In the seven months following a punishing 2024 hurricane season, residents of Pinellas’ barrier islands are approaching hurricane preparedness with renewed urgency.

On May 7, the fourth floor of the Indian Shores Municipal Center was filled to capacity for “Storm Ready: Hurricane Awareness and Preparation,” an annual event hosted for the communities of Indian Shores and Redington Shores.

Indian Shores Mayor Diantha Schear opened the event and introduced the lineup of four expert speakers: Bay News 9 meteorologist Brian McClure, storm-proofing advisor Jeff Fuller, Indian Shores Police Chief Richard Swann, and town building official Brian Rusu.

While the event featured familiar elements like a free raffle and refreshments, organizers dropped the former “hurricane awareness party” label. Mayor Schear said the shift in tone reflected the seriousness of ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which left widespread damage still unrepaired.

Keynote speaker McClure, a returning guest and trusted voice in storm forecasting, walked attendees through a PowerPoint presentation detailing the impact of last year’s storms. He noted that the barrier islands bore the brunt of Hurricane Helene’s flooding due to their position on the east side of the storm, while Hurricane Milton delivered stronger wind damage farther south. After surveying damage from Clearwater to Treasure Island, McClure emphasized that water—not wind—caused the most widespread destruction.

Storm-proofing advisor Fuller, a Redington Beach resident, focused his talk on waterproofing strategies. His first presentation to the community came just two months before the twin storms struck last year. Many of his preparedness tips are now available online at floodprep.weebly.com.

Chief Swann highlighted the town’s improved emergency communication systems, including sirens that now broadcast verbal instructions during mandatory evacuation orders. He also reported a 95% compliance rate during Hurricane Milton—the town’s highest to date.

The event concluded with building official Rusu, who shared updated flood zone maps and elevation data for the area. Residents can access these materials and get property-specific guidance at the Building Department on the second floor of the Municipal Center during regular hours.

Reflecting on the post-storm recovery process, Mayor Schear credited the town’s in-house Building Department for enabling a faster permitting turnaround. “We were able to streamline permitting early on because we had our own department in place,” she said.

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(Image credit: Spectrum Bay News 9/Lizbeth Gutierrez)

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