Fort Myers Beach Observer/The Beach Bulletin

Fort Myers Beach mayor optimistic about rebuild

o i n g t o b e a w h i l e ” b e f o r e t h e t o w n r e t u r n s t o s o m e s e m b l a n c e o f t h e c o m m u n i t y i t o n c e w a s , ” M u r p h y s a i d “ P e o p l e a r e m a k i n g p r o g r e s s , ” M u r p h y s a i d o n

M o n d a y , a w e e k a n d a h a l f a f t e r t h e h u r r i c a n e b r o u g h t u n p r e c e d e n t e d d e s t r u c t i o n t o F o r t M y e r s B e a c h i n o n e o f t h e w o r s t d i s a s t e r s F l o r i d a h a s e x p e r i e n c e d

F o r t M y e r s B e a c h w a s u t t e r l y d e v a s t e d b y H u r r i c a n e I a n , a n u n t o l d n u m b e r o f h o m e s w e r e c o m p l e t e d r u i n e d , a n d l i v e s w e r e l o s t n o b o d y h a s y e t c o n f i r m e d h o w m a n y M u r p h y k n e w s o m e o f t h e m A f i s h i n g b u d d y , D a y m o n U t t e r b a c k , w a s

a m o n g t h e d e a d U t t e r b a c k , w h o w a s i n h i s 5 0 s , d r o w n e d i n h i s h o m e , w h e r e h e h a

Fort Myers Beach, North Fort Myers men reported missing

By NATHAN MAYBERG

nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Search efforts were under way Friday for a Fort Myers Beach resident and North Fort Myers resident as part of Hurricane Ian search and rescue operations, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno announced

By NATHAN MAYBERG

nmayberg@breezenewspapers

T

Myers Beach

Ian

destruction that human beings are not programmed to process

even comprehend

All Fort Myers Beach residents were able to finally return to their homes Sunday, a week after the island was closed off by the fire department and National Urban Search and Rescue to allow for rescue efforts

Residents who returned were still pro cessing the shock of the storm’s magni tude

“Send help,” said Miramar Street res ident Steve Martin

Every building on Fort Myers Beach

It’s going to take a long time to clean up. Old Fort Myers Beach, our charming little musical island, is never going to be like it was. It’s going to be differ ent now. Hopefully it’s up to us to build it as good as we can

Steve Martin, Fort Myers Beach

James Hurst of Fort Myers Beach and Gary Luke of North Fort Myers both were reported missing as a result of Hurricane Ian, Marceno said. Marceno released photos of the two men, who are both in their 70s

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said there were still more than 600 well being checks remaining though he believes most of those are for people who are safe

Category

storm blamed for more than 50 deaths in Lee County and more than 100 deaths statewide The exact figure for Fort Myers Beach hasn’t yet been released More numbers will arrive down the road how many homes destroyed, how much property damage, but it is safe to say that no building was spared and Fort Myers Beach will never be the

same The cleanup will take months and the recovery will take years

Residents of Miramar Street (left to right) on Fort Myers Beach are Jodi Bellefeuille, Ryan Cavanaugh, Sara Cavanaugh, Laurie Martin, Jacquie Velazquez, Chris Rusk Steve Martin and Jennifer Rusk

“We want to do everything we can to help everyone we can,” Marceno said

“We are asking the media and everybody to look, if you know anybody, if you have any information come forward ”

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office con firmed that more than 100 people remain on Fort Myers Beach, who never left

PHOTOS PROVIDED

ABOVE: James Hurst of Fort Myers Beach BELOW: Gary Luke of North Fort Myers

Ray Murphy

Lani Kai planning to rebuild

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Lani Kai Island Resort, a landmark hotel on Fort Myers Beach for more than 40 years, is still standing after taking 150 mph winds from Hurricane Ian The hotel took on major flooding and significant damage on the ground floor as well as inside its first floor and Sabal Palm Restaurant Its roof and Sun Deck Restaurant also were battered by the Category 4 hurricane

Despite all the beating, Lani Kai Island Resort Marketing Director Melissa Schneider said the Conidaris family, which operates the hotel, plans to rebuild Schneider said the Conidaris family is “currently in the process of bringing out an engineering crew to test the structural integrity of our buildings, and if we are

given the go ahead, we are focused on rebuilding, slow and steady, one step at a time just like Bob Conidaris did when he first built the property ”

Schneider said the family is “encouraged” so far from early inspections of the damage “We want to rebuild,” she said Schneider expects that it will be a slow rebuild

In the meantime, a GoFundMe page has been set up to assist more than 100 workers at the resort who have been affected by the storm Most are out of work and some lost their homes and possessions, Schneider said “All were affected in some way, and a significant amount lost everything they own from it Absolutely devastating,” Schneider said

As of Tuesday, more than $28,000 had been raised f o r t h e L a n i K a i I s l a n d R e s o r t s t a f f t h r o u g h t h e

GoFundMe site at https://tinyurl com/2ontqlzy

Hurricane Ian relief Employees of Lani Kai , organ ized by Kenny Conidaris

This is for hurricane Ian relief for the employees of the Lani Kai wh Kenny Conidaris needs your support for Hurricane Ian relief Employees of Lani Kai tinyurl com

“We are so very grateful for all of the overwhelming love and support we have received from past patrons, guests and friends, who donated a significant amount of funds for the GoFundMe our family set up to help our displaced crew who lost everything in the blink of a hur ricanes eye,” Schneider said

“The island is a wonderful community that comes together to get the job done It’s going to be one step at a time,” Schneider said

