City of Oldsmar, Florida City Podcasts, 8 Jun 2021

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From YouTube: 21-06 Podcast Fire Chief Jason Schwabe - AUDIO

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Oldsmar Fire Chief Jason Schwabe joins Experience Oldsmar for a special discussion on the 2021 Hurricane Season. Topics include past tropical events that impacted Oldsmar, Hurricane Preparedness, Know Your Zones, ALERT Pinellas and more.

A

Welcome to experience oldsmar a podcast created by and for those who love this special place. I'm your host deb vitrelli broadcasting from the top of tampa bay in beautiful, downtown oldsmar. So to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season. We invited oldsmar's fire chief jason schwabe to join us today to help prepare our audience for what is forecasted to be a busy year.

A

So we hope he will also share some of his tropical experiences since he has been with the city since the 2001.. So welcome. Chief.

B

Thank you again, no problem.

A

So when does the hurricane season actually occur.

B

So uh yeah every year, hurricane season runs from uh june 1st through november 30th for the atlantic basin, which includes the gulf of mexico. No.

A

You wouldn't think it would go to november, but usually that.

B

A

Heat up a little bit, and so speaking of that, what are the most active months in florida.

B

So, uh typically in florida we see mid-august to late october is the more active months. um You know. Mother nature has a mind of her own.

A

B

You should always be prepared for the entire season, be.

A

Prepared girl scout so as an old smart resident for many years. I can remember hurricane charlie in 2004, which was forecasted to head right into the top of tampa bay and pretty much engulf oldsmore, and I never really truly realized the impact that that storm could have had to our city if it had hit oldsmar. What would have happened to the community.

B

Yeah there certainly could have been some. You know: widespread flood, widespread flooding and damage across the city. um You know charlie made landfall as a category 4 hurricane, which is a very strong hurricane, brings a lot of storm surge capability with it. um So yeah oldsmar is a you know, low-lying city, so it could have caused some havoc there with the flooding.

B

um You know. One thing I think charlie did highlight was the need to be prepared and not rely on that center of the track.

A

B

You know charlie made kind of a quick hard right there at the end. Oh.

A

Never forget that I was at um my dad's house in dunedin, watching steve jervy and all of a sudden he goes oh, my god. It shifted and it just goosebumps it just made a hard right right into was panda gorda that it actually impacted and the sheriff's office actually did a presentation.

A

um You could just see that the street signs were blown away they had and those before almost like gis was out so people having a hard time to actually find where the heck are. We no homes, everything was gone. Yeah.

B

Certainly, uh you know presents a challenge for first responders.

A

Yesterday, nobody.

B

Else uh responded after that storm. They.

A

Should get a little better equipment now you know yeah. So are there any other past tropical experiences since you've been with oldsmar? That may have had you a little concerned.

B

Yeah, I think um you know irma in 2017, was uh certainly on track to enter tampa bay again.

A

B

And that was a you know: category three hurricane, which you know still has some pretty strong winds and brings a lot of storm surge with it. So um you know that's one that was certainly concerning.

A

Yeah speaking of history, um this is the hundredth year of the 1921 hurricane that almost pretty much decimated, oldsmar and good portion. So I think it had a 14 foot, storm surge, so people can visualize that out in our viewing audience and listening audience. How high would that have been.

B

Yeah, so you know like we said florida or north florida, but old tomorrow,.

A

B

A low-lying you know waterfront, community and uh so 14 feet. uh The fire station is actually 14 feet uh elevation. So everything else you know kind of south of that is lower, so certainly down in this area downtown you.

A

Know you're looking at nine.

B

Feet of water, yeah.

A

You know I've read history records that it was 14 feet at one point at the mass impact, and people were actually we're in the 1918 bank. Building, recording.

B

A

B

A

The water was up to the second floor, if not over it, so I mean it was just you know. If people out there do have stories, I'd love to hear about.

B

A

And so speaking of preparedness, so each year, pinellas county releases, their annual hurricane guide, and I know they're preparing for the final version for the 2021 issue, which will be distributed by staff of fire department, fire rescue and fire departments to various locations across the city. So where can our listeners actually pick up a copy of this guide?.

B

Yeah, so we uh try to have them available in you know: most city buildings, so city hall, fire station library, um cypress forest rec center. You.

A

B

A

B

uh Certainly pick one up in any of those locations.

A

Cool and galileo, I think.

B

Get some too yeah and go there, so we, you know, try and they have a clubhouse there. So.

A

B

It available so they can get one right there in their own neighborhood. Oh.

A

Cool, so what type of information is contained inside excuse.

B

Me um there's all kinds of I thought there.

A

B

So you know provide you with some information on how to stay informed, with alert pinellas evacuation procedures, how to prepare a hurricane kit, shelter options and instructions um just really what to expect during uh before, during and after a storm. So.

A

B

Multitude of information- here's I got last year's guide here.

A

Look at that you are prepared.

B

So they do the county does a great job, putting that together. Yes,.

A

They do and that I think they put that on their website too. So, yes, um so around this time of the year, the city obviously begins to get received, calls from residents who don't know their evacuation and flood zones. So what is the difference between evacuation zones and flood zones.

