Sanibel Island Reporter/Islander

Following evacuations, recovery efforts begin on islands

By TIFFANY REPECKI trepecki@breezenewspapers com

In the days after Hurricane Ian made landfall near Cayo Costa as a Category 4 storm, those who had remained on Sanibel and Captiva were being evacuated to the mainland by helicopter, boat and ferry

P a r t s o f t h e S a n i b e l C a u s e w a y , including a section of the bridge, had been washed away

On Sept 28 at about 3 p m , the storm came ashore with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph, just shy of the 157 or higher mph required to make it a Category 5 According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, it brought intense winds and heavy rainfall, including storm surge with an unprecedented inun dation of 12 to 18 feet above ground level in Lee County and along the coastline

See RECOVERY, page 8

T h e o n l y r o a d w a y a c c e s s t o Sanibel and Captiva, the Sanibel Causeway sustained damage in several parts including a sec tion of the bridge washing away — f r o m H u r r i c a n e I a n . T h e Category 4 storm made landfall on Sept. 28 near Cayo Costa with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph

A damaged causeway to Sanibel Island is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, near Sanibel Island.

Temporary repairs to causeway enable one-time convoy

On Oct 11, 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 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 the month

The temporary repairs to the bridge will allow over 200 bucket trucks, 150 line and pickup trucks towing 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 It includes crews from across the state, Lee County Electric Cooperative, Florida Power and Light and members of the Florida Electric Cooperative Association

Last week, barges began to deploy to move equipment and supplies to Sanibel to restore power and ensure wraparound serv ices are available as quickly as possible Barges continue to move daily to transport equipment, personnel and supplies to sup port recovery operations

LCEC gives update on restoration, heads to islands

On Oct 11, LCEC reported that it had restored power to most of its 240,586 customers who were able to receive power, with the exception of those on Sanibel and Captiva, along with Pine Island

Efforts to restore the remaining customers were under way, utilizing more than 1,000 utility personnel on the mainland and hundreds of FPL and Duke Energy workers on the islands and Pine Island

“LCEC is focused on restoring power to each and every customer, including those on the barrier islands,” officials reported “LCEC, state and local officials and an army of restoration partners share the same mission to restore power as quickly as possible for all of our mem bers ”

On Oct. 10, LCEC and its mutual aid partners restored power to thousands of customers in Cape Coral and North Fort Myers, bringing total customers out of service in Lee County to less than 5 percent, excluding Sanibel Captiva and Pine Island

LCEC reported that the current complement of crews from mutual aid partners will remain on restoration

AP PHOTO/WILFREDO LEE

LCEC

The LCEC Command Center heads to Sanibel via barge on Oct. 10. It was accompanied by plan ners, restoration coordinators, engineers, information technology and other experts to assist in the restoration of the major destruction of electrical infrastructure caused by Hurricane SIan

AP PHOTO/WILFREDO LEE

City: Updated damage assessment map and on-island vehicle use

The city of Sanibel reported that Lee County updated the Hurricane Ian Damage Assessment Map

To view it, visit https://experience arcgis com /experience/27c1613132ac4bbf91c17f203b66ff0b

The information will also be on

i t y ’ s w e b s i t e a t

MySanibel com

The city also reported that as of Oct 9, people who have working vehi cles on the island may operate that vehicle on Sanibel with the following nditions:

Residents may not bring a vehicle on the island at this time

Residents who operate a vehicle must have their hurricane re entry pass hanging from the rearview mirror

∫ Speed limits are 30 mph on most streets and 35 mph on Periwinkle Way and Sanibel Captiva Road However, Florida law requires motorists to drive in a s a f e m a n n e r t o m e e t t h e r o a d w a y c o n d i t i o n s Motorists are asked to drive slowly as the roadways may be congested with pedestrians, bicyclists and heavy equipment Police will enforce traffic regula tions

∫ Gasoline stations are not open on the island

Staying safe as power is restored to your home or business

By LCEC

Safely restoring power to your home and/or business following any hurricane is extensive

After returning to your home and/or business, cus tomers must assess damage and perform clean up and repairs which can be difficult. Make that time safe and productive by following these tips:

∫ If your electrical equipment has gotten wet or is near water, turn off the power at the main breaker If you must enter water to access the main switch, call an elec trician to turn it off

∫ Do not turn electrical equipment back on until it has been inspected by a qualified electrician

