Advanced technology will help Manatee County during 2025 Hurricane Season
Manatee County has partnered with Peregrine to gather real-time data across the county as storms move through.
Peregrine can help place first responders and equipment in areas that need help faster.
Manatee County encourages residents to ask questions now before a storm impacts the area.
BRADENTON, Fla. - Some homeowners still haven't moved back into their homes following the 2024 Hurricane Season. Manatee County said residents need a plan now as a new hurricane season approaches.
County officials say they are even more equipped this year to handle whatever comes their way.
Follow FOX 13 on YouTube
Why you should care
Two months brought three destructive storms to Manatee County. As recovery continues, Matt Myers, the county's chief of emergency management, urges residents to be ready for the new hurricane season.
"They need to be prepared now for anything that can happen," said Myers.
Manatee County has been doing the same. Over the course of the last year, they've enhanced rescue team capabilities in part to reach residents at night.
READ: Online survey focuses on Bay Area residents' decision to evacuate or not during Helene, Milton
They've also enhanced technology.
"The rapid response we can do with the information, it's faster and it's better," said Myers.
Partnering with Peregrine, a company that helps gather real-time data from across Manatee County in one dashboard. Manatee County will be able to determine what areas need help and get resources there faster.
"We can source 911 calls using the artificial intelligence to run through the calls for us and type in flooding, and it will plot it on the map. We will know where those calls are coming in from, so we can start flooding," said Myers.
MORE: New TECO trailer will be used for community demonstrations on dangers of live power lines
Jodie Fiske, Manatee County's director of public safety, said it also helps with getting supplies to residents and determining what will be needed during the long-term recovery process.
"That leads to expedited categories of reimbursement. That leads to major declarations. All of the steps we need to do we have cut really critical time off of the process we had before to get it moving to get our residents what we need," said Fiske.
As residents enter a new storm season, some with remaining damage or questions, Manatee County said they are here to help.
"We want people to be proactive in asking the questions, hopefully before we take an impact," said Fiske.
What's next
Manatee County will hold a coffee and questions event from 9-11 a.m. on June 6 at the Emergency Operations Center, which is located at 2101 47th Terrace East in Bradenton. Residents can come out with any concerns and ask questions.
To sign up, click here.
The Source
Information was gathered for this report by FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon and Manatee County officials.
WATCH FOX 13 NEWS:
STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA:
Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV
Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android
Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines
Download the SkyTower Radar app
Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
7 hours ago
- Newsweek
Warning Issued as Rising Water Levels Threaten To Sweep Children Away
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologists at the Greenville-Spartanburg office in South Carolina urged parents to keep children away from storm drains, culverts, creeks and streams on Tuesday as flash floods swept through the region. Why It Matters The flash flood warning comes amid a period of repeated flash flooding events across the United States this summer, including recent catastrophic flooding in Texas that resulted in over 100 fatalities and highlighted the dangers posed by fast-rising waters. The significance of the warning for York County in South Carolina centers on timely public awareness and action, especially as water rises quickly with ongoing heavy rainfall. Immediate risks include swift inundation of streamside areas, placing children and other vulnerable community members in harm's way. What to Know The NWS strongly recommended that residents avoid all storm drains, culverts, creeks, and streams, warning that water could rise suddenly and sweep children and adults away. River banks and culverts may become unstable, and low water crossings pose extreme hazard. Drivers were warned never to attempt to cross a flooded roadway and to seek alternate routes immediately. A stock photo shows the waters of the flooded Catawba River encroach on the Rock Hill community in South Carolina after Hurricane Helene. A stock photo shows the waters of the flooded Catawba River encroach on the Rock Hill community in South Carolina after Hurricane Helene. Mark Castiglia/Getty According to the NWS bulletin released at 11:04 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, radar and automated gauges indicated that storm-total rainfall over the prior six to eight hours surpassed 3 to 5 inches in parts of western York County, particularly near Sharon, Hickory Grove, and Bullock Creek. As rain continued, streams began overtopping their banks and nuisance flooding escalated, with forecasts predicting significant worsening within the next one to three hours and additional rainfall anticipated throughout the day. The warning detailed a hazard of flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. The impacts expected included significant flooding of small creeks, streams, urban areas, highways, underpasses, parking lots, and low-lying roads. The NWS listed multiple locations of greatest concern, with possible several-feet-deep inundation in rural and urban areas: Bullock Creek and feeder drainages near Wilson Chapel Road, Hickory Grove Road (SC 211), Ramsey Road (Berry Branch), and Hopewell Road (SC 97) Turkey Creek and Little Turkey Creek near Shannon Street (SC 41), Hord Road, and Burris Road Fishing Creek near SC 5, Park Place Road, Gordon Road, Russell Road, and Holland Road Rock Hill metro area headwater streams, including Manchester Creek near John Ross Parkway and Big Dutchman Creek near India Hook Road Wildcat Creek from Olde Creek Road to SC 5 (Main Street) to Ogden Road Steele Creek near Carowinds and Pleasant Road (SC 22) Communities identified as at risk included Rock Hill, York, Southwest Charlotte, Fort Mill, Tega Cay, Clover, Newport, Lesslie, Sharon, Hickory Grove, McConnells, Smyrna, Lake Wylie, Carowinds, Catawba, and Bullock Creek. What People Are Saying NWS meteorologist in charge Steve Wilkinson told Newsweek: "Normal rainfall up to this point [in August] is .62 inches, so ... several inches of rain is well above what you would call an average or normal situation." Wilkinson added: "This is heavy rainfall well-above normal, but when you get into the July, August, September timeframe, it's not abnormal to get pockets of heavy rainfall." The NWS office in Greenville-Spartanburg posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday: "Most flood fatalities occur in vehicles, and it only takes 12 inches of water to sweep a car away. Sometimes, the difference between life and death is small decisions." What Happens Next The flash flood warning for York County was in effect until 4:45 p.m. Eastern time. The heaviest rain is easing up in western York County and should end this afternoon, Wilkinson said. Some lighter rain is expected into Tuesday night and Wednesday. Residents are urged to follow any evacuation orders or emergency notifications, remain vigilant for updated NWS alerts, and review family emergency plans, especially with children or vulnerable individuals present.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
August brings ominous hurricane season news. Is another Helene on the way?
