Hurricane Ivan Retrospective
Three years after Hurricane Ivan, Gulf Breeze still works toward recovery
BY VICI PAPAJOHN Gulf Breeze News vici@gulfbreezenews.com

Over 100,000 cubic yards of vegetation alone was collected in the city. "And that does not include construction debris," Steve Milford, Special Projects Manager for the City of Gulf Breeze says with irony.

When Hurricane Ivan slammed into the Gulf Coast in 2004, it caused extensive damage to coastal and inland areas. The Interstate 10 bridge across Pensacola Bay was severely damaged as a result of dramatic wave action on top of the 10-15 foot storm surge, and as much as a quarter-mile of the bridge collapsed into the bay. Though the Three Mile Bridge survived the storm, the old bridge portions used for fishing did not. They remain standing in part today as a reminder that the area has not fully recovered.

Thousands of homes across the three-county area of Baldwin, Escambia, and Santa Rosa were damaged or destroyed. Most residents immediately boasted that they'd be "up in running in a year," and few anticipated the long-term effects of the storm. Ivan was a classical, long-lived Cape Verde hurricane that reached Category 5 strength three times on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale (SSHS), according to the National Weather Service. It was also the strongest hurricane on record that far south east of the Lesser Antilles until its time. It hit our area as a strong Category 3.

The forces of Ivan were directly responsible for 25 deaths in United States, 14 of which occurred in Florida. Ivan was also indirectly responsible for 32 deaths in the United States. Weather Service records reveal Ivan as the most destructive hurricane to affect this area in more than 100 years. Strong winds also spread well inland damaging homes, and downing tress and power lines. At one point, more than 1.8 million people were without power in nine states.

Ivan's effects were not just limited to coastal areas. In addition to the damaged homes and businesses, Ivan also destroyed millions of acres of woodlands and forests. The Alabama Forestry Commission found damaged timber valued at about $610 million on 2.7 million acres. In the 200,000-acre Blackwater Forest, just east of Pensacola in the western Florida panhandle, more than 1.5 million board feet of timber were downed across 185,000 acres.

Photos courtesy Gulf Breeze City Hall The Santa Rosa County Recreation Center sustained significant wind damage during Hurricane Ivan, losing parts of its siding and roof, above and at left. Repair estimates to the exterior between Dennis and Ivan are estimated as "some $200,000." Excluding the fishing bridge, the city sustained $10-11 million in FEMA sanctioned repairs and cleanup. The city collected over 100,000 cubic yards of vegetation from wind damaged trees. Homes blew apart as well, below left.

American Insurance Services Group estimates that insured losses in the United States from Hurricane Ivan totaled $7.11 billion, of which more than $4 billion occurred in Florida alone; a two-to-one ratio of insured damages yields an estimated U.S. loss of approximately $14.2 billion. In addition to the insured losses, the U.S. Naval Air Station at Pensacola, Florida sustained damage losses of $800-$900 million.

Homeowners, counties and municipalities are still working to recover. When the Santa Rosa County Recreation Center sustained significant wind damage during Hurricane Ivan, losing parts of its siding and roof, "staff worked very hard, immediately working to minimize damage and to help get the center up and running," praises Steve Milford, Special Projects Manager for the City of Gulf Breeze.

Milford served as the front line addressing Federal Emergency Managment Agency (FEMA) concerns, and completed multiple forms required to obtain reimbursements under the Stafford Act. He estimates total repairs to the RecCenter's exterior between Dennis and Ivan as "some $200,000- excluding the fishing bridge, the city sustained $10-11 million in FEMA sanctioned repairs and cleanup." Many grants remain unpaid, many projects still await FEMA funding approval, including the destruction and removal or the repair of the fishing bridges.

Progress continues towards receiving the FEMA grants owed, and efforts continue to procure those still being solicited.

"We are not there yet," Milford says, "but we are still working on it. I was on the phone today with (Santa Rosa County Budget Director) Joel Haniford, going over the books on FEMA grants. Those books are not closed."

What programs exist to move us forward? The My Safe Florida Home (MSFH) program affords grants for homeowners to assess the storm worthiness of and improve

their property. A fair will be held in Pensacola to raise awareness about the MSFH program's safety and financial incentives. The fair will be free to the public. In addition to learning how safe your home is against storms, this program has helped save many homeowners an average of $154.51 a month on their wind insurance premiums through free hurricane inspections. More information about the My Safe

Florida Home program, can be found at www.mysafefloridahome. com.

The Pensacola fair will be Saturday, Sept. 15, at the Pensacola Civic Center from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The Pensacola fair is being co-hosted by the Gulf Power Corporation, the Escambia County Commission, and WEAR-TV and will feature over 50 exhibitors.

Santa Rosa County Commissioner John Broxson believes the county has come a long way in recovering from the storm.

"Yes, real progress has been made in this area since Hurricane Ivan slammed us on Sept. 16, 2004. Homes are being repaired or rebuilt and will be much more storm hardened than before," Broxson said in an email. "Streets and storm water drainage have been repaired and many cases are better than before. The reconstruction of Interstate 10 bridge has significantly decreased traffic on US 98 within some segments. Our park areas have been repaired and are better than new, and the spirit and hopes of our people are still positive and strong. We all know that much remains to be done and we will be equal to the task."

Franklin Hayes contributed

to this article.