I ve been working on the Herald-Tribune s annual Hurricane Guide for so long that I ve lost count at least 20 years.
When my husband and I moved to Florida in 1994, one of the first things we did was go to one of former Charlotte County Emergency Manager Wayne Sallade s annual preparedness seminars. While he often tried (and succeeded) in scaring the heck out of residents with his message, he was literally a lifesaver when Category 4 Hurricane Charley hit Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte in 2004.
His dire warnings about the area s storm surge vulnerability still resonate, with thousands more homes being built in low-lying areas near the Gulf Coast. Charley was a wind event, and the compact storm with an 8-mile-wide eye was more like a giant tornado with sustained winds of 145 mph that flattened or tore roofs off homes and businesses. The powerful, fast-moving storm still had 100-mph winds after it ripped across Florida and exited on the east coast.