TerraBella Senior Living’s Post

Tropical Update: Hurricane Helene (Wed Sep 25, 2024, 1pm) Good afternoon, Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte Counties are currently under a Tropical Storm Warning (and still under a Hurricane Watch). While Hurricane Helene has intensified, the predicted storm track has shifted a bit to the west. As of the 11am update from the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Helene has moved past Cuba and is in the Gulf of Mexico. Helene is expected to continue rapid strengthening as it accelerates northwards. The wind field will expand as the storm strengthens. This means while the forecast cone of uncertainty is CURRENTLY to the west of our area, the wind field will be very large with impacts on our area, to include tropical storm force winds, heavy rain bands and storm surge. You can see the predicted wind field (at present) at the bottom of the storm path graphic in orange. Graphics with updates on each are attached and below. We expect the onset of Tropical Storm conditions in our area as early as sunrise on Thursday morning September 26th. We ask that residents finalize storm preparations this evening if they have not done so already and stay tuned to local authorities, television updates and internet resources to monitor Helene as it develops. If you are on a barrier island in/around Sarasota, please see this update on preparations from the Sarasota County Emergency Management Team:   https://lnkd.in/enE_9Fvr In addition, below are several resources you may find useful in both monitoring the storm and in preparation: Monitoring Mike's Weather Page:  https://lnkd.in/ek7_wNv National Hurricane Center:  https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ Preparation and Local Government Updates Sarasota County Emergency Management: https://lnkd.in/ePTt3MPb Manatee County Emergency Management:  https://lnkd.in/esCkTPZr Charlotte County Emergency Management: https://lnkd.in/eMJe7ccc Each of these county emergency management teams are partially activated and will provide updates as we proceed through tomorrow, Thursday and Friday. Your Pinnacle Management Team will update as Helene continues to develop and begins to impact our area.

https://lnkd.in/gsPqbpx6 My heart is broken for the people of Jasper & the Province of Alberta as a whole. Businesses, homes, and historic sites have been taken away in an instant. Words can not describe what these people must be going through and the sense of loss from the province. If you can and want to help, please see some resources below: - Alberta.ca: Any companies, individuals, or organizations that would like to offer support to those impacted by the wildfires, can email their offers to EmergencySupportOffers@gov.ab.ca. - Red Cross: https://lnkd.in/gxyfSW4P.. Given the heat waves across BC and Alberta, please practice caution. We can do nothing to control lightning strikes, but we can be careful with campfires, cigarette butts, etc.

86,400 second. Just one day. I can put it off for just one day. I can call or take that call later. THIS moment may be all there is. Spend it wisely. This past week was a stark reminder in the US that you never, ever know if you have another moment, much less another day. Prayers for all the people affected by Helene, especially the ones in Western NC. Split seconds count. I was listening to a news story about a children’s home in a city near Asheville. One girl felt the earth move under her feet in a cabin. The 35 children/youth in the cabin didn’t hesitate. They ran out of the cabin. Seconds later, the cabin was destroyed by a mudslide. They could have all died. Unlike the hurricane warnings at the coast with time to prepare and evacuate, it made its way north swiftly and caused flooding on what many call a biblical proportion. And it happened in minutes, not days. The Nolichucky Dam had 1.2 million gallons of water per second pouring over it. That’s TWICE the power of Niagara Falls. This is the force of the rivers that tore this part of the world to pieces. When your life flashes before you, it changes you. This is why I’ve lived every day like it’s my last since I had a near-death experience at 28. The one message that I will never quit sharing as long as I have breath and long after I am gone in my writings: “Live every day like it’s your last.” This precious commodity called time is graciously poured out to us second by second every single day. If it were grains of gold that had monetary value, your hands would be sure and steady to catch each one. But a day is only time. And time doesn’t really matter, does it? In the lives of many, one second counted. We live as if there’s always going to be time to say what you want to say, to do what you want to do, to be what you want to be, to get right with God. It’s never really a big deal to put something off until later. Until there isn’t later. And that moment can come suddenly. Don’t take these golden seconds you have pouring through your hands for granted. Live every day like it’s your last. Prioritize what matters. Spend your time deliberately. Carefully. Wisely. And more importantly, don’t take loved ones in your life for granted. Love completely. Forgive immediately. Lavish time on them. Prioritize those that matter. Yield unconditionally to your purpose. Seconds may count in your response. You are not here by accident. Don’t live like you are. When the end comes, this will be more important than you know. Find and maintain a close fellowship with God. If you don’t know how ask me. The reality of the uncertainty of time is everyone’s reality. What will you do with your 86,400 seconds today? Catch them. Treasure them. Invest them into what matters. We really don't have much time. Where did your last 86,400 seconds go? Written by: MamaLiz ®️ #MamaLiz #motivational #whatinspiresme      https://lnkd.in/dfhXyGUg

