In anticipation of a busier than normal hurricane season, Charlotte County is looking to form an emergency worker pool for pre- and post-storm work throughout the county.
Depending on qualifications, workers can assist before a storm with setting up shelters, transporting residents to shelters, and performing various other duties. After a storm, workers will assist with the cleanup of parks and county facilities, break down shelters, distribute supplies to the community, and perform other various duties.
The idea to form an emergency pool of workers was spawned last year when the Gulf Coast got hammered by all of the major hurricanes and Charlotte County needed additional hands to help with cleanup.
County communications official Caroline Wannall said the county hired 150 people after Hurricane Helene.
“We needed staff, additional staff, to help secure and clean up a lot of Charlotte County due to all the flooding and all of the debris," she said. "So we needed all hands on deck from our staff, and then also the public to assist getting Charlotte County cleaned up and open for business. So those extra hands really helped out."
The county’s human resources department is hosting a hiring event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Friday, June 13, at the Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center. That’s at 75 Taylor St. in Punta Gorda.
If hired for pre- and/or post-storm work, the hourly rate of pay is $25. Prospective workers must be 18 or older. Training will be provided if needed.
“We hope we don't need to utilize our pool this year, but we always want to be prepared at Charlotte County, just in case something hits. We want to make sure that we can open up and make our community safe,” Wannall said.
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