Temporary repair made to Sanibel Causeway

STAFF REPORT

Gov Ron DeSantis announced that temporary repairs to the Sanibel Causeway will allow a one time convoy of power restoration equipment, supplies, and crews to access Sanibel Island and continue restoration efforts Once crews are on the island, the Florida Department of Transportation will resume repairs to restore access to the island for residents, which is expected to be complete by the end of this month

The temporary repairs to the bridge will allow more than 200 bucket trucks, 150 line and pickup trucks tow ing 50 trailers and two tractor trailers to move onto the island, along with additional first responders to cross the bridge and aid in recovery efforts while final road repairs are underway This includes crews from across the state, Lee County Electric Cooperative, Florida Power and Light and members of the Florida Electric Cooperative Association

Last week, at DeSantis’ direction, barges began to deploy to move equipment and supplies to Sanibel Island to restore power and ensure wraparound services like run ning water are available as quickly as possible Barges continue to move daily to transport equipment, personnel, and supplies to support recovery operations

Efforts to restore power to Pine Island are also under way

Last week, a temporary bridge to Pine Island was installed, allowing power restoration crews to access the island and begin repairs Led by Duke Energy and LCEC, crews have begun to clear debris, lay new lines and replace power poles By Thursday, LCEC expects to have power restored to one quarter of Pine Island, including the Island’s center, water treatment plant substation and to centrally located grocery stores Power is expected to be restored to one third of the island and the Matlacha area

week

PHOTOS BY ALAN MISHAGA

What’s left of the ground floor of the Lani Kai where the bars used to be, looking northward. Taken the day after the storm.

In this aerial photo made in a flight provided by mediccorps.org, damage from Hurricane Ian is seen on the causeway leading to Sanibel Island from Fort Myers,

e p r o g r e s s a n d t h e d e l a y i n f o l k s g e t t i n g b a c k o n t h e i s l a n d a f t e r t h e f i r e d e p a r t m e n t a n d N a t i o n a l U r b a n S e a r c h a n d R e s c u e T e a m o r d e r e d i t c l o s e d f o r a w e e k t o c o n d u c t s e a r c h a n d r e s c u e o p e r a t i o n s

“ E v e r y b o d y w o u l d h a v e l i k e d t o h a v e b e e n o p e n s o o n e r , ” M u r p h y s a i d M u r p h y s a i d t h e d e c i s i o n o n w h e n t o o p e n t h e i s l a n d b a c k u p “ w a s n o t o u r d e c i s i o n I t w a s t h e d e c i s i o n o f t h e f i r e d i s t r i c t a n d N a t i o n a l U r b a n S e a r c h a n d R e s c u e t e a m s , ” h e s a i d . “ W e c o u l d n ’ t o p e n i t u p u n t i l t h e y g a v e u s t h e g r e e n l i g h t , ” M u r p h y s a i d M u r p h y s a i d t h e i n i t i a l o p e n i n g o f t h e i s l a n d o n S a t u r d a y i n w h i c h a s m a l l p o r t i o n o f t h e t o w n w a s r e o p e n e d b u t w h i c h r e s i d e n t s c o u l d o n l y t r a v e l t o t h e i r h o m e s b y b u s , w a s n o t t h e p l a n o f t h e t o w n B y S u n d a y , t h e t o w n t o o k o v e r d e c i s i o n s o n h o w t h e i s l a n d w i l l r e m a i n o p e n a n d o p e n e d u p t h e e n t i r e i s l a n d t o r e s i d e n t s “ W e r e a l l y j u s t w a n t r e s i d e n t s a n d t h e i r w o r k e r s a n d c o n t r a c t o r s ” o n t h e i s l a n d , M u r p h y s a i d “ D i s a s t e r r e l i e f t e a m s a r e m a k i n g p r o g r e s s c l e a n i n g d e b r i s , ” h e s a i d . F l o r i d a P o w e r & L i g h t i s s t i l l w o r k i n g t o r e s t o r e e l e c t r i c i t y t o t h e i s l a n d , a n d t h e t o w n ’ s w a t e r a n d s e w e r s e r v i c e r e m a i n d o w n T h e r e h a s b e e n c o m p l a i n t s f r o m s o m e i n t o w n t h a t t h e r e h a s b e e n a l a c k o f i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e t o w n ’ s h u r r i c a n e r e s p o n s e a n d p l a n I n r e s p o n s e t o t h o s e s e e k i n g m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t r e c o v e r y e f f o r t s , M u r p h y s a i d h e h a s b e g u n a d a i l y p r e s s r e l e a s e t o p r o v i d e u p d a t e s

T o w n o f F o r t M y e r s B e a c h C o u n c i l m e m b e r J i m A t t e r h o l t w a s o n e o f t h o s e w h o s a i d i n f o r m a t i o n h a d t o b e s h a r e d b e t t e r “ I t s i m p l y m u s t g e t b e t t e r , ” A t t e r h o l t s a i d . “ T h e r e i s a g r e a t d e a l o f p o s i t i v e a c t i v i t y o n m a n y f r o n t s g o i n g o n t o a d d r e s s t h e c h a l l e n g e s p r e s e n t e d b y t h e

Residents who returned to the island Sunday encoun tered tons of debris piled along the streets as they worked to clean out mud filled homes, pick up debris that had made its way to their properties from neighboring homes and businesses

Some homes floated down the road and were stuck in the middle of residential streets

Many of the homes will have to be gutted out, roofs will need to be replaced

Amid swarms of flies and bugs feeding upon the waste left by the hurricane, residents complained about the delay in being allowed back in their homes as mold has grown inside

The good weather since the hurricane was dampened Sunday as an extended, heavy downpour added to the dif ficulties of the recovery efforts