∫ Stay clear of downed power lines, as they may still be energized and dangerous Puddles of water contacting downed lines are just as dangerous

Do not trim trees or remove debris located near downed power lines

∫

∫ If you must remove debris from in or around your home, do not pile it under or near electrical lines or equipment

∫

If appliances were on when the power was lost, make sure all appliances are turned off If left on, they could pose fire hazards when the power is restored

∫

Refrain from using candles and instead, use a bat tery operated flashlight as an alternative light source

∫ Do not re freeze food once it begins to thaw

∫ Do not use tap water until it is safe Boil water before drinking until you receive official word that the water is safe

For more ways to stay safe around electricity, visit lcec.net.

FEMA assistance, more available in Southwest Florida

On Oct. 8, the city of Sanibel reported that FEMA issued a lengthy news release detailing the federal assis tance to Hurricane Ian sur vivors since the federal disas ter declaration The various forms of assistance include: temporary housing; essential home repairs; and other unin sured and underinsured dis aster related losses

Among the key messages were the fol lowing:

∫ FEMA will pay hotel and motel costs for eligible survivors from counties

hardest hit by Ian. FEMA and the state of Florida has acti vated the Transitional Shelter Assistance Program, provid ing eligible support for sur vivors FEMA makes the pay ments directly to participating hotel and motels in Alabama, Florida and Georgia that pro vide emergency shelter to sur vivors

∫ FEMA and its state partners are o p e r a t i n g D i s a s t e r R e c o v e r y C e n t e r s acr o s s th e s tate Th ey ar e acces s ib le offices staffed by state, federal and volun teer organizations that let everyone access

recovery information. For more informa t i o n a n d l o c a t i o n s , v i s i t FloridaDisaster org

∫ Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available Floridians should file a claim for loss of income caused by Ian by going to Disaster Unemployment Assistance at FloridaJobs org and selecting “Apply for Hurricane Ian DUA,” visiting a local CareerSource Career Center, or calling 800 385 3920 Customer service repre sentatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

∫ Operation Blue Roof is a free serv ice to homeowners Residents impacted by Ian can sign up at BlueRoof us or call

toll free at 1 888 ROOF BLU (1 888 766 3258) for more information The call center will be open from 8 a m to 8 p m

∫ National Flood Insurance Program Florida policyholders who had flood dam age from the hurricane have a 90 day window to renew their policies The extension applies to policies with renewal dates beginning Aug 25 through Oct 23 Policyholders whose policy renewal date is in the range should contact their agent o r i n s u r a n c e c o m p a n y F E M A a l s o extended the proof of loss requirement for flood insurance policyholders in Florida who suffered flood damage from Ian from 60 days to 365 days

Search-and-rescue efforts shift to search-and-recovery operations

Lee County Government and its pub

and cellular

barrier islands

LCEC reported that it is partnering with Crown Castle to provide a Verizon connection through the fiber optic cables from the LCEC transmission line in Cape Coral The focus of the collaboration is to restore Internet and cel lular service to Pine Island and Sanibel Captiva

LCEC is also working with Comcast and Lumen to provide access to the islands through LCEC fiber optic circuits The work with the Verizon towers is anticipated to be completed in very near future.

LCEC reported that it is proud to work in unison with the companies to enable them to quickly restore Internet and cellular service to the islands after their facilities were ravaged during Hurricane Ian

search and rescue efforts would shift to search and recovery operations begin ning on Oct 9

It means that the 11 federal and six state Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams deployed to the county immedi ately following Hurricane Ian would demobilize during the next few days

Local public safety agencies will shift operations to recovery of human remains

The public should not enter unsafe hurricane damaged structures, particu

larly in the hard hit Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, portions of Cape Coral and additional coastal areas.

Law enforcement requests that any one who encounters human remains leave them as they are and immediately call 9 1 1

Distant friends and family who are still searching for loved ones they have lost contact with can use the Emergency Services Request Form from the Florida Division of Emergency Management to request help Local residents also can use the form to ask for help For the form, visit https://missing.fl.gov/es.

“This is challenging news to convey to our community as we still grapple with this Category 4 storm that caused so much damage here, but shifting operations like this is part of the process and is a step toward our recovery,” Lee County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Cecil Pendergrass said

Recovery updates and resources can be found from Lee County government on Hurricane Ian by following @Lee County Government on Facebook or at www facebook com/leecountyflbocc

More information is available at www.leegov.com/storm.

