In August 2004, Hurricane Charley took an unexpected turn off the Gulf and into Charlotte Harbor, devastating the county and bringing the national spotlight to Florida's Gulf Coast. As Hurricane Harvey ravages east Texas, local reporters and emergency responders are reflecting on the storm and how it changed life in Southwest Florida.
A category 4 storm, Charley was a very different storm from Harvey. Local journalist Amy Oshier spent the landfall of Hurricane Charley hunkered down in a news bureau in Punta Gorda. Wayne Sallade was in charge of Charlotte County's emergency management for years when the storm struck. Both join Gulf Coast Live to share their experiences of surviving the storm and how Florida residents can stay safe during hurricanes, flooding, and other dangers tropical weather.
