The Dicus family was dealing with a lot of change, much of which is now on hold because its home is uninhabitable following recent rains.
By BRIDGET HALL GRUMET
Published August 15, 2003
HUDSON - The past few weeks were a whirlwind for Yolanda Dicus: moving her terminally ill sister into her home, getting the kids ready for school, laying down new tile floors, getting her pets fixed and vaccinated.
She didn't plan - or budget for - getting flooded out of her home.
"It's the worst possible time," Mrs. Dicus, 34, said Thursday from the Travelodge on U.S. 19, where she has stayed since Sunday with her husband, four children, two dogs and two cats.
"After we got here, it really hit us," she added. "We don't have a home."
Home used to be a five-bedroom concrete block house at 15837 Brenda St., south of Denton Avenue and east of Little Road. The Dicuses rented it for three years and planned to buy it.
The area sat well outside the flood zone, so the family did not have flood insurance.
That didn't stop floodwaters from pouring into the home last weekend, as northwestern Pasco County got pounded with 11 to 15 inches of rain. Mrs. Dicus found herself ankle-deep in water when she got out of bed Sunday morning.
By Sunday afternoon, the entire home had at least 6 inches of water, one of at least 84 buildings countywide with water inside.
The county's flood damage may qualify property owners for low-interest loans from the federal Small Business Administration - but not for grants and temporary housing from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said county Emergency Management director Michele Baker.
"Unfortunately, FEMA doesn't consider this a major disaster," Baker said. "It's one of those things that we feel is a major disaster, and certainly the people who are flooded feel it's a disaster."
The floodwaters slowly have receded, but the Dicus family doesn't plan to move back. The air in the home is thick with the smell of the flooded septic system, and the water-soaked floors and walls could lead to mold, said Floyd Dicus, 33.
Plus, Mrs. Dicus wonders, "What's going to happen the next time it rains?"
But the family is struggling to find a new home. Mr. Dicus runs a tattoo and body-piercing parlor in Tampa, but the couple don't have enough money saved to cover the security deposit and first and last month's rent at a new place.
They hope a landlord out there is willing to waive some fees - and allow their pets.
They hope to stay in Hudson so the kids won't have to switch schools. Mary, 12, is an honor student at Hudson Middle School, while 8-year-old Nicholas and 4-year-old Rachel attend Northwest Elementary.
Most of all, they need a home soon. Their motel vouchers from the American Red Cross have run out, and Mrs. Dicus is eager to get settled with her sister, who has been staying with a friend.
Alicia Snyder, 26, is undergoing chemotherapy for her second bout with cervical cancer, but doctors have given her less than six months to live. Mrs. Dicus, a certified nursing assistant, has put off her return to work so she can care for her sister.
She also hopes someone might have a wig for Snyder, who is losing much of her hair from the cancer treatments.
"I just want to make this easy for my sister," Mrs. Dicus said. "I want her to be with us and to be comfortable."
Anyone interested in helping the family may contact the local chapter of the American Red Cross, (727) 862-8685.
- Bridget Hall Grumet covers Pasco County government. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6244, or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6244. Her e-mail address is hall@sptimes.com