B

Yeah good question, um so an evacuation zone is really based on those tropical events. So tropical.

A

B

And hurricane scenarios um has more dewy ground elevation proximity to the water national hurricane center kind of determines those and um concerns more about they're concerned more about storm surge coming in.

A

B

That can cause so um and then the flood zone is, you know, based on the probability of flooding from heavy rain or high tides coming in with heavy rain. So there they look at the flood risk over a period of years for insurance and building purposes, and uh fema has a lot to do with setting those.

A

B

Those boundaries.

A

Lovely, I remember um what was it um irma yeah.

B

A

The water was just completely sucked out of tampa bay yeah I mean that was something just once in a lifetime thing actually to see, and I don't ever want to see that again.

B

I can't there was one I think it might have been charlie, where we were out after the storm.

A

B

Sitting on oakwood, oh my gosh.

A

So how can they find their specific zones.

B

um So evacuation zones you can find really pineal county is a good resource.

A

B

But pinellascounty.org backslash know your zone. All one word: no spaces flood zones as well. You can go to pinellascounty.org backslash flooding.

B

The city website has some information as well: milesmore.com go to the government's tab and look for uh services. Emergency management- oh.

A

Yeah there's a lot of information there and.

B

Also, the hurricane guy, oh.

A

Look at that that contains them both.

B

A

Good to have, even in you know so yeah with all this talk about the hurricane season. So how can our listeners be alerted for emergency notifications or important announcements from the city.

B

Yeah so um alert pinellas is a notification system that sitting pinellas county has in place. uh It's a free service for oldsmar residents and businesses, and um once you sign up what will happen is you'll receive urgent messages on a variety of situations, not just hurricane tropical events, but many other severe weather coming in the city needs to send out a boil. Water notice.

A

B

Any road closures really anything we need to get out quickly, a.

A

B

Yeah and you can serve um choose how you receive your alerts as well, so uh you can get those by telephone, email texts or or all of them. um You can also enter up to five locations that are located in pinellas county. So if you wanted to receive alerts about uh your home business, maybe your loved ones, nursing home, your kids school. You can uh mother.

A

Love yeah and you don't sign up for once and it's yeah.

B

So once you yeah, you sign up once and designate those areas.

A

B

It's you're ready to go and.

A

Like you said, it's free, yep, free it's for me, so this is a really good time also to talk about um having a go bag and supply kits, you know just to be prepared for the hurricane season. So what type of stuff should people have in their bags and kits.

B

Yeah so the um you know: division of emergency management. They have a list that they recommend to supply your disaster kit with and.

A

B

Things like battery operated, radio.

A

B

You want some extra batteries.

A

Obviously, yeah.

B

First, aid kit: you know other other materials that you might need, um and you want to plan for at least seven days um with whatever you're you're. Putting in that kit, um you should also think about. You know: water, clothing medications, cash.

A

No cash is king. You.

B

Know yeah uh things you might need uh when electricity is down so.

A

Yeah, you don't think about that yeah and.

B

The hurricane guy does have a pretty comprehensive list as well.

A

ah Does it include a manual can opener it does that's vital.

A

They can't be pounding that, with a rock out there.

B

If you're hungry you'll find a way.

A

No doubt what type of emergency plan should people actually have.

B

Yeah, so you want to, you know, make sure you have a plan for your family and for your work and um if you have any pets you want to make sure you have a plan in place. You.

A

Don't think about the pets them as well.

B

um There's a website ready.gov that you can visit that has uh resources to get. You started on your list and okay, and uh you know things that you need think of to create your plan.

A

Some good resources, yeah good to know.

A

B

Lighting round.

A

So, chief, what are you currently reading.

B

So I I just started actually uh here with the city employees. As you know, we have a learning.

A

B

You know looking at leadership books and one that was mentioned. The last time was strength based leadership. Okay,.

A

B

That's uh actually chief o'neal left that oh.

A

Yes, when he left, so I thought it'd be a good idea to read it. That's a good one. Did you do the test? Yet I have not. Okay, that's the fun part. So what is your favorite item in your emergency supply kit? Don't say pudding.

B

I'm gonna go with my uh my my handy crank radio. The city gave us.

A

B

It's a radio flashlight and a phone charger.

A

Lovely yeah I got to find mine like, where put it so and finally, tornado or hurricane.

B

Oh, that's a tough one.

A

Which one you'd.

B

Rather yeah yeah, I think tornadoes are so sudden. Not you know.

A

They're, a little scarier.

B

So they they cause a lot of damage quickly and you usually don't have a lot of time to prepare for them. That's.

A

True, remember that water spout in 2013.

B

Oh my gosh, so I think you know you can prepare for her.

A

B

A

With that, too,.

B

A

You know so, yes, so well, my goodness! Thank you, chief for being our guest on our podcast special thanks to our awesome engineer, mark mcginley, be sure to follow and like the city of oldsmore on facebook, twitter and instagram to find our list of podcast segments visit experienceoldsmore.com, I'm your host debbie trelli. Until next time. I invite you to check out all the great things you can do to truly experience old.

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