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hard right turn into Charlotte Harbor. It car- ried "only" a 4-foot storm surge, but it still caused millions of dollars in damage. Some low-lying parts of Charlotte County still have not recovered. The City of Sarasota rests largely on high ground, especially the northern half. The Phillippi Creek drainage basin, bayside devel- opments and, obviously, the barrier islands of Lido and Siesta Key are in evacuation zones. The city is home to several public schools that are hardened and equipped to be public shelters. This contrasts with much of the southern half of Sarasota County, which is either low-lying by nature or the product of dredge-and-fill development in the 1950s and 1960s. Those areas must be evacuated in advance of even a modest hurricane. While preparation for storms is only a small fraction of Kerkering's duties, he has a couple of recommendations for people living in evac- uation zones of the city. "Bring something to sleep on. Our shelters are short-term, last-re- sort shelters and there won't be any cots like you see on TV. If you have a flashlight or radio or other appliance, make sure they all use the same size of battery. And don't for- get your medications," he said. "And bring some old-school entertainment — a book, a deck of cards." Sarasota News Leader City Editor Stan Zimmerman interviews Todd Kerkering, the city's new emergency management chief. Photo courtesy of the Sarasota Police Department Sarasota News Leader July 4, 2014 Page 65