By LOIS KINDLE
Sun City Center Emergency Squad Chief Mike Bardell is always looking for ways to keep community residents safe and informed. That’s why he’s once again organized two disaster preparedness seminars – one for Kings Point and the other for Sun City Center – to take place April 24.
“This year it’s different,” Bardell said. “The ones we had previously were all theoretical, but last year we had an actual event (a hurricane) that affected thousands of people here.”
OBSERVER NEWS FILE PHOTO
Mike Bardell, SCC Emergency Squad chief
A first gathering will take place at 9 a.m. at Veterans Theater, 1900 Clubhouse Drive, Kings Point, and then another will follow at 1 p.m. at Sun City Center Community Hall, 1910 Pebble Beach Blvd. S. The doors open 30 minutes beforehand.
Both events are free and will include the same slate of about a dozen speakers, who’ll discuss important topics, their organization’s latest plans for handling emergency situations, share information on how residents can protect themselves and their homes, advance preparations and where they can turn for help if they need it.
Each two-hour seminar will include the opportunity for attendees to meet and chat with the speakers at their tables afterward to obtain further information and ask questions.
The following organizations will be participating: the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, TECO and HCA Florida South Shore Hospital; Samaritan Services and the Sun City Center Security Patrol; King’s Point Amateur Radio Club, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and USI Insurance; Hillsborough County Emergency Management, Sandra Yosha, DVM and the Community Emergency Team (CERT), plus several restoration companies.
Bardell said, in light of Hurricane Milton and its aftermath, when the community was without power for up to five days, he intends to include what we learned from the experience, what went wrong and identify ways for further helping residents.
He also wants to highlight the good things that happened, like the outpouring of volunteerism seen in serving thousands of meals donated to the community during the power outage.
COURTESY PHOTO
Last year, Sun City Center residents felt the after-effects of a hurricane firsthand, when much of the entire community lost power for up to five days. On the bright side, hundreds of community volunteers turned out in both Kings Point and Sun City Center to serve thousands of free, hot meals donated by Mission BBQ.
The 2025 hurricane season starts June 1, so now’s the time to get informed, plan and organize.
Bardell said residents are welcome to either seminar, but the important thing is to attend one of them. After all, being armed with need-to-know information about advance preparations is the best way to protect yourself and your assets.
“This year’s forecast already calls for a more active hurricane season,” said Robin Watt, chairwoman of the Sun City Center Emergency Squad board of directors. “Preparing ahead is crucial for safety and peace of mind, especially in situations like hurricanes or other emergencies. Having supplies stocked up, creating a communication plan and informing loved ones of our decisions can make all the difference. It’s also a way to build a sense of community, where everyone looks out for one another.
“Our emergency services do amazing work, but their ability to respond during disasters can be limited by conditions and demand,” she added. “It’s even more reason for individuals and communities to take preparedness seriously.”