On Miramar Street, where there is a mixture of old cottages and single family homes, residents were opti mistic about the recovery though clearly shocked by the daunting task which lay ahead They put together a sign that stated “We Ain’t Leavin Ian #WeAre FMB ”

For Miramar Street resident Jennifer Rusk, the disas ter has her thinking about others and the community the same way she did before the hurricane when she would stand out at Times Square, Bowditch Point Park and Newton Beach Park handing out pamphlets of informa tion about the environment and Fort Myers Beach plants and birds Those parks are still standing despite heavy flooding from Hurricane Ian but the pamphlets of infor mation Rusk had worked hard to gather over the last year with the assistance of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, J N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Preserve, Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife and was destroyed by the water and mold from Hurricane Ian

“Our house is still standing but no roof and the house will need to be totally gutted I will rebuild it,” Rusk said Water damage flooded out her first floor and damaged most of her second floor as well with water leaking through the roofs and leaving her couches with black mold Her pool and hot tub were destroyed Her backyard

H u r r i c a n e T h e T o w n n e e d s t o b e t t e r s h a r e t h e d e t a i l s o f t h a t a c t i v i t y w i t h t h e p u b l i c A b r a h a m L i n c o l n o n c e s a i d ‘ “ L e t t h e p e o p l e k n o w t h e f a c t s a n d t h e C o u n t r y w i l l b e s a v e d ’ ”

“ T h i s s t i l l a p p l i e s m o r e t h a n e v e r , ” A t t e r h o l t s a i d

M u r p h y , w h o m e t w i t h P r e s i d e n t J o e B i d e n l a s t w e e k w h e n t h e c o m m a n d e r i n c h i e f v i s i t e d F o r t M y e r s B e a c h , s a i d h e w a s g i v e n a s s u r a n c e s t h a t t h e t o w n w o u l d b e g i v e n a l l t h e f e d e r a l r e s o u r c e s i t n e e d e d t o a s s i s t i n i t s r e c o v e r y

“

H e r e a s s u r e d m e t h a t t h e f u l l w e i g h t o f t h e f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t w i l l b e h e r e t o h e l p u s , ” M u r p h y s a i d T h e f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t w i l l b e p r o v i d i n g f u n d i n g a n d r e s o u r c e s t h a t w i l l “ h e l p w i t h t h e c l e a n u p , h e l p w i t h t h e r e b u i l d . ”

T h e t o w n h a s h i r e d c o n t r a c t o r s w o r k i n g t o c l e a n u p t h e d e b r i s , M u r p h y s a i d T h e c o n t r a c t o r s w e r e h i r e d b y T o w n o f F o r t M y e r s B e a c h M a n a g e r R o g e r H e r n s t a d t M u r p h y s a i d H e r n s t a d t h a d w o r k e d w i t h t h e c o n t r a c t o r s b e f o r e M u r p h y b e l i e v e s t h e t o w n h a d e n o u g h p e r s o n n e l w o r k i n g o n t h e c l e a n u p t h o u g h “ w e c a n a l w a y s u s e m o r e p e o p l e , ” h e s a i d

“ D e b r i s r e m o v a l w i l l b e t h e b i g g e s t p a r t o f t h i s r e b u i l d , ” M u r p h y s a i d

A 7 p m c u r f e w r e m a i n s i n p l a c e M u r p h y s a i d t h o s e w h o a r e s t a y i n g o n t h e i s l a n d a n d r e b u i l d i n g a r e b e i n g a s k e d t o s t a y a t h o m e a f t e r 7 p . m . s o t h e y a r e n o t c o n f u s e d f o r t h o s e w h o m a y b e s e e k i n g t o l o o t t h e t o w n “ L a w e n f o r c e m e n t d o e s n ’ t w a n t p e o p l e o u t a n d a b o u t , ” h e s a i d

T h e r e i s a l a r g e c o n t i n g e n c y o f L e e C o u n t y S h e r i f f ’ s O f f i c e d e p u t i e s a n d o t h e r l a w e n f o r c e m e n t a n d e m e r g e n c y r e s p o n d e r s g u a r d i n g t h e i s l a n d T h e r e h a v e b e e n s o m e a r r e s t s f o r l o o t i n g b u t M u r p h y b e l i e v e s t h e i s l a n d i s s a f e “ P e o p l e a r e s a f e , ” h e s a i d

M u r p h y s a i d r e s i d e n t s s h o u l d k e e p t h e d e b r i s f r o m t h e h u r r i c a n e s e p a r a t e f r o m t h e i r c o n s t r u c t i o n d e b r i s a n d h o m e g a r b a g e D e b r i s s h o u l d b e p l a c e d o n t h e f r o n t l a w n s o f p r o p e r t i e s a n d n o t o n t h e r o a d .

“ I t ’ s g o i n g t o t a k e a l o n g t i m e t o r e d e v e l o p t h i s i s l a n d I t ’ s g o i n g t o l o o k d i f f e r e n t , ” M u r p h y s a i d

was turned into overflow from neighboring Key Estero Shops She found a turtle she is trying to save

In a best case scenario, Rusk said it could take six months to rebuild and she does not know where she will live The Federal Emergency Management Agency has begun providing her disaster assistance while she stays at a hotel

Rusk said town residents need help from all sources

Red Cross, food, water, cleaning supplies bleach working heavy duty gloves, safety glasses.

