Florida firefighter loses home to Debby storm surge while on duty
Despite having seen multiple storms and the storm surges they produce, Moore noted how none had inundated his community as badly as Debby.
Weather for Heroes: Florida firefighter loses home to Debby storm surge while on duty
Husband, father and firefighter Kyle Moore was dispatched saving Florida residents from Debby’s wrath while his own family and home were also in danger.
PARRISH, Fla. – Husband, father and firefighter Kyle Moore was helping save Florida residents from Debby’s wrath while his own family and home were also in danger.
Lieutenant of the Parrish Fire District, Moore noted how critical the situation was becoming when his team saw the water quickly rise about a foot or more every half hour as the storm drew near the Sunshine State.
"That's when we all knew this is going to be serious," he said. "There's nothing to play around with. We need to get people out of here."
Kyle Moore.
(FOX Weather)
Knowing that he had his own people to rescue, Moore was able to go on leave for about an hour to bring his wife, child, livestock and animals to safety.
He then returned to the line of duty to continue helping his fellow Floridians.
DEBBY'S WRATH LEAVES AT LEAST 5 DEAD IN FLORIDA, GEORGIA
Once the water subsided, Moore said his team found more vehicles that ran off the road and hundreds of homes that were damaged by water.
"Our community really, really took a hit," he said. "We're really seeing the aftermath of it, and it's more than we thought it was going to be."
![Parrish under water.]()
Image 1 of 4Parrish underwater. (Kyle Moore)
![Parrish under water.]()
Image 2 of 4Parrish underwater. (Kyle Moore)
![Parrish under water.]()
Image 3 of 4Parrish underwater. (Kyle Moore)
![Parrish under water.]()
Image 4 of 4Parrish underwater. (Kyle Moore)
Despite having seen multiple storms and the storm surges they produce, Moore noted how none had inundated his community as badly as Debby.
He hopes that the impact of Debby might raise awareness about how new developments in the area are pushing water onto land where lifelong Floridians live.
He extended his gratitude to Florida Gov. Ron Desantis for reaching out to him and his family, the 2546 Suncoast Professional Firefighter Union and his brothers and sisters in the fire service for their support.
"I can't thank them enough," he said.
To help Moore and his family recover from Debby’s floods, you can make a contribution here.