SARASOTA, Fla. — Residents and business owners in Siesta Key say they are feeling hurricane fatigue after getting hit by a second storm in as many weeks.
What You Need To Know
- Residents and business owners in Siesta Key are working to clean up after Hurricanes Milton and Helene
- There are several points of distribution throughout Sarasota, but the closest one to Siesta Key Village is at Glebe Park
- Workers there are handing out free food, water, and cleaning supplies daily from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Fallen stop signs are just one example of the damage that can be seen throughout Siesta Key. There’s been a lot of activity, with trucks picking up trash, residents assessing the damage, and business owners working hard to reopen.
Siesta Key resident Nicole Slaten said she’s just ready for things to get back to normal.
Her father’s home was flooded by both Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, along with her business, The Wildflower, which is a resort.
“All of a sudden, boom, we got hit hard, but we were hopeful, though,” Slaten said.
She was holding onto that hope during Hurricane Milton, but the storm turned out to be another hit to her family’s home. Both hurricanes left damage from strong winds to storm surges
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— Julia Hazel (@Julia_HazelTV) October 14, 2024
“Some of the art and kids’ books we were able to get out," she said. "And then everything else — I mean, it came so fast."
Slaten and her father live right next to the water in Siesta Key. Parts of what used to be a dock that was separated by the storm were still there, waiting to be removed.
“It’s terrible," she said. "We got everything picked up, and now here we are again."
Driving around near Siesta Key Beach with her cousin, she said the area doesn’t feel the same.
“Everything looks dead," she said. "Like it’s been frozen in time. It’s really surreal and eerie."
Arriving at her resort, The Wildflower — where Slaten was still assessing damage from Milton — renovations that were made after Hurricane Helene flooded the suites can be seen.
“As you can see, not even a year ago, it looked incredible," she said. "We were so excited."
She opened her business in December, and now she’s working hard to reopen it.
“We’ve just kind of been in this go mode, where we’re just grasping for, you know, it’s like a life jacket to hold us up, because it’s exhausting," Slaten said. "It’s mentally and physically exhausting."
It’s that fatigue many residents say they are feeling, but they’re leaning on each other as a community to make it through.
There are several points of distribution for emergency supplies throughout Sarasota, but the closest one to Siesta Key Village is at Glebe Park. At the site, workers are handing out free food, water and cleaning supplies daily from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.