“We’re going to rebuild,” Rusk said regarding her home on Miramar Street Rusk compared Miramar Street to a “warzone,” a description that covered most of the town

Rusk said the impact was “overwhelming, heartbreak ing I am fortunate, I am happy to be alive, I am happy that we made it out and I am sad for the souls of Fort Myers Beach that we lost I am emotional, I am angry,” she said “I am sad for everyone ”

For days, access to Miramar Street was cut off by a v a c a t i o n r e n t a l b u i l d i n g t h a t o n c e f r o n t e d E s t e r o Boulevard and which was carried by the surge of Hurricane Ian into the middle of the road

On Sunday, passage through the road was still diffi cult and blocked by mountains of debris piled high

“This will be a long road of recovery ahead for our community, we will get through this and be better and stronger,” Rusk said Rusk said the good news for Miramar Street residents is that the structures of their homes were in good shape despite massive mud and water damage Mold has begin to accumulate due to the water damage and the delays in residents being able to access their homes to dry and air out the homes

Fort Myers Beach Mayor Ray Murphy said “residents are making progress” and disaster relief teams are mak ing progress but that “it’s going to be a while” before the town returns to a semblance of a community it once was

The good news, Murphy said, is that the town has been given pledges from President Joe Biden and the fed eral government that all help that is needed will be given

“He reassured me that the full weight of the federal

Fort Myers Beach

Elementary significantly damaged by Hurricane Ian

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Fort Myers Beach Elementary School “suffered significant damage” from Hurricane Ian, Lee County Schools Superintendent Dr Christopher Bernier said Tuesday

“We recognize the historical and educational value the school has on Fort Myers Beach and will work with our inspectors, construction partners and the community to determine the next steps We are also committed to the well being of our students and staff,” Bernier stated in an email “Keeping them together as a learning community is a priority as we move forward ”

Lee County Schools spokesperson Robert Spicker said there is water damage “throughout the school and some structural damage to the buildings ”

As for the county’s other schools, Bernier stated “We have initially assessed every one of our schools and buildings and know the condition of each, as we track power and water services at each site We have some schools that are ready to open Others need min imal work Some of our schools will require signifi cant repairs, and as expected, there are a few that have damage beyond repair Building inspectors are now on site to complete a more comprehensive assess ment.

“We are not opening this week, but we certainly are not waiting until January We are actively work ing on plans for the damaged sites that include poten tially relocating students, teachers, and staff We are discussing these plans with the Florida Department of Education and asking for their resources and connec tions to make our district viable as quickly as possi ble We are in the middle of a historic event We are ground zero for Ian We were, and still are, signifi cantly impacted That is not going to stop us from opening schools as soon as possible,” Bernier said

government will be here to help us,” Murphy said Ryan and Sarah Cavanaugh use their home on Miramar Street largely for vacation rentals They have had the home since 2013 and now live on St Kitts most of the year working as teachers of veterinary medicine Their home was built in 1944, making it one of the older h o m e s s t i l l s t a n d i n g o n F o r t M y e r s B e a c h M r s

Cavanaugh said the all impact windows saved the house from being lost though it took a lot of water and mold damage They lost their family photo albums and Mrs Cavanaugh’s wedding dress. “The house is still standing. We’re thankful,” Mr Cavanaugh said Miramar Street residents Steve and Laurie Martin rode out Hurricane Ian from their home and watched as the storm surge reached about 10 feet, flooding the first floor of their residence They had a front row seat to watching the devastation of Hurricane Ian, as it sent a vacation rental building off the ground on Estero Boulevard and dropped it in the middle of the residential street They saw a roof blow off a neighbor’s property and land in between two houses

The couple run a production company, Laurie Star Productions, and have performed music around the coun ty and around the world

“It was quite frightening,” Mr Martin said Asked what he lost in his home, Martin said “our whole first floor,” as well as the landscaping they had worked on around their home for 24 years They lost speakers, recording gear, amplifiers and microphones “We saved our guitars and we saved our sense of humor,” he said

The worst part of the hurricane was the “destruction of the whole island,” Mr Martin said “It’s going to take a long time to clean up Old Fort Myers Beach, our charm ing little musical island, is never going to be like it was It’s going to be different now. Hopefully it’s up to us to build it as good as we can ”

OPINIONS

#SouthwestFloridaStrong

The Sanibel Causeway heavily dam aged, with a 50 to 60 foot section of the A span collapsed and one of the supporting “spoil islands” awash

Matlacha Bridge “the fishingest bridge in the world” breached at its foot

Fort Myers Beach’s iconic Time Square and the Beach pier gone

Cape Coral’s historic Yacht Club pier no more.

Hundreds of houses and a multitude of businesses on Sanibel, Captiva, Pine Island, Matlacha and along Cape Coral’s Gold Coast and all along the Caloosahatchee riverfront and Gulf access canals destroyed or heav ily damaged

Death, injuries and countless lives and livelihoods left behind in the wreckage wrought by Hurricane Ian, which roared ashore on Cayo Costa just shy of a Category 5 hurricane with winds topping 150 mph and catastrophic storm surge estimated as high as 18 feet

Hurricane Ian was Florida’s deadliest hur ricane since the Great Labor Day Hurricane that swept over in the Keys with storm surge of up to 20 feet and winds hitting 183 mph

in 1935, leaving 423 dead Ian’s death toll is e x p e c t e d t o e x c e e d t h a t o f H u r r i c a n e Andrew, which devastated the Miami and Homestead area in 1992, killing 62 in South Florida

As we write this, 123 have been reported dead, including 53 of our neighbors ages 19 to 96 here in Lee County Another 24 died in Charlotte, another six in Sarasota County.