Collier County resumed government operations and services for the public Friday, two days after Hurricane Milton caused shutdowns, and Collier Area Transit buses began running again. Florida Power & Light reported shortly before 1 p.m. Friday that 68,340 homes and businesses are still without power, while it restored electricity to 115,570 after 183,910 were affected out of 236,400 customers. FPL employees and contractors are working to restore service to city and county residents, but are prioritizing emergency situations, downed power lines, FPL facilities and substations, critical institutions, such as hospitals and emergency service stations, and grids with the highest population. Restoration of the remaining areas will follow that. During restoration efforts, there may be intermittent outages. https://lnkd.in/eXmsfWM4

OPERATION RUNNING WATER COMPLETE https://lnkd.in/gPJfezFj Water, medicine, infant care, food, clothing, and other critical supplies were provided to isolated North Carolina communities following the devastation of Hurricane Helene. #WorldWar3 #HurricaneHelene #DisasterRecovery

Since January 2020, Keith Thomson has met via Zoom from his home in Black Mountain, North Carolina, with a group of energy industry members aiming to promote the use of microgrids and distributed energy resources, especially to power critical services during emergencies. On Sept. 27 Hurricane Helene struck close by and, for the first time, the Zoom meeting was canceled. In nearby Asheville, the storm knocked out power, killed cell service, flooded neighborhoods, downed trees, left residents without clean drinking water and killed 95 people in Western North Carolina. Thomson’s neighbors along Flat Creek and the Swannanoa River took the brunt of the extreme flooding, said Thomson, co-founder and convenor of the Critical Services Microgrid Group. Several main roads leading to Asheville were washed away or blocked by mudslides, and the city’s water system was damaged. Residents scooped creek water into buckets so they could flush toilets. Thomson leapt into action, partnering with emergency response organizations, including Footprint Project – which provides clean energy during disasters – to power critical facilities, among them a senior living center’s medical clinic, a mental health center and churches attempting to meet the needs of local communities. The nonprofit organization has provided portable solar generators, mobile solar microgrids, atmospheric water generators and satellite communication hubs to 40 sites. A number of organizations provided funding ahead of hurricane season, allowing Footprint Project to respond more efficiently and effectively. They include Schneider Electric, Direct Relief, Target, PosiGen, New Energy Equity and Arcadia. Footprint Project’s work included: Running a well pump on a solar microgrid so that a community of mobile home parks in Asheville could source and share water. Facilitating the drops of portable batteries, flexible solar panels and Starlinks out of helicopters so families isolated on the tops of mountains could reach out for help. Setting up solar microgrids at rural fire stations, churches, health centers and makeshift community hubs to run refrigerators, freezers and communications, and displace/supplement their gas generators. The team also created battery libraries so people could run medical devices without gas generators. Part of the organization’s efforts included deploying a pop-up microgrid at Pensacola United Methodist Church in the hard-hit South Tow River valley. The power was used to run water pumps and lights at the command center located there. While the hurricane was devastating, it offered lessons about the importance of powering critical services with microgrids. To save energy & cost for your business, contact me at https://buff.ly/2EjAMbu. #Reliability #EnergyStorage #EnergyEfficiency #Renewables #EnergyAudit #Procurement #Resilience https://buff.ly/4fkuYwM