Mobilization of linemen underway on Sanibel

On Oct 9, the city of S a n i b e l r e p o r t e d t h a t the mobilization of 500 linemen was underway on Sanibel to assist in the restoration of power f o l l o w i n g t h e m a j o r destruction of electrical i n f r a s t r u c t u r e b y Hurricane Ian

OF SANIBEL

County offices, some sites reopen post-Hurricane Ian

Lee County offices and operations reopened for business today, Oct 12, although some locations remain unavail able for typical operation due to storm damage or use as a recovery site

Most county business offices will be open at their regular locations However, t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f C o m m u n i t y Development continues to operate its per mitting office from 9 a m to 4 p m daily a t t h e L e e C o u n t y A d m i n i s t r a t i o n Building, at 2115 Second St , Fort Myers

Libraries

The following libraries opened and will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a m to 5 p m :

∫ Bonita Springs Public Library, at 10560 Reynolds St , Bonita Springs

∫ Cape Coral Public Library, at 921 SW 39th Terrace, Cape Coral

∫ East County Regional Library, at 881 Gunnery Road N , Lehigh Acres

∫ North Fort Myers Public Library, at 2 0 0 1 N T a m i a m i T r a i l , N o r t h F o r t Myers

∫ South County Regional Library, at 21100 Three Oaks Parkway, Estero

Talking Books Library, at

Myers

Lee

Also resuming service will be the Telephone and Virtual Reference depart ment which can be reached at 479 4636 or via live chat, email, and text service. Visit Leelibrary net/help for contact infor mation

S e r v i c e s i n c l u d e w i f i , c o m p u t e r access, mobile printing and curbside holds pickup. Due dates have been extended until Nov 15 Exterior book drops will be available at open locations only

The following libraries remain closed at this time: Johann Fuest Community L i b r a r y , C a p t i v a M e m o r i a l L i b r a r y , Dunbar Jupiter Hammon Library, Fort Myers Regional Library, Lakes Regional Library, Northwest Regional Library and Pine Island Public Library

Parks & Recreation

Lee County Parks & Recreation staff have completed initial assessments of locations and are beginning to remediate and repair damage Park opening and closings may be intermittent and some areas within the parks may open while other areas may remain closed. Use cau tion and avoid any areas marked off with tape

Recreation centers remain closed

Beaches

The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a county wide precau tionary swim advisory for all public beaches and swimming pools and advising the public not to enter the water due to the possible increase of waterborne illnesses

The water quality has been affected by Hurricane Ian and at this time, swimming is not recommended

A significant amount of debris remains on area beaches, including debris buried under shallow sand and not immediately visible It may be extremely dangerous Recreational visits to area beaches are not recommended

Boat ramps

All Lee County Parks & Recreation boat ramps remain closed until further notice as the facilities and surrounding w a t e r w a y s a r e a s s e s s e d R e c r e a t i o n a l boaters are strongly advised to avoid the area due to potentially unsafe conditions

The U S Coast Guard offers the fol lowing information for boaters:

∫ Boaters are asked to stay off the water unless you are playing a critical role in the response. This is not a time for disaster sightseeing Responders are actively

engaged in restoring our waterways and maritime infrastructure You can help by steering clear

∫ Normal transit routes may be haz ardous Buoys, dayboards and other aids to navigation may be out of place and shifted by the hurricane Water depths may be shallower than charted due to s h i f t i n g s a n d s a n d s h o a l s . I f y o u encounter a buoy or navigational marker missing or out of place, report it to Coast Guard Sector St Petersburg at 727 824 7506, or utilize the Coast Guard app, a v a i l a b l e f o r d o w n l o a d f o r i O S o r Android users

∫ The Coast Guard is working dili gently to assess pollution threats in the maritime environment including oil spills a n d h a z a r d o u s m a t e r i a l r e l e a s e s t h a t resulted from Hurricane Ian We ask the public report observations of oil spills and h a z a r d o u s m a t e r i a l r e l e a s e s t o t h e National Response Center at 800 424 8802 Residents are asked to not make duplicate reports to the NRC

Additional post Hurricane Ian infor m a t i o n i s a v a i l a b l e a t www.leegov.com/storm. Follow @Lee County Government on Facebook or visit www facebook com/leecountyflbocc