Damage estimates range from $41 billion to $70 billion

We’ve taken a catastrophic hit

We’re suffered a devastating loss

But we will rebuild

It is what we do

It is what we have done when times have been tough and tough they have been for Southwest Florida over the last couple of decades

Hurricane Charley hit us hard in 2004, also coming ashore at Cayo Costa, with Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel and Captiva heavily damaged

We built back

We were the epicenter when the real estate bubble bust nationwide, spawning the

This will not define us

you find peace in the d a y s a n d w e e k s t o come If I can help, I'm here

This will not define us One thing a storm has no ability to steal is who we are and we will overcome this

We b Po ll

Previous Web Poll Question

you support the Town of Fort Myers Beach constructing a new Bay Oaks building and raising fees at Bay Oaks?

support a new building and higher Bay Oaks fees

the new Bay Oaks building and keep fees

the new Bay Oaks building

don't raise fees

higher Bay Oaks

Current Web Poll Question

you think the new Bayside Park renovations

r v i c e f o l k s w h o s e p a t c h e s g r a c e d o u r w a l l s a t T h e P i e r P e d d l e r , I p r a y t h e y l a n d e d g r a c e f u l l y a t s e a

Anita Cereceda

Guest Commentary

As devastated as I am, how could I be anything but extraordinarily grateful f o r t h e b l e s s i n g s t h a t h a v e b e e n bestowed upon me by this community for so many years?

I pray that each and every one of

worth

W h o w e a r e a s a c o m m u n i t y i s n o t a hotel or a restaurant or a store or even a home Is i t g u t w r e n c h i n g l y painful, yes Will it defeat us? Hell No

For all my friends and neighbors, we will band together and help one another get through t h i s b e c a u s e W E a r e Fort Myers Beach and t o g e t h e r , w e a r e a greater force than any hurricane

You are in my prayers and always in my heart #WeAreFMB

Anita Cereceda is a former Mayor of Fort Myers Beach

Great Recession in 2006

We hung tough, building back livelihoods and businesses to create an economy that was stronger than ever

H u r r i c a n e I r m a g a v e u s a w a c k i n

September of 2017, causing $829 million in damages throughout Lee County Cape Coral saw significant losses along its canal fronts where miles of seawalls collapsed due to receding and returning waters.

We built back

And we will build back, have, in fact begun to do so

In the grieving wake of loss of life

From the little to nothing left of lives lived in homes and businesses no longer standing

From the memory of what we, as a com munity, as a region, can be

And will be again

#SanCapStrong

#FortMyersBeachStrong

#PineIslandStrong

#CapeCoralStrong

#LeeCountyStrong

#SouthwestFloridaStrong

Letter to the Editor

Looking for leadership

To the editor:

Everyone (specifically Town Council and Fort Myers Beach Fire Commissioners)… I understand that this is a major disaster, but the communication on Estero Island, incorporated Fort Myers Beach, is ter rible

I am in contact with a lot of people who are look ing for help and/or information who don’t have inter net, tv, and even their phone service is hit/miss There are no hotels, rental cars are hard to come by, so peo ple are staying on island in their homes, with neigh bors, or what’s left of their homes waiting on their insurance adjusters so they can move forward I have been texting some of you questions to forward to the people contacting me, but you have got to step up your game I understand some of you have lost your homes, but so have so many

Today, we need communication we need you all to be on the same page If you are not up for this task, please step down As a lifetime local, I know my “boots on the ground” firefighters, paramedics etc I know they are concerned about the residents they serve on the island Let them check on people, let us give our first responders a hug and thank them for all the crap they’re going thru right now Send the tax paid BASE/Code employees and yourselves down

We want your opinion

Safety and recovery resources for Fort Myers Beach

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Town of Fort Myers Beach has released a com prehensive list of safety and recovery resources for Fort Myers Beach residents returning to the island

The Town of Fort Myers Beach remains open to resi dents, property owners and business owners, claims adjusters and others that need to be on the island, a news

Oaks Campus, the Fort Myers Beach Pool, Mound House and Newton Beach Park notice

Disaster Recovery Centers are open at these locations:

∫ Joseph P D’Allesandro Office Complex

15290 Bass Road, Fort Myers

∫ Lakes Regional Library

2295 Victoria Ave., Fort Myers

any waterways due to dangerous pollutants There are physical, chemical, biological and bacterial contaminants going into our waterways right now and avoiding contact with flood waters, rivers and gulf/bay waters is advised

WI FI and phone charging

Verizon has set up a resource trailer with wi fi and charging stations next to the town hall

M y e

s B e a c h Communications Director Jennifer Dexter stated

"There is no power on the island, no water or waste water service and no trash pickup Internet and cellular service is not at full strength Many structures are destroyed, and most are unsafe to enter Big Carlos Pass Bridge remains closed. Portable toilets are available at regular intervals along Estero Boulevard," the town’s release stated

Residents should plan to leave the island before 7 p m , according to the press release Fort Myers Beach Mayor Ray Murphy clarified that those who are staying on the island in homes or who are rebuilding, are asked to abide by the 7 p m curfew in order to not be mixed up with any potential looters It is not clear what the penalty is The town has been in a state of emergency since the town council voted to do so Sept 26, two days before the hurricane, extending emergency powers to Town of Fort Myers Beach Manager Roger Hernstadt.

