on Tuesday, 10/15/24. To help ensure safety and uninterrupted quality care for patients, the hospital transferred 21 patients to HCA Florida Healthcare facilities throughout the state before Hurricane Milton arrived in the region. A patient reunification number was set up to help patients connect with their loved ones at 844-482-4821. Preparedness efforts before the storm- HCA Healthcare's Enterprise Emergency Operations Center in Nashville, a multidisciplinary incident response team of nearly 200 leaders, was activated before Hurricane Milton to help ensure HCA Healthcare hospitals had the staff, medications, supplies, food, water and generator power. Resources were prepositioned, including additional generators, bulk water and fuel supply. Supporting the healthcare team- In the days ahead, the hospital's Human Resources and Supply Chain teams will host on-site mini-marts, fuel stations, showers and water among other means of assistance for Englewood Hospital colleagues. Additionally, the hospital is connecting colleagues to the HCA Healthcare Hope Fund, an employee-run, employee-supported 501(c)(3) charity that provides financial aid and resources to our colleagues affected by the storm. For more information, please visit HCAFloridaHealthcare.com or follow our Facebook page, HCA Florida Englewood Hospital.