Hurricane-Resistant Home Built in Punta Gorda, 9/8/05

A Punta Gorda couple's worst nightmare has transformed into the sweetest of dreams. Their new hurricane-resistant home is ready for them to move into thanks to home improvement guru Bob Vila, the nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH®), and homebuilder Mercedes Homes.  Teresa Fogolini and Jim Minardi take official ownership of their home at 197 Gulfview Road during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:30 am on Friday, Sept. 16. The ceremony will be followed by a tour of the house for guests and members of the media.  The new house sits on the site of the couple's previous home, which was destroyed by Hurricane Charley in August 2004. Minardi has vivid memories of watching helplessly from a neighbor's home as winds ripped the roof off his 40-year-old house and tossed it into a nearby canal. That won't happen with the couple's new home, which incorporates the latest hurricane-resistant technologies including a superior roof system with enhanced metal connectors. It also features cast-in-place concrete walls, an elevated foundation, impact-resistant windows and garage door, and outward-opening entry doors to impede pressure. A built-in generator will protect against power outage, while a whole-house surge protection system will guard against lightning and power surges.  The construction of the house is the focus of Bob Vila, a nationally syndicated television program. Due to begin airing this month, the show will also look at the key elements of a home and how they protect or compromise the overall structure when high winds and windborne rain strike, as well as why some building systems fail and others succeed. Vila learned of the fate of Minardi's and Fogolini's original home through "A Tale of Two Houses," a Federal Alliance for Safe Homes program (see: www.flash.org/programsCenter.cfm).  With the 2005 hurricane season in full swing, the project is particularly timely. In late August a minimal Hurricane Katrina tore a destructive path across South Florida before growing into a major hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico and slamming into Louisiana and Mississippi. Last year four major hurricanes hit Florida between Aug. 13 and Sept. 16. Hurricane season officially ends November 30.  "Hurricanes don't just endanger homes, they threaten homeowners," said Leslie Chapman-Henderson, president and CEO of the nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes. "This project is a great demonstration of what we can do to lessen the damage and better protect our families."  The nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH®) is committed to strengthening homes, safeguarding families, and protecting economic well-being by promoting disaster preparedness and mitigation. Earlier this summer FLASH partnered with Gov. Jeb Bush on a public service campaign that encourages Florida homeowners to learn how to correctly board up their homes in case of hurricane. Melbourne-based Mercedes Homes is the largest privately owned homebuilder in the nation. The company engages in ongoing research efforts with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the University of Florida to test and incorporate advanced construction methodologies into residential home building.