A temporary town hall complex is set up in trailers next to the damaged town hall All other town facilities are closed including Matanzas Pass Mooring Field, Bay

Food/water

World Chef Kitchen is serving meals at 2525 Estero Blvd, just outside the Town Hall complex Lunch and dinner meals are free

Tarps for roofs

You can get a free tarp for your roof by contracting the Army Corps of Engineers “Blue Roof Program ” Call 1 800 ROOF BLUE to register

Permits and inspections

The island was covered in 12 18 feet of salt water from the storm surge The structural integrity of many homes and buildings is compromised The electrical sys tems of most structures on the island are damaged

Permits and inspections will be required before power will be turned back on to individual structures Details on required permits and inspections will be made available on the town’s website and social media channels

Water safety

The town strongly urges residents to avoid going into

Contractors

The town urges residents to check the credentials of any contractor you are considering hiring It is a felony in Florida to conduct unlicensed contracting during a S t a t e o f E m e r g e n c y D o n ’ t b e c o m e a v i c t i m

MyFloridaLicense com The town recommends property owners use locally licensed contractors

Debris removal

When clearing out flooded homes, residents should place debris near the curb for pickup, but not in the street It’s important to keep streets clear for traffic to move freely It’s also important that vehicles do not block streets or hinder critical services like debris pickup

Storm recovery resources

Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams from FEMA will be on the island in the coming days to help people regis ter for federal disaster assistance Residents can also reg ister online at disasterassistance gov or on the phone at 1 800 621 3362

List of Fort Myers Beach damaged streets

Letter

From page 4

each street with information to see if your constituents need help charging a phone, knowing where services are, when and how the debris from the roads and canals etc will be cleaned up people are getting different information from different out lets and people.

It’s local election time, so you can’t trust bias social media blogs We need YOU to get to the islanders with accurate

information and get the accurate info to the real news so those with access to TV can watch, or those with access to internet can read, those with radio can listen

You closed the island for a long time, unlike other barrier islands in the county, then opened it up to EVERYONE at the same time No ID checks (Please do not blame the LCSO, YOU should have a town employee or council member at the

checkpoints assisting) Property owners, insurance adjusters, contractors are now having a hard time coming and going for work and transport supplies because of the looky loos you are allowing Give us time to digest this disaster and clean our properties before you invite the entire public

If the county will have us, PLEASE ask for their assistance with all of this

If I can help in any way please let me know I am trying to clean my own prop erty and get my shrimp boat back in the water, work with all my insurance people myself I am no longer an elected offi cial, but I am an islander who cares about my neighbors

Thank you, Tracey Gore

Fort Myers Beach

NATHAN MAYBERG

of

on the

Fort Myers Beach storm damage

LEFT: The 150 mph winds of Hurricane Ian blew out the windows of Winds Family Beachwear at the intersection of Old San Carlos Boulevard and Fifth Street, leaving the Fort Myers Beach store in tatters.

Mango Bay, a Fort Myers Beach landmark at the intersection of Old San Carlos Boulevard and Estero Boulevard, was still standing after Hurricane Ian but took a heavy beating inside ALL PHOTOS BY NATHAN MAYBERG

debris

Town

Fort Myers Beach

The shipping and yacht storage sector on Main Street on San Carlos Island was devasted by Hurricane Ian.

A boat turned over on Main Street in Fort Myers Beach.

Ruined boats blocked the sidewalks and streets of San Carlos Island, where they washed up after Hurricane Ian.

Gulf Marine Yachtworks on Main Street on San Carlos Island, was battered by Hurricane Ian

A mobile home park on San Carlos Island, near the bottom of the Matanzas Pass Bridge, was turned upside down by Hurricane Ian. ALL PHOTOS BY NATHAN MAYBERG

LEFT: A sign for the intersection of Crescent Street and Estero Boulevard lays amid rubble next to the Margaritaville construction site on Fort Myers Beach

ABOVE: A turtle washed up on the property of Jennifer Rusk on Miramar Street Rusk was doing her best to care for the turtle

Almost nothing was left of the Red Coconut. RV Park.

The Town of Fort Myers Beach Fire Department off Donora Boulevard took damage to its garage.

Chapel by the Sea Presbyterian Church took devastating damage to its building from Hurricane Ian.

A torn flag was still standing on the northern end of Fort Myers Beach though entire homes had washed away.

Ryan Cavanaugh and Sara Cavanaugh assess the damage to their home on Miramar Street. Mrs. Cavanaugh said she lost her wedding dress and photo albums during Hurricane Ian.

The Town of Fort Myers Beach Town Hall (above)

ripped

by Hurricane Ian Town staff

parking lot

PHOTOS BY NATHAN MAYBERG

Scenes like this one, off Estero Boulevard, were common througout the north side of Fort Myers Beach, with some whole sections of Fort Myers Beach being wiped out by Hurricane Ian.

Hurricane Ian destroyed an untold number of homes on Fort Myers Beach and also killed an undisclosed number of people While 56 deaths have been reported in Lee County from Hurricane Ian, no figure has yet been released for Fort Myers Beach

Jennifer Rusk lost most of what was in her home due to flooding, though she was able to save her father ’s acoustic guitar

Miramar Street was hit particularly hard on Fort Myers Beach, with a home washing down the middle of the street

Emergency respon ders from around the state and country have been assisting Fort Myers Beach Beach in its recovery efforts. Trailers have been set up at the former Topps parking lot next to town hall off Estero Boulevard

It’s important to submit an SBA loan application

TALLAHASSEE

FEMA may refer survivors of Hurricane Ian to the U S Small Business Administration with information on how to apply for a disaster loan Homeowners, renters, business owners and certain non profits may be eligible It’s important to submit the loan application as soon as possible.

