ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Up with the sun and outside in the summer heat with fliers in hand, Bettie Hayes wants to make sure her community has the resources they need this hurricane season.

What You Need To Know

Hayes, 75, worked her way through the southern part of the Bartlett Park neighborhood early Wednesday, handing out fliers to each home. It’s an area prone to flooding and was hit hard by Hurricane Helene.

Many of the homes that intersect with 4th Street are still damaged as owners deal with the lengthy process of making repairs.

“I know knowledge is power,” Hayes said. “What we don’t know hurts so bad.”

The fliers contain information about a neighborhood association meeting set for 10 a.m. on June 14 at 1600 MLK St. S. At the meeting, attendees will learn about the “Storm Squad” now in place in the neighborhood and how they can help this hurricane season.

Attendees will also be asked to fill out a survey so local leaders can identify “hidden needs” for the neighborhood that they may not know about. The goal of the survey is to give residents better access to resources they need before and after storms.

A team with the University of South Florida’s St. Petersburg campus started the “Storm Squad” initiative after Hurricane Irma and have been working to grow the program into different neighborhoods. The goal is to help areas that are both disadvantaged and at a high risk for flooding.

The program uses a select few residents who are leaders in their neighborhoods to pass along information. Then in the event of a storm, the “Storm Squad” leaders can help communicate with local governments and get resources to the right places.

According to its website, “The Storm Squad’s mission is to cultivate local neighborhood-based leadership to promote the ethos of 'neighbors helping neighbors' and build bridges between communities and decision-makers such as emergency officials.”

Navy veteran Nate Nelson just moved into Bartlett Park, to a home that’s taken on water before. He received the flyer from Hayes and says it’s nice to know that someone he’s never met is looking out for him.

“This seems like something that’s a positive thing,” he said. “Not just for me but for a lot of people.”