JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A large tree and power line that was knocked down due to severe weather in Northwest Jacksonville is causing issues for residents.
Gloria Lewis said part of her home has been without power since a little after 9 a.m. Friday.
She said she’s called the city and JEA multiple times asking when the tree will be removed--but she got no concrete answer.
According to JEA’s Electric Outage map, more than 300 customers are without power.
Lewis said she needs it restored quickly for medical reasons.
“I take insulin and my insulin is inside of my refrigerator. My insulin has to stay at a certain temperature.” Lewis said.
She said she has high blood pressure as well.
“It is a great inconvenience,” Lewis said.
Lewis also hopes the tree and wire are removed soon for the safety of others.
“This is a very hazardous danger for the kids on this block. There’s kids on both sides of the block up and down. I feel like it’s a great danger not just for kids but for anybody that’s walking down the street,” Lewis said.
The aftermath of the storm was still seen in other parts of the town. Uprooted trees and JEA trucks and crews can be seen working.
Lewis said she knows the city and JEA are busy helping other people affected by the storm, but she wishes things were moving faster so her problems could be resolved sooner.
“Why is it a day and a half later and the tree is still here and the line is still down? I’m trying to think, is it the area of town? So they don’t care about us over here? Lewis asked.
Lewis said her worst fear is that it will still be there by Monday.
The severe storms left behind damaged roofs. One person said she was glad the damage didn’t happen to her.
She said she had to stop paying for homeowners insurance because it became too costly.
If her home got damaged, she’d have to pay for a new roof out of pocket.
According to ProFormance Roofing, the average cost for a roof replacement in Florida can range between $10,000 and $25,000 for a large one.
This woman isn’t alone because it’s a growing trend.
According to the Consumer Federation of America report released in March, about 6.1 million homeowners across the country are uninsured.
In Florida, about 10% of homeowners are uninsured, which lands among the top 10 for uninsured homeowners.
“The climate itself in the state is very volatile,” insurance agent Matt Carlucci said.
Matt Carlucci an insurance agent said he’s seen more people getting rid of their homeowners insurance because of the cost.
He said it’s not something he’d advise.
“Homeowners [insurance] can help you kind of get back on your feet like it never happened,” Carlucci said.
He said he know people may be going through a hard time, but as hurricane season approaches, he gave advice to those thinking about dropping it.
“We do have monthly options, you can pay or price it around with other companies. There’s also policies that may not cover as much but they cover essentials,” Carlucci said.
He said it’s still better than nothing and try looking into Citizens as it serves as a more affordable insurance option.