When Hurricane Helene inundated a Shore Acres home with three and a half feet of water, resident Danny Fustar saw more than just loss—he saw an opportunity to help his neighbors. Together with a business partner, Fustar founded Dam It Defense, a company that designs and installs custom flood barriers for homeowners throughout St. Petersburg and beyond.
How the system works
Dam It Defense’s product resembles the commercial AquaFence system used at Tampa General Hospital, but it is engineered for residential use. Made from high‑grade aluminum, the barriers can be built up to ten feet tall, providing a flexible shield for garages, windows, doors, or entire properties. Fustar explained, “The system that you see at Tampa General is very similar to this system, made of the same grades of aluminum. We have found the solution for the residential side where they found the solutions for the commercial and large‑scale side. Although we’re delving into that as well now.”
Cost and adoption
Installation prices range from $500 to $3,000, depending on the size and complexity of the project. So far, at least forty Shore Acres homeowners have installed the barriers, and the company reports roughly 1,000 installations nationwide. The product has undergone hydrostatic pressure testing at a facility in Indiana and proved effective during a heavy rain event at a client’s home in Miami.
Growth beyond Florida
Fustar says demand is expanding rapidly. “We have expanded really across all of Florida. Now, we have started shipping to Michigan. We are now shipping to California. We have customers in Canada reaching out to us. We have shipped to the Bahamas. So, we’re definitely expanding,” he noted. While the company has confirmed orders in Canada and the Bahamas, the total number of international requests remains unclear.
Why homeowners are choosing barriers
Some St. Petersburg residents are opting to elevate entire houses to avoid future storm surge, but many prefer the quicker, less invasive solution of perimeter barriers. For families displaced by Helene’s flooding, a barrier that can be installed in days offers immediate peace of mind without the expense and disruption of a full home elevation.
Looking ahead
Dam It Defense plans to continue scaling its operations, targeting additional markets on the West Coast and in the Midwest. The company’s focus remains on providing a reliable, affordable defense against rising waters, helping families protect the places they call home.
The story was compiled from an interview with co‑founder Danny Fustar conducted by FOX13’s Briona Arradondo.
Original reporting: Tampa Bay Florida News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
