LARGO, Fla. — A caravan of supplies, workers and thousands of meals is heading from Largo to Fort Myers, with the goal of getting Lee County schools back open to students as quickly as possible in the wake of Hurricane Ian.
Early Thursday morning, Pinellas County Schools sent a fleet of work trucks full of supplies and about two dozen skilled workers who specialize in electrical work, plumbing, HVAC, roofing and carpentry.
The crew is going down to Lee County to help repair several elementary schools that were damaged by the storm. They are not sure what specific projects they’ll have to tackle but they are prepared to help in any way necessary.
Also in tow — more than 1,500 ready-to-go meals for staff to hand out to families in need.
The district says it’s an honor and the least they can do to help a fellow district when they need it most. Adding that it's especially critical to limit the time students are out of the classroom.
“It feels good,” Clint Herbic, PCS Associate Superintendent for Operational Services said. “We’ve done this before in the past. We helped with Hurricane Charley and we helped Collier County after Irma, it's one of those things that we are helping our neighbors with a favor, and we hope it’s a favor that never has to be returned.”
The crew will be spending all day in Lee County, with plans to head back home around 7 p.m.