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‘All hands on deck.’ How Bradenton area neighbors form disaster teams for hurricanes

James A. Jones Jr.
·3 min read

After Hurricane Ian blew through Manatee County in 2022, a team of 113 members of the Lakewood Ranch Community Emergency Response Team went door-to-door, helping Manatee County Government assess the damage.

“We found two gas leaks in unoccupied homes after the storm. We were able to get it remediated before it got worse,” said Jim Emanuelson, the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) president.

If not for Ian’s landfall near Cayo Costa, in Lee County as a near-Category 5 storm, damage and injuries in Manatee County could have been far worse, putting an enormous strain on emergency responders.

“Within an hour or so, we were able to report a general status for our community,” Emanuelson said.

The CERT program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area. CERT members learn to assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help,” the Manatee County website says.

Seventeen Manatee County neighborhoods, ranging from Trailer Estates to Lakewood Ranch, now have CERT programs. Eleven of those are shown on the county website, while some of the newer programs have yet to be added.

Cars wait in an incredibly long line on U.S. 301 to get lumber at 84 Lumber in Bradenton Friday ahead of the oncoming Hurricane Irma.
Cars wait in an incredibly long line on U.S. 301 to get lumber at 84 Lumber in Bradenton Friday ahead of the oncoming Hurricane Irma.

Sharon Denson is a CERT instructor who lives in Trailer Estates and works with other CERTs across Manatee County.

During 2022, Trailer Estate’s 1,275 units fared well, suffering minimal damage.

“We have a very good HAM radio, which is critical in a disaster,” Denson said.

Trailer Estates is working with CERTs in other Manatee County neighborhoods to help them set up HAM radios as well.

Learning opportunities

Knowledge is power, and CERT volunteers have the opportunity to empower themselves through a variety of classes:

▪ Disaster preparedness: Instructs team members how to prepare themselves and their community for the various types of hazards that may occur.

▪ Team organization and disaster psychology: Learn to work well in a team setting under stressful emergency event.

▪ Fire safety: Covers proper techniques for preventing and extinguishing small fires.

▪ Medical operations: Conduct triage, establish medical treatment areas, and provide basic first aid for victims.

▪ Basic search and rescue: Learn search and rescue planning, techniques, and rescuer safety.

▪ Terrorism Awareness: Define terrorism, terrorist goals, weapons, and indicators of a terrorist attack.

“We still have a few seats left for this training,” Steve Litschauer, Manatee County’s emergency management chief, said of the 2023 CERT Class.

Neighbor helping neighbor

During a hurricane or other natural disaster, it comes down to neighbors looking after one another.

To assist his old neighborhood in the event of a storm, Edward Brown has been working with pastors in the Bradenton-Palmetto area to set up a cooperative.

Seven congregations are taking part to have a supply of food and water that can be distributed in the aftermath of a storm, Brown said.

Brown, a Washington Park native, worked in law enforcement for 25 years in Miami-Dade, and later became a successful entrepreneur.

“During a storm, it’s all hands on deck,” Brown said.

Residents could also apply for loans up to $250, he said.

For more information, contact Pastor Jason Williams of Mount Raymond Full Gospel Baptist Church in Palmetto at 941-746-3336 or Pastor Jasper Jackson at St. Mary Missionary Baptist Church in Bradenton at 941-722-7819.

A mobile home suffered roof damage in the 6600 block of Cortez Road in Bradenton Monday morning in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.
A mobile home suffered roof damage in the 6600 block of Cortez Road in Bradenton Monday morning in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.
Cows at Dakin Dairy pass by a building whose roof was shredded by Hurricane Irma. The Myakka City dairy is the last of its kind in Manatee County.
Cows at Dakin Dairy pass by a building whose roof was shredded by Hurricane Irma. The Myakka City dairy is the last of its kind in Manatee County.
A row of large elm trees was bowled over in Manatee County by Hurricane Irma.
A row of large elm trees was bowled over in Manatee County by Hurricane Irma.
A large billboard lies on the ground off 14th Street West Tuesday after Hurricane Irma.
A large billboard lies on the ground off 14th Street West Tuesday after Hurricane Irma.
As huge piles of debris sit on the edges of properties around the county, officials say contracted debris workers will be out 7 days a week to collect Irma waste.
As huge piles of debris sit on the edges of properties around the county, officials say contracted debris workers will be out 7 days a week to collect Irma waste.
As huge piles of debris sit on the edges of properties around the county, officials say contracted debris workers will be out 7 days a week to collect Irma waste.
As huge piles of debris sit on the edges of properties around the county, officials say contracted debris workers will be out 7 days a week to collect Irma waste.
Customers load up on water and other supplies at Bradenton’s Lowes Tuesday as residents prepare for the approach of Hurricane Irma Tuesday.
Customers load up on water and other supplies at Bradenton’s Lowes Tuesday as residents prepare for the approach of Hurricane Irma Tuesday.