CLEARWATER, Fla. — So many people felt the effects of Hurricane Helene, including city employees and first responders in Clearwater who help people every day.
"We're all in this together right now,” said Patrick Brafford. “It doesn't matter really which way you look at the moment. Everybody's suffering."
Brafford stood outside his home near Clearwater Beach, which was devastated after the storm. His house was inundated with several feet of water and the loss was sprawled out on the side of the road.
"Everybody's yard right now tells a story, whether it’s some of my kids first toys or our wedding champagne glasses or some of the biggest milestones in our life,” said Brafford.
ABC Action News has caught up with Brafford time and again in his role as the Beach Lifeguard Manager for Clearwater Fire Rescue.
The City of Clearwater said 35 city employees, including 12 police officers and 10 firefighters, had significant losses from the storm. All of them are people who often rush in during disaster and put the community first but are now hurting themselves.
The City's HR department is setting up a donation drive for employees who need help.
Tiffany Makras, the City of Clearwater HR Director, said they're working to pull together resources, identifying the needs of the people who have been devastated with the availability of employees who want to help.
"We're opening up, it’s a leave program, where if they've got vacation or floating holidays, they can sell those back for a much needed influx of cash, and then we're also opening up a donation for other employees to allow them to donate additional leave hours into this bank, so anyone who needs it has those resources available,” said Makras.
Makras said they're working on getting a system set up for the public to help too.
"At the end of the day, we have to be ready to provide the services for those residents here, but also when visitors start coming back,” said Brafford.
Despite personal loss, Brafford is still focused on his job, while the community focuses in to help the helpers get back on their feet.
"It's really an example of the human spirit, and it's not necessarily what you can see. It's what you feel, and it really gives you a sense of pride and worth living because I mean these folks have lost things on their own, but they're giving their all to make sure that people are able to recover,” said Brafford.
