Like many Florida communities, Longboat Key experiences numerous damaging weather events. The island has low elevations with many properties sitting just two to five feet above sea level, making it particularly vulnerable to storm surge and flooding from high tides and afternoon storms.
In 2024, Longboat Key was struck by two major hurricanes just 13 days apart — Hurricane Helene (Category 4) and Hurricane Milton (Category 3) — causing widespread damage. Leading the response, from assessments to substantial damage estimates, was Building Official Patti Fige. Her strategic leadership, coupled with the town’s investment in modern digital infrastructure, like Forerunner, transformed a potential bottleneck into an efficient, scalable, and cost-effective recovery effort.
At the heart of Longboat Key’s story is the theme of readiness: being prepared to act quickly when disaster strikes and equipping staff with the tools that reduce administrative burdens, allowing them to focus on what matters most: recovery.
Unlocking Efficiency and Savings Through Digital Transformation
Patti and her team — including Planning and Zoning and Building Department Director Allen Parsons, Plans Examiner Neal Mazzei, Inspectors Michele Williamson and Doug Chapman, Planner Tate Taylor, and Code Enforcement Officer David Woods — began damage assessments immediately after each storm. By coordinating mutual aid and external auditors, the team ramped up quickly, but managing the growing complexity and workload required a smarter, more sustainable approach.
With thousands of properties to assess and document, Patti recognized that traditional, manual methods were not scalable. In the midst of recovery, she recalled hearing about Forerunner at floodplain and building official conferences across Florida. The decision to adopt Forerunner unlocked measurable returns: reduced administrative time, improved inspection turnaround, and decreased reliance on manual data entry — freeing up staff for higher-priority work.
“Forerunner saved us so much time and is so valuable,” Patti shared.
Rapid Windshield Assessments: From Weeks to Days
Forerunner was used as a follow-up to Longboat Key’s windshield assessment and initial substantial damage assessment process completed in another system. Forerunner was used in the follow-up substantial damage assessment phase, and the platform’s precision and automation not only accelerated the work but also improved accuracy.
“Other software does not provide calculations and information to the level of detail that Forerunner does,” noted Patti. “We’ll be using Forerunner out of the gate for any upcoming storm — it allows us to integrate seamlessly and report more effectively to our counties.”
By dramatically reducing workload and centralizing data, Forerunner ensured timely, compliant reporting — a critical step in unlocking funding and expediting community recovery.
Accelerating Response with Forerunner’s Mobile App and Substantial Damage Estimate Workflow
Even before a contract was signed, Forerunner provided Longboat Key service and training — preventing delays and saving the town time during the height of recovery. Longboat Key’s Substantial Damage Estimate (SDE) team was trained on and deployed the Forerunner mobile app from day one, a shift that multiplied inspector output by allowing real-time data capture in the field.
The Forerunner app and SDE workflow eliminated redundancy, improved data accuracy, and supported faster decision-making, translating into a shorter inspection timeline.
“The app made each SDE inspector far more efficient than other tools Manatee and Sarasota Counties have used for years,” recalled Neal Mazzei, Plans Examiner for the Town. “Forerunner’s SDE tool is light-years faster, increasing inspector productivity and improving cost-effectiveness.”
Neal also noted that previous software often generated damage estimates broadly, using a 40% range. This was too large to clearly understand whether a property should be treated as substantially damaged.
These improvements accelerated residents’ access to FEMA-compliant documentation and insurance claims, allowing residents to begin rebuilding sooner. Precision paired with speed was essential to Longboat Key’s recovery. “As we brought on additional staff for inspections, working with Forerunner lowered our stress levels,” Patti explained. “Forerunner made it easy to add temporary users, and it didn’t complicate any processes. Every minute counts, and when you don’t have to be concerned [about administrative tasks], Forerunner gives us more time to concentrate on real things and what’s important.”
Critical Automation with AI-Powered Letter Generation
Perhaps the most transformative feature during Longboat Key’s recovery was Forerunner’s Letter Generation tool. Following the storms, the town was responsible for sending approximately 3,000 letters — including approximately 80 substantial damage notices.
In the past, this would have taken Neal, working alone, at least six months. Even with three to four staff members, Patti predicted it would have taken at least three months. With Forerunner, a team of four generated and mailed all 3,000 letters in just one month.
“Letter generation was a lifesaver. It was probably the biggest tool we used during this period,” Patti explained.
By automating what was once the most time-consuming aspect of post-storm recovery, the town reclaimed two months of valuable staff time. That efficiency meant staff could shift their focus from paperwork to supporting residents and accelerating the recovery timeline.
Reducing Public Inquiries and Staff Burden
Longboat Key also launched a Forerunner-powered public website to enhance community transparency on flood risk and compliance. By centralizing flood maps, elevation certificates, and zoning clarifications, the public website enables residents to easily access crucial flood information.
This resource has transformed how the community understands its flood risk and has significantly improved internal operations. Reduced inbound calls to municipal offices for flood inquiries have freed up staff time, allowing employees to focus on other critical tasks. This improved public access and reduced administrative burden have boosted municipal efficiency and community trust, fostering a more resilient and informed community.
Comprehensive Tools for Future Storms
Longboat Key’s experience shows that readiness depends on investing in tools and processes that enable staff to respond quickly, accurately, and confidently. Even though the town adopted Forerunner mid-recovery, the team made significant strides in accelerating disaster response and broadening their capacity to manage future risks. Forerunner is built to support communities in exactly these moments: when challenges are most pressing and reliable tools are essential.
By combining field insights from Forerunner’s data, Longboat Key has also implemented preventative measures, including higher seawall requirements and optional elevation ordinances, since the 2024 hurricanes. These strategies will hopefully reduce future damage claims, strengthening the town’s CRS rating and minimizing fiscal exposure in future disasters.
Through automation, streamlined assessments, and more effective communication, Forerunner transformed Longboat Key’s disaster response. The result was not only a faster recovery but also a community better prepared for the next storm, and the town’s investment in Forerunner demonstrates how strategic technology adoption yields both immediate and long-term returns — operationally and in public trust.
When every minute counts, Forerunner helps towns like Longboat Key reduce staff time, lower stress, and focus on what truly matters: resilience and recovery.
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