While the storm seemed to affect Milton the worst, she said it has still brought out the best in the city.
“We are really not finished with response. And that’s an important thing for people to understand.”
Recovery has begun at the same time, with neighbors, churches and numerous volunteers from across the country working in a city she called “ground zero” for the storm.
Lindsay rode out Isaias at home with her two dogs and watched magnolias whip around her front yard. By morning, the tree had fallen. An oak had fallen in her side yard, and her backyard was covered with limbs.
She figured that if her yard looked like that, then the whole city did.
“Every street I’ve been to, there are significant issues, unless the yard didn’t have a tree in it to begin with,” she said.
Her first concern was restarting essential services. The power outage knocked out wastewater and water wells. Uprooted trees damaged natural gas lines.
Those problems have not ended. Councilman Tom Powers said trees uprooted by the storm are pulling utility lines as crews remove them, causing new issues.
Power restoration has also taken longer than expected. Once Florida Power & Light crews arrived, it became clear they could not restore service by Monday night.
Workers from every city department spent the weekend pushing debris to the side so emergency services could reach homes. The fire chief’s immediate worry was that crews could not get to a fire through the debris, Lindsay said.
After the governor’s news conference in East Milton on Oct. 11, city officials met with the Florida Division of Emergency Management, and now state personnel are working out of City Hall.
Several downtown streets off Highway 90 remain closed a week after the storm. Powers said that the city tried to reopen them, but FDOT ordered them to remain closed.
“They need to keep that Highway 90 corridor open as much as they can, because that’s the direction of the services that are coming,” Powers said.
Lindsay said the city respects that decision but hoped to help businesses trying to reopen. City officials are still communicating with FDOT.
Powers said fellow council members, the mayor and city employees have knocked on more than 3,000 doors since Monday, doing wellness checks and delivering food and water, along with information.
“We’re not going to stop until, I hope, we get 100%,” Powers said.
Lindsay said council members’ spouses have joined the effort, and churches and groups like the United Cajun Navy have also helped. Volunteers from NAS Whiting Field have also shown up as well.
Lindsay added that she has communicated frequently with Sen. Rick Scott as well.
The way residents have helped one another has been “the most heartwarming thing I’ve experienced,” she said.
