Activist Lourdes Ramirez predicts ‘major change’ for the community. And it’s not for the good.
By Johannes Werner
Original Air Date: October 11, 2024
Host: Siesta Key has been flooded twice in a couple of weeks. That changes the future of life on the island. We talked to Lourdes Ramirez, a community organizer in Siesta. She’s concerned about what the destruction means to the community.
Lourdes Ramirez: We had about three foot of storm surge with Hurricane Helene, and so we lost all our furniture and a lot of keepsakes. And also, you know, we had to strip the walls up to four feet. I went back today and saw that we had a second wave, storm surge to go through the house. You could see the water line. It’s already been stripped, but there’s water inside the house when it was dry before Hurricane Milton. So it’s just been a one-two punch on that house.
JW: The people most affected are those who maintained a sense of community in Siesta.
Post-Milton debris near Stickney Point Road on Siesta Key. Photo: Ramirez
LR: I think this is going to be a major change for Siesta Key. I’m concerned about all the small cottages, all the quaint little areas in Siesta Key. It’s going to probably be changed to something more sterile. I’m concerned that it’s going to lose its charm, because there’s so many homes that are damaged, and a lot of people probably would feel the need to leave. I’m not one of them, but I’m concerned that some may want to. I think it’s going to change the whole character. We’ll probably have more investors and fewer residents, but I’m concerned about losing the difference that we are compared to places like Fort Lauderdale, where it’s low key, and it’s so charming. And now it’s going to be different, a little bit more modern, but at the same time, I think it’s going to lose its charm.
JW: Is there anything that can be done to help homeowners who cannot afford to rebuild?
LR: I hope so. We’re still in the beginning stages of figuring out what we can access. The older generations have been there for a long time. We want to keep it. I’m hoping to reach out and get information to them, so hopefully we can protect those older homes and have it continue going forward, but it’s a long way to go. I believe that if anybody needs help, Sarasota County Commissioner Joe Neunder reached out to me and emphasized to spread the word to call 311, and see if the people in the county can help at this point, I think there’s just a lot of steps that have to be told to the people about what we need to do – contact the insurance company, contact FEMA, and put in your information and your claim now, and also clean up your homes to avoid the mold that might build up. But there’s still so much going forward. I’m still learning. This is the first time it’s ever happened to me, and it’s a work in progress.
JW: If you want to learn more about the challenges go to ProtectSiestaKey.org. As soon as she has power back. Lourdes will update the website.
Johannes Werner, reporting for WSLR.
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