TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — The barrier islands in Pinellas County will reopen to the public on Tuesday, but it will appear far from normal.
Some neighbors came back to their destroyed homes for the first time over the weekend as the county reopened access to residents, business owners and employees.
Neighbors like John Cafra of Treasure Island said help is desperately needed. He is among several people whose homes flooded.
“I’ve lived here 8 years. Don’t think it can happen to you, because it can,” Cafra said.
Cafra said he has lived in his Treasure Island home for eight years. Several feet of water entered his home, damaging and destroying other belongings like his vehicle, along with personal memorabilia.
The work to clean up is non-stop. At the same time, power, water and sewer is still out for much of the barrier islands.
Cafra is among the neighbors who hope applications to FEMA can make a dent in the recovery process.
His family started a GoFundMe in hopes of getting any bit of support.
A federal disaster declaration was approved for Pinellas County, along with others throughout Florida including Hillsborough, Citrus, Hernando, Manatee, Pasco and Sarasota.
The declaration prompts room for residents and business owners to seek federal assistance.
Tourist spots throughout the barrier islands have no traffic for once as crews continue to clean up. Shops around strip malls are far from reopening.
Some homes withered to nothing, including one close to Cafra’s that burned down from the impact of the storm.
Piles of furniture line the streets of what should be paradise.
However, drywall removed after another brings determination to those like Janet Baldwin of Treasure Island.
“There’s no time to cry in this even though there are sad things,” Baldwin said.
She and others are choosing to help others despite needing help themselves.
“We know we’re gonna get through it as we always have as a family and as a community,” one neighbor said.
The barrier islands are set to reopen to the public at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's office stated it "will remain committed to keeping the residents and their property safe. PCSO will have saturated overnight patrols with at least sixty deputies on the gulf beaches from dusk to dawn seven days a week. Deputies will be in undercover vehicles as well as marked cruisers with lights on all night."