A view of Helene's destruction from someone who is living through it. ***** It would be impossible to be fully prepared for an event of this scale. It takes 100x the manpower to repair infrastructure that is destroyed everywhere, all at once than we can reasonably be expected to have. (Fortunately we have linemen, road crew, and other tradesmen arriving from out of town and out of state by the hundreds to assist the local crews.) It takes many times the resources to provide for people who, prepared or not, lost their homes, lost power, lost access to clean water. ***** https://lnkd.in/gY4D_WV4 It is not a pretty picture. The extent of human suffering in the wake of Helene's wrath is in most respects indescribable. Yet we should also take note of the essential optimism in what she has to say: she believes the people of Appalachia will survive because that's just what they do. With or without FEMA, with or without government, the people will endure. That says something, both about the nature of the human spirit and the inhumanity of the government agencies that are failing these people in a time of urgent need.

Rebuilding Communities Stronger Leading the way for Sustainable Recovery In the wake of the 2024 hurricane season, we are reminded of both Florida’s beauty and resilience. As a Florida resident, Energy Harness is here to support our communities as we come together to rebuild and recover. Together, we can make Florida stronger and more sustainable than ever before, with a focus on lasting, clean energy solutions that not only restore but also upgrade our homes, schools, and businesses. As we look to the future, Energy Harness is committed to lighting the path forward, literally and figuratively. Our innovative LED lighting systems bring powerful, cost-effective, and energy-efficient solutions to every space, reducing energy costs and providing durable lighting that can withstand the demands of Florida’s environment. For communities where safety and visibility are essential in rebuilding efforts, Energy Harness’s LED solutions offer the quality you can count on. Together, we can create a new future for Florida—one that is not only restored but resilient, modernized, and prepared for generations to come. Energy Harness stands with you, ready to build a brighter, more sustainable Florida, one step at a time.

We thought about sharing a joke today, but after enduring back-to-back hurricanes, it still doesn’t feel like the right time. Instead, we want to recognize the resilience and ingenuity of Florida’s homebuilders. In the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, we’re inspired by the stories of communities that withstood the storms. Babcock Ranch and Southshore Bay are prime examples of forward-thinking neighborhoods designed to weather any challenge. We're proud that Streetleaf’s solar-powered streetlights play a part in providing these communities with reliable, renewable lighting—even in the face of extreme conditions. While we're proud of our communities for the recovery efforts, we want to acknowledge that resilience isn’t just about bouncing back. It’s about being ready for what’s next. https://lnkd.in/dKWRQ5jg

The Sewerage and Water Board (S&WB) of New Orleans has a long history of operational failures, mismanagement, and inefficiency, as highlighted by Matt McBride’s recent analysis of their performance during Tropical Storm Francine. The persistent failures of critical pumps, electrical systems, and generators show just how unreliable the infrastructure has become, resulting in sewage flooding streets or being dumped into the river—a situation that cannot be allowed to continue. These issues are not isolated incidents. For years, the S&WB has faced criticism for poor maintenance and lack of accountability, as seen during major storms like Hurricane Ida. Given this history, it’s time we seriously consider solutions that have been ignored for too long. When I’m elected Mayor of New Orleans in 2025, I will push to either merge the S&WB with the city’s Department of Public Works or bring in a private entity to manage the system under strict conditions. This private entity must agree to non-predatory practices, fair revenue distribution to the city, and regular audits by third-party agencies. These are not radical ideas but necessary steps to ensure New Orleans residents get the reliable water and sewage services they deserve. Our City Council has yet to meaningfully discuss these options, but the time for bold action is now. The S&WB’s repeated failures demand real solutions—not more excuses.