If your application is approved, you are not obligated to accept an SBA loan but failure to return the application may disqualify you from other possible financial assis tance from FEMA and State of Florida

SBA disaster loans are the largest source of federal disaster recovery funds for survivors SBA offers long term, low interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes,

Assessing damage to your home and business following Hurricane Ian

LCEC urges customers remaining without power to inspect damage to their home or business as a result of Hurricane Ian. It is essential to understand what LCEC is responsible for and what the customer is responsible for

Use caution and be aware of possible downed power lines Visually inspect the electric facilities that bring power into your home or business This includes the weather head, the riser conduit that covers the wires, and the meter can. If there is damage, a licensed electrician must make repairs If water has entered the home through flooding or rainwater seep ing into the walls around electric wiring, a licensed electrician should inspect to determine potential dam age.

If overhead electric lines power the home or busi ness, keep the following in mind when inspecting and planning for repairs:

LCEC is responsible for:

∫ Service drop these are the wires running from our pole to your home

∫ Electric meter this device measures your elec tricity usage in kilowatt hours

Customers own and are responsible for repairing:

∫ Weatherhead and insulator this is located where our electric lines connect to your home

∫ Service entrance cable this wire extends from your weatherhead to the meter and from the meter to the fuse box or circuit breaker

∫ Meter can your electric meter is mounted in this box

∫ Fuse box and circuit breaker box this is the service panel that houses your fuses or circuit breaker

∫ Wiring this is the interior wiring that moves electricity through your home

It is important to remember that:

∫ Restoring power to damaged facilities could cause a fire

∫ Once repaired, customer owned electric systems must be inspected by local government officials before power can be restored

∫ LCEC repairs damage to the electric grid facili ties and electric meters Customers are responsible for repairs to the meter box, including pipes and wires coming into and out of the box as well as the house

∫ If your home or business has structural damage or water intrusion, turn off your electricity at the breaker panel

Customers and line workers alike plan an impor tant role in the safety and reliability of electric serv ice. For restoration updates, safety tips and more, visit lcec net

private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters

SBA disaster loans cover losses not fully compensat ed by insurance or other resources Survivors should not wait for an insurance settlement before submitting an SBA loan application They may discover they were underinsured for the deductible, labor and materials required to repair or replace their home

You may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via the SBA’s secure website at dis asterloanassistance sba gov/ or by visiting a Disaster Recovery Center Paper applications may be requested by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at 800 659 2955 If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a

speech disability, please dial 7 1 1 to access telecommu nications relay services or send an email to disastercus tomerservice@sba gov There is no cost to apply for an SBA disaster loan

SBA disaster loan specialists are available to speak with homeowners and renters at all Florida Disaster Recovery Centers, which are open seven days a week from 9 a m until 6 p m

Homeowners may be eligible for a disaster loan up to $200,000 for primary residence structural repairs or rebuilding SBA may also be able to help homeowners and renters with up to $40,000 to replace important per s o n a l p r o p e r t y , i n c l u d i n g a u t o m o b i l e s d a m a g e d o r destroyed in the disaster

For the latest information on Florida’s recovery from H u r r i c a n e I a n , v i s i t f l o r i d a d i s a s t e r o r g

fema gov/disaster/4673 Follow FEMA on Twitter at FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / Twitter and at face book com/fema

Insurance resources for businesses after Ian

H u r r i c a n e I a n ’ s i m p a c t f o r e v e r c h a n g e d t h e F l o r i d a c o m m u n i t i e s i n i t s p a t h , a n d i t s d a m a g e i s s t i l l b e i n g e v a l u a t e d a s r e s c u e e f f o r t s c o n t i n u e . T h e r e s i l i e n c e o f F l o r i d a w i l l b e s u p p o r t e d b y t h e s t a t e ’ s i n s u r a n c e c o m m u n i t y , i n c l u d i n g s u r p l u s l i n e s i n s u r a n c e c o v e r i n g m o r e t h a n 7 , 5 0 0 f l o o d p o l i c i e s f o r p e o p l e a n d b u s i n e s s e s i n L e e , C h a r l o t t e a n d C o l l i e r c o u n t i e s ( a c c o r d i n g t o 2 0 2 1 d a t a ) T h e F l o r i d a S u r p l u s L i n e s A s s o c i a t i o n i s h e l p i n g t o h i g h l i g h t a v a i l a b l e r e s o u r c e s f o r f a m i l i e s a n d b u s i n e s s e s i n t h e r e c o v e r y p r o c e s s

“ S u r p l u s l i n e s a g e n t s a n d p a r t n e r s t h r o u g h o u t t h e s t a t e a r e d e e p l y s a d d e n e d b y t h e c a t a s t r o p h i c d a m a g e c a u s e d b y H u r r i c a n e I a n , ” s a i d F S L A P r e s i d e n t E l e c t D a v e D e M o t t , C P C U , A M I M , A R M , A U , o f G r i d I r o n I n s u r a n c e U n d e r w r i t e r s . “ W e s t a n d w i t h t h e p e o p l e a n d b u s i n e s s e s o f S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a a n d a r e r e a d y t o h e l p a i d a n d a s s i s t w i t h t h e r e b u i l d i n g o f c o m m u n i t i e s A s a f i r s t s t e p , w e u r g e p o l i c y h o l d e r s t o d o c u m e n t d a m a g e a n d c o n n e c t w i t h t h e i r a g e n t s i f y o u c a n n o t f i n d y o u r p o l i c y , c o n t a c t y o u r i n s u r e r o r t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f F i n a n c i a l S e r v i c e s ( D F S ) h e l p l i n e ”

F o r a s s i s t a n c e w h e n f i l i n g p o s t s t o r m c l a i m s , Floridians can call 1 877 MY FL CFO (693 5236) or visit www MyFloridaCFO com FSLA has rounded up tips and resources for businesses regarding ways to safe ly operate after a storm at https://www myfsla com/hur ricanes/.

