Rep. Castor honors St. Petersburg’s ‘Hurricane Heroes’

Long-term recovery is ongoing, and those who stood up to make a difference are continuing to be honored, nearly five months after back-to-back hurricanes rocked the Tampa Bay area last fall.

U.S. Representative Kathy Castor (FL-14) and local officials gathered at the St. Petersburg Police Department Friday to honor seven citizens as “Hurricane Heroes.”

“Even as I was doing press conferences in this room, I did not know that some of our team leaders who were in the press conference were dealing with four feet of water in their home at the time,” said St. Petersburg Mayor Kenneth Welch. “They didn’t know if they had a home to go back home to, yet they were doing the best thing for our community.”

From traffic signal technicians to nonprofit leaders, the seven honorees who had a hand in helping their neighbors after Hurricanes Helene and Milton:

• Amber Boulding – Emergency Manager, City of St. Petersburg 
• Jacoby Chambliss – Traffic Signal Technician, City of St. Petersburg 
• Nancy Dunham – Owner, Fancy Nancy Professional Services
• Roger Johnson – Engineering Design Manager, City of St. Petersburg 
• Leonard “Lenny” Rowe – Traffic Signal Technician, City of St. Petersburg
• Logan Smith – Director of Marketing, City of St. Petersburg
• Lisa Vickers – CEO, Speer Dream Foundation

“We don’t do it for the recognition, but it’s always nice to be recognized,” said honoree Jacoby Chambliss. Photo: Ashley Morales.

“What I saw during those unprecedented times was unprecedented heroism and commitment from public servants,” said Castor. “Especially during that time between Helene and then the stress of Milton looking like a buzz saw out in the Gulf, there were people who just were undaunted and said, ‘We’re going to get through this, no matter what.’”

This latest round of recognition follows Castor’s previous efforts to acknowledge community members who stepped up during times of crisis. In January, the congresswoman honored four St. Petersburg residents for their contributions to hurricane relief efforts.

In December, the congresswoman also voted in favor of a $100 billion emergency disaster aid package for Florida communities, emphasizing the urgent need for support.

The recognition of these “hurricane heroes” comes as St. Petersburg continues to grapple with the long-term effects of Helene and Milton.

One of the honorees, Nancy Dunham, was credited with helping stand up the City of St. Petersburg’s “Hometown Haulers” program, which recruited small businesses and private citizens to help collect tons of vegetation, construction materials and flooded appliances from neighborhood curbs. In addition to being a small business owner, Dunham is a navigator with the Pinellas County Urban League and helped coordinate a network of contractors to clean up storm debris.

St. Petersburg’s “Hometown Haulers” were often the first to clear storm debris from the city’s hardest-hit neighborhoods. Photo: City of St. Petersburg.

“We were all determined from the beginning to work on recovery and resiliency, and this was one of those innovative programs that we should all be proud of,” said Nikki Gaskin-Capehart, President and CEO of the Pinellas County Urban League. “Other cities are taking note and modeling what we’re doing here in St. Pete, and so much of that comes from Nancy answering the charge and making those connections [with debris haulers].”

According to the city, impromptu storm cleanup crews earned $1.574 million for hauling 5,247 loads to collection sites. Dunham said it was not only an aid to residents and homeowners, but also helped the haulers with a financial buoy during a dangerously uncertain time.

“In the midst of recruiting these people, I was able to have conversations that they normally wouldn’t have shared, and one of the guys actually told me he was a second away from taking his life,” said Dunham, recounting the financial and emotional strain many faced after the back-to-back-hurricanes. “This program allowed him to make $300 a load [of debris]. Since then, he’s opened up an LLC and is working with the Urban League. The momentum from our Hometown Haulers program is improving our small business community.”

As she led the recognition ceremony, Castor highlighted the importance of community involvement in disaster recovery and the impact that individual actions can have on a city’s resilience. She added that it also serves as a reminder of the continued need for support and cooperation among residents, local organizations and government agencies in the face of long-term recovery and future resiliency.

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Related reading: 

Castor proposes more disaster recovery funding legislation
Mayor discusses hurricane response, ‘agile resiliency’
St. Pete’s ‘Hometown Haulers’ earned over $1.5 million 

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