'Nobody came': Tampa Bay seniors go days without power after Milton

TAMPA, Fla. — By Friday evening, Jan Elizabeth Campbell was tired.

Tired of walking up and down 11 flights in a pitch-black stairwell to get out of her downtown St. Petersburg senior living complex, 540 Town Center.

Tired of living without air conditioning, without water, without hot food.

Tired of hauling all her devices to a nearby Wendy’s just to stay connected. Her knees ached.

“You’re looking down (the stairs) like, ‘I’m old. Am I gonna fall or what?’” said Campbell, 76.

At two complexes in downtown St. Petersburg and one in Sun City Center in southern Hillsborough County, seniors, many with disabilities, have gone days without power following Hurricane Milton.

Although Pinellas County prioritizes assisted living facilities and nursing homes for power restoration, a Duke Energy spokesperson said, independent living facilities, where seniors can live on their own, aren’t prioritized.

That quickly becomes a problem for otherwise independent seniors who rely on elevators, chargers for motorized wheelchairs, oxygen tanks and refrigeration for life-saving medications.

At 540 Town Center on 2nd Ave. S., some residents hadn’t felt fresh air on their face since Tuesday. The elevators had stopped working, trapping wheelchair-bound seniors in their stifling apartments.

“For older people like us, it’s like hell” to be without power, Barbara Robison said. She sat wearily on the curb Saturday, overnight bags packed. She just wanted a hot shower at her son’s place.

At Robison’s complex, residents received letters from management before Milton suggesting they consider leaving. But more than 100 stayed.

Residents of these facilities said they’ve had to take matters into their own hands.

Campbell posted a plea for help on Facebook on Saturday morning. Friends of residents protested, too.

Volunteers descended on the complex a few hours later. Somebody Cares Tampa Bay, a Clearwater mutual aid group, brought a truckload of water and hot meals.

A back-up generator finally roared to life a bit later, powering the elevator and stairwell lights. Three fire trucks showed up, sending crews door-to-door. Duke was coming to restore power before the day’s end, management said.

Eleven volunteers from Rescue Pinellas, a citizens’ rescue organization, hastily scribbled a to-do list. Who needs water, food, medication? Which residents are unresponsive?

The organization has conducted rescues in other places where residents have no power and are unable call the police, said crew leader Rachel Somermon. In mobile home parks like Twin City and Sea Horse, volunteers have found elderly residents in medical distress, she said.

“You can only do so much when you have more people that need help than people to help,” Somermon said.

At 540 Town Center Saturday, outreach had paid off. Relief also arrived at the Sun City Center retirement community, where power was restored for thousands on Saturday afternoon.

It was just in time, too, for residents like Ed Veronick, 64, who relies on a sleep apnea machine. He had barely slept since Milton thrashed the area. His wife kept an eye on him, waking him up when he dozed off. But she was at work on Saturday afternoon, so he paced his back porch, trying to stay awake.

His wife, Laura, kept her diabetes medication in the fridge of a neighbor with a generator.

But as Veronick sat outside Saturday afternoon, neighbors rejoiced at a small miracle — the lights flickered back on.

Other complexes haven’t been so lucky.

At another St. Petersburg high-rise, Arlington Arbor Senior Apartments, the elevators, thankfully, work. Water is on. But without electricity, elderly residents haven’t been able to keep medications refrigerated or charge their motorized wheelchairs, said resident Chico Pagan.

Seniors living at Arlington Arbor, like everyone else in Pinellas County, spoke often about 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, the deadline Duke Energy has set to get the power back on.

“That’s way too long,” said Lee Hauck, 84.

Residents said they hadn’t heard much from management in the meantime. One resident, Ermika Dent, has been cooking food on a grill outside to keep her neighbors fed. She fills a cooler with ice from a nearby Publix to keep drinks and medications cool.

“Nobody came to us. They didn’t bring relief. They didn’t bring any waters,” Cynthia Perkins, 64, said.

Instead, neighbors help neighbors. And residents sit outside in the shade, waiting for more aid.