The beginning of August brings skyrocketing hurricane risk, a new potential system off the East Coast and a reminder that devastating storms can quickly intensify into disaster. Historical trends show that August is often the pivot point for hurricane season, and forecasters say current conditions point toward an uptick in tropical activity. The beginning of the month also brought a new weather system that forecasters were watching off East Coast, but so far the danger appears low. It's too soon to know what will happen as the 2025 hurricane season progresses, but last year's season serves as a reminder of why it's important to be informed and prepare. 2024 saw brutal storm activity, including Hurricane Helene that devastated the Southeast in late September killing 248 people and causing $78.7 billion in damage. Throughout its path from northwest of Steinhatchee, Florida, on Sept. 26 and through Tennessee and North Carolina, the storm also injured 117 others and forced the high-water rescues of more than 2,700 people, a National Hurricane Center report published in March revealed. The 2024 hurricane season also included devastating storms Beryl, Milton and John, whose names along with Helene, have been retired out of the World Meteorological Organization's rotating alphabetical basis of hurricane names due to their severity. As forecasters and residents in hurricane-prone regions brace for more danger, here's a look back at the destructive power of Hurricane Helene. See photos of Hurricane Helene's aftermath Contributing: Doyle Rice, Dinah Voyles Pulver and Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: August hurricane forecast: Is another Helene on the way?
USA Today
2 days ago
- USA Today
Tropical Storm Dexter forms in the Atlantic. Is it expected to make landfall in US?
A low pressure system, dubbed as AL95, developed into Tropical Storm Dexter over the western Atlantic late on Aug. 3, forecasters said. Hurricane forecasters are monitoring multiple systems in the Atlantic Ocean on Aug. 4, including one which developed into a tropical storm overnight and is expected to move away from the United States. A low pressure system, dubbed as AL95, developed into Tropical Storm Dexter over the western Atlantic late on Aug. 3, the hurricane center said. Dexter is releasing maximum sustained winds near 45 mph and the tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 115 miles from its center. The storm is forecast to move away from the U.S. coast and stay north of Bermuda. There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect and no hazards to land are expected. The system formed along a frontal boundary about 150 miles off the coast of North Carolina on Aug. 2. As of 5 a.m. ET on Aug. 4, the storm was located a few hundred miles northwest of Bermuda and appeared to be moving away from the U.S., according to the hurricane center. The storm is moving about 12 mph and is expected to pick up speed before it starts slowing down on Aug. 5 and 6. "Some slight strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days," the hurricane center said. "Dexter is likely to become post-tropical by Wednesday." The Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, had a quiet start in 2025 with June and July showing minimal activity. But forecasters with the National Hurricane Center say the tropics are heating up this week with three disturbances, including Tropical Storm Dexter and two other systems that have "some development potential" later in the week. Forecasters were tracking two other storms on Aug. 3, including a tropical wave expected to move off the west coast of Africa on Aug. 4 and another disturbance off the coast of the southeastern United States. Both were moving west and did not pose a threat at the time. The uptick in activity comes after Tropical Storm Gil briefly became a hurricane in the Pacific Ocean on Aug. 1, before weakening again into a tropical storm, according to the hurricane center. More: August brings ominous hurricane season news. Is another Helene on the way? Forecasters previously predicted 'above-normal' hurricane activity for 2025 In May, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasters predicted "above-normal" hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin for the 2025 season. The agency forecasted between 13 and 19 named storms with winds 39 mph or higher. Of those storms, six to 10 are predicted to become hurricanes with winds 74 mph or higher, including the potential of three to five major hurricanes. 'As we witnessed last year with significant inland flooding from hurricanes Helene and Debby, the impacts of hurricanes can reach far beyond coastal communities," Laura Grimm, chief of staff for the NOAA, said in a statement. Atlantic storm map Contributing: Jennifer Sangalang, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
