Hurricane Irma – My Florida Home Is Badly Affected

Some Property118 Readers will know that I built my dream home at Hart Lake Hill, Winter Haven in Florida.

A few years ago I decided to let the property long term.

I have many friends in the area too and just received the email below from my best friend and neighbour in the area.

It’s 3:51 a.m. here. Can’t see outside but know there is a lot of damage in Hart Lake Hills. The wind is still unbelievable, light a freight train coming through at times. Strongest were near 100 mph. They are still around 50 or so; devastating wind. I have received texts from Kim Sierra beginning at midnight. She said water was coming into some of the bedrooms. There was nothing I could do; we’re still not allowed outside because of the severity of the hurricane. Another text said the pool screens were all ripped away. Mine, too and many others as well.

She was hysterical when she called me at 12:21 am telling me that the windows had blown out of the house and that the pool cage was down.

911 was called to find out what could be done and to ask if they could at least call her directly to find out what was happening. She texted me a couple more times asking how long. I told her to call 911 herself. Perhaps they would be able to give her more information since she is the one living there and she can explain the events. Haven’t heard since. No one is allowed on the streets. Even emergency vehicles will not go out unless winds are lower than 40 mph. Without seeing what is damaged I went ahead and called in a claim to get the paperwork started.

The 24 hour claim line took the information and will pass it to the person who will handle this claim. No call yet (I called them at 2:55 am).

I have NEVER been through anything like this. I already know I have shingles (roof tiles) that have blown off of the roof because I can see them around the pool. The screens are all ripped and hanging; not sure about the stability of the cage frame. The pool cage collapsed around midnight at the house that is 3 houses before mine. The next house closer to mine has a tree down across his driveway and the house before mine has water coming in at the floors in two of his rooms and heard something hit his roof. The rain was blowing into my side door to the garage (it faces your Mum’s house). I had to keep putting towels there all night and changing them constantly. The wind was driving the rain into
the building.

I will keep you up to date on what is happening once it is light out and it is safe to open a door to get a look at the devastation. This is one of  the most stressful events EVER.

Hugs to both,

Jeannine

The link below is to a video which went viral on Facebook last night. It’s not my house but it’s one just like it.

https://www.facebook.com/anna.j.mullins.9/videos/1408427182545349/

It’s at times like this you realise that property is not important. I am desperately worried about my tenant and everybody else in the area.

Last time a Hurricane hit Hart Lake and blew windows out of a property the roof lifted and the property split into two halves. Furniture was thrown around so violently it made holes in the walls. Thankfully, there was nobody in that property at the time. Last night, my tenants wife was home alone with her children, the man of the house was working away and couldn’t get back to Florida and they couldn’t get out because of the total gridlock on the roads due to 6 million people being evacuated.

I will keep you informed.

Please keep us in your thoughts.

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