“The state has also coordinated several in person cen ters where Floridians can file claims, receive immediate checks and learn more about the options and resources available in the rebuilding process,” added DeMott

I n s u r a n c e c a r r i e r s w i l l b e o n h a n d t o a s s i s t r e s i d e n t s w i t h t h e i n s u r a n c e c l a i m s p r o c e s s a t d e s i g n a t e d D F S I n s u r a n c e V i l l a g e s C u r r e n t l y , t h a t i n c l u d e s t h e

P o r t C h a r l o t t e I n i t i a l P a y m e n t C e n t e r i n t h e P o r t C h a r l o t t e T o w n C e n t e r ( P a r k i n g L o t ) , 1 4 4 1 T a m i a m i T r a i l , P o r t C h a r l o t t e , F l a , 3 3 9 4 8 , o p e n d a i l y f r o m 8 a m 6 p m

I n a r e l e a s e , D F S u r g e d p o l i c y h o l d e r s t o b r i n g a s m u c h d o c u m e n t a t i o n a s t h e y c a n , i n c l u d i n g i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , i n s u r a n c e c a r d s / i n f o r m a t i o n a n d p i c t u r e s o r d o c u m e n t a t i o n o f t h e p r o p e r t y b e i n g c l a i m e d a s a l o s s

H e l p f u l r e s o u r c e s f o r b u s i n e s s e s c a n a l s o b e f o u n d a t t h e s t a t e ’ s D i s a s t e r R e c o v e r y C e n t e r , l o c a t e d a t t h e L a k e s R e g i o n a l L i b r a r y , 1 5 2 9 0 B a s s R o a d , F o r t M y e r s , F l a , 3 3 9 1 9 , o p e n d a i l y f r o m 9 a m 6 p m H e r e , F l o r i d i a n s c a n e x p l o r e t h e s t a t e a g e n c i e s , p a r t

e r s a n d

i

Patronis

Division of

Emergency Management

Department of Economic

of Florida’s

Department of Business

Department of Children

Families

Department of Veterans’ Affairs

Office of Insurance Regulation

Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

Florida,

of

Business Administration

Floridians to avoid

they see it:

About FSLA

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s s o c i a t i o n ( F S L A ) i s a n a s s o c i a t i o n r e p r e s e n t i n g e x c e s s a n d s u r p l u s l i n e s a g e n c y m e m b e r f i r m s a n d a s s o c i a t e m e m b e r s i n F l o r i d a O v e r t h e p a s t 6 0 y e a r s , F S L A h a s p r o m o t e d t h e r e g u l a t o r y a n d l e g i s l a t i v e i n t e r e s t s o f F S L A m e m b e r s a n d t h e F l o r i d a s u r p l u s l i n e s i n d u s t r y , w i t h a f o c u s o n s u p p o r t i n g o p p o r t u n i t i e s a n d i n s u r i n g r i s k s t h r o u g h o u t F l o r i d a T h e F l o r i d a S u r p l u s L i n e s A s s o c i a t i o n s e r v e s a s a v o i c e a n d a r e s o u r c e f o r i t s m e m b e r s a n d i s c o n s i s t e n t l y r e c o g n i z e d f o r b e i n g o n e o f t h e m o s t a c t i v e i n t h e n a t i o n , r a n k i n g a m o n g t h e t o p t h r e e s u r p l u s l i n e s a s s o c i a t i o n s i n t h e c o u n t r y L e a r n m o r e a t w w w m y F S L A c o m

WHAT

CATCH!

Capt. Dave’s Fishing Tips

Fishing tip #1 : I don’t fish exclusively for tarpon because they are so unpre dictable; however, if you do target tarpon, I would suggest you wait until the tarpon jumps He will jump as soon as he picks up the bait and feels the hook Then, give him some slack and bow to the jumps When the fish goes back in the water, give a few good hook sets I would suggest using a medium/heavy rod If you use a rod that is too light, you will not be able to maintain the pressure needed to keep the hook set: This is also not good for the fish because you will not be able to get him to the boat fast enough to prevent complete ly exhausting him

i s t o t u r n o n y o u r b o t t o m m a c h i n e a n d d r i v e a r o u n d i n d e p t h s o f 3 0 t o 4 5 f e e t T h e r e a r e s m a l l s t r i p s o f l e d g e , a n d h o n e y h o l e s , a l l o v e r t h e g u l f I w o u l d s u g g e s t y o u s t a r t a t l o c a l l y k n o w n a r e a s , t h e n w o r k y o u r w a y a w a y f r o m t h e m . D o n o t l o o k f o r m a j o r s t r u c t u r e , a s m o s t o f t h e s t r u c t u r e a r o u n d h e r e i s l e s s t h a n 2 f o o t h i g h I f y o u s t a r t c a t c h i n g s m a l l f i s h , t h a t i s a g o o d s i g n t h a t t h e b i g g e r o n e s a r e i n t h e a r e a t o f e e d

Capt. Dave Hanson

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Angler Jack Eaves with a 14 inch sheepshead, one of three this size he and his friends caught on shrimp in southern Estero Bay on a recent inshore Fishbuster Charter.

Angler Kathryn Barnes with a 15-inch sheepshead, caught on shrimp in southern Estero Bay on an inshore Fishbuster Charter.

Angler Kathryn Barnes with a 26-inch redfish, caught on shrimp in southern Estero Bay on an inshore Fishbuster Charter.

Angler Kathryn Barnes with a 13 inch mangrove snapper, caught on shrimp in southern Estero Bay on an inshore Fishbuster Charter