Bryan Hamrick, Winter Haven
8/14/04 12:50:17 PM
On the north side of Winter Haven we have seen a lot of minor to medium size damage. Roofs blown off of boathouses, a gas station with the canopy blown off the fuel island, ALOT of trees down causing blockage of some of the heavier travelled roads, ems and fire units everwhere(thank god for them)alot of cleanup work to be done over the next several days.
Carrie Ingley, Highland Park, Lake Wales
8/14/04 12:36:44 PM
I am out of town and just spoke with my husband on the cell phone. He says it looks like a war zone. There are lots of trees down, no electricity. Docks have been torn right out of Lake Easy and several screened in pool enclosures are gone. Thankfully everyone seems to be okay in Highland Park.
Beverly Mott, Arcadia
8/14/04 12:35:29 PM
Massive damage in Arcadia. No power, water or phones over most of city. Extensive damage to all of downtown.
Roof off Episcopal Church and post office. Homes twisted, some exploded, many with large oaks across them. Crushed cars, downed power lines everywhere, sirens, firetrucks, people wandering streets checking on neighbors and looking completely stricken. Major tree damage all over Arcadia, majority of homes with some roof damage, many extensive showing only the frame. All commercial signs blown down, street signs missing.
Doreen Angerson, Lakeland
8/14/04 12:34:05 PM
On Ruthven Drive and Dawn Heights Drive, trees down. Looks like a tornado came through. Road is not usable.
Bill and Lorri Jaques, Frostproof
8/14/04 12:31:45 PM
Our roads are nearly impassable here... Bill is a volunteer fireman and business owner so he went to the stores and firestation right afterwards. Had to drive through groves and yards to get there.
MANY downed trees and powerlines - our stores are heavily damaged. We own a hardware store and a separate feed/irrigation store. The hardware lost the roof; flooded the store and the merchandise. The feed store (Home and Farm Supply) had the ceiling cave in in the office. Our firechief, Bill Lord reportedly lost part of his house to a tree.
Thankfully though, everyone in my family is safe. We were originally worried for my sister's family in Brandon - now they are coming to help US restore order!
Don Singletary, Albany, GA
8/14/04 11:57:33 AM
5 miles E of Lake Wales - Just phoned my sister on lake East of Lake Wales:
10:30 AM Sat. Roof stripped to wood, missing shingles on house, boat on lake blown away then wrapped around tree. Large old oak trees down, many large old trees down. Hwy 60 E of Lake Wales has sink hole - a car fell into it last night. I also talked to a friend in Frostproof during hurricane - while wind blew large old palm trees over in his yard (all of this in Polk Co.)
Jennifer Sanders, Bowling Green
8/14/04 11:49:43 AM
From numerous phone calls to my parents in Bowling Green, the damage there and in Wauchula is extensive.
Bowling Green Elementary's roof is off. No one has power or water, and a city official told them that could be the case for a week or more. Many telephones are out as well. Mobile home parks are nearly completely destroyed. Many businesses in downtown Wauchula have been destroyed. My family's ACE hardware store has had one building destroyed and lost most of their lumber stock. My family and I are frustrated because news of Hardee County isn't getting out.
Dee Shackelford, Wauchula
8/13/04 10:31:50 PM
Golfview subdivision took a direct hit... trees down, sheds blow apart.. roof damage.
The city of Wauchula is devastated.. businesses destroyed.. a usual 15 minute ride took over an hour to get to the Sheriffs Department. You need to send crews in to see the major damage done to this small town.
Bill Quinn, Babson Park
8/13/04 10:30:39 PM
Looks like Charley had a party here.
There are tree limbs down, siding torn off of some homes, and trees down on top of cars. I heard a report that some docks on Crooked Lake are no longer there.
This is a great community to live in so I am sure there will be cooperation among the residents to get things cleaned up. I am sure my truck will get a work out.
Larry E. Whitchard, Jr., Winter Haven
8/13/04 10:29:39 PM
Sporatic power outages. Downed trees in roadways and on homes. Neighbor has tree downed onto powerline to home.
William Graham, Wauchula
8/13/04 10:28:49 PM
A phone call to my parents in Wauchula stated massive damage to the city and surrounding Hardee county.
Most streets are impassable, power is out citywide. Rescue and emergency vehicles can be heard throughout the city. Many of the citie's buildings have suffered major damage. Numerous mobile home parks have overturned homes/destroyed. So far only two injuries had been reported, a broken arm and a broken leg from two people. Many homes have suffered severe damage from fallen trees.
Tiffani Jones, Lakeland
8/13/04 10:26:19 PM
trees down/ limbs down, screen enclosures blown out, port-a-jons tipped over in newly started development, fences down. overall not too bad considering....could have been much worse!! subdivision:greentree
Michael Scott, Largo
8/13/04 9:33:56 PM
The worst damage we've had locally are the duct tape marks on the windows, and screw holes in the window frames to hold-up the protective plywood boards that the city will complain about when we stack them against the side of the house for the rest of the season.
My heart goes out to those that are getting pummelled by the storm. Good luck to all of you.
Jeanne Stephens, Fort Meade
8/13/04 9:32:46 PM
Many limbs and trees down in Ft. Meade. I saw part of my neighbor's roof blow off. Power has been out for over 3 hours.
Dylan & Marie McKeeman, Bartow
8/13/04 7:54:59 PM
Large Oak and Cedar Trees down on all sides of our home. One large branch has fallen on power lines and the front of our roof.
Charles Whitt, Lakeland
8/13/04 7:34:05 PM
I live on Cleveland Heights Blvd in Lakeland. About 10 minutes ago the wind blew the cedar trees down in my front yard. one lane of Cleveland Heights Blvd is blocked by the trees.
Kenne Trawick, Lakeland
8/13/04 7:23:47 PM
Large oak tree down in backyard around 7:00 p.m.
David E. Jarrett, Babson Park
8/13/04 5:13:15 PM
Haven't had any real damage as of yet here in Polk County, but I'm hoping that the damage will be minimal.
Hopefully I'll not be too bad off tonight, on a side note this being Friday the 13th.
John Murray, Lake Placid
8/13/04 5:10:48 PM
No damage. 4:50 PM 8/13/04. Just thought you would like to know Lake Placid experiencing very high wind gusts.
Wind seems to be coming from west to east. The skies are almost black. Residents in this area were not expecting this turn so are not as prepared as they could have been. Conditions look very favorable for tornados.