Web Poll

Previous Web

Editorial #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 l i v e l i h o o d s l e f t b e h i n d i n t h e w r e c k a g e 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, 102 have been reported dead, including 52 of our neighbors here in Lee County Another five died in Charlotte, another seven 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 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 h 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

Fraud alert: A message from the Lee County sheriff

I a m e x t r e m e l y h o p e f u l t h a t t h i s m e s s a g e f i n d s t h a t y o u , y o u r f a m i l y a n d y o u r l o v e d o n e s a r e w e l l f o l l o w i n g t h i s h o r r i f i c s t o r m T h e d a m a g e d o n e t o o u r c o u n t y i s d r e a d f u l L i v e s , h o m e s a n d p r o p e r t y h a v e b e e n l o s t a n d r e s i d e n t s o f S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a a r e f a c i n g c h a l l e n g e s b e y o n d c o m p r e h e n s i o n S a d l y , t h i s h a r d s h i p d o e s n o t d i s s u a d e s c a m m e r s a n d f r a u d s t e r s f r o m “ p l y i n g t h e i r t r a d e ” A t t h i s t i m e , I a s k t h a t y o u r e m a i n v i g i l a n t a n d s k e p t i c a l i n r e g a r d t o a n y o n e o f f e r i n g a s s i s t a n c e t o y o u a n d t o y o u r f a m i l y W h i l e t h e r e a r e m a n y c r e d i b l e , l i c e n s e d a n d l e g i t i m a t e c o m p a n i e s d o i n g w o n d e r f u l a n d r e l i a b l e w o r k h e r e i n L e e C o u n t y , t h e r e a r e a l s o i n d i v i d u a l s w h o a r e i n t e n t u p o n t a k i n g y o u r m o n e y a n d d i s a p p e a r i n g

Current Web Poll Question

B e o b s e r v a n t a n d a t t e n t i v e W h i l e w e a l l w a n t r e p a i r s d o n e q u i c k l y , w e a l s o n e e d t o a v o i d f a l l i n g p r e y t o t h e s e c r i m i n a l s Q u a l i f i e d c o n t r a c t o r s a r e i n h i g h d e m a n d a n d m a y n o t b e a b l e t o a d d r e s s y o u r n e e d s i m m e d i a t e l y P l e a s e d o n ’ t a l l o w t h i s t o

f o r c e y o u t o e n g a g e i n a t r a n s a c t i o n t h a t i s f r a u d u l e n t S c a m m e r s a r e a b l e t o m a n i p u l a t e c a l l e r I D n u m b e r s t o m a k e i t a p p e a r a s i f y o u a r e b e i n g c a l l e d b y a l o c a l n u m b e r N e v e r s e n d m o n e y , g i f t c a r d s o r a n y f o r m o f p a y m e n t b a s e d u p o n a p h o n e c o n v e r s a t i o n B e g i n b y v i s i t i n g t h e F l o r i d a D e p a r t m e n t o f B u s i n e s s & P r o f e s s i o n a l R e g u l a t i o n p r i o r t o s i g n i n g c o n t r a c t s a n d / o r m a k i n g p a y m e n t s i n a d v a n c e L i c e n s e s c a n b e v e r i f i e d b y v i s i t i n g h t t p s : / / w w w m y f l o r i d a l i c e n s e c o m / w l 1 1 a s p T h o s e w i t h o u t p o w e r o r I n t e r n e t c a n r e a c h t h e d e p a r t m e n t b y p h o n e b y c a l l i n g 8 5 0 4 8 7 1 3 9 5 A d d i t i o n a l l y , u n l i c e n s e d a c t i v i t y c a n b e r e p o r t e d t o t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f B u s i n e s s & P r o f e s s i o n a l R e g u l a t i o n b y c a l l i n g 8 6 6 5 3 2 1 4 4 0 W h e n a p p l i c a b l e , h a v e y o u r i n s u r a n c e c o m p a n y e v a l u a t e t h e d a m a g e a n d d i s c u s s o p t i o n s w i t h y o u b e f o r e s i g n i n g r e p a i r c o n t r a c t s o r m a k i n g p a y m e n t s . C o n s i d e r g e t t i n g s e v e r a l i t e m i z e d e s t i

m a t e s f r o m l i c e n s e d a g e n c i e s S o m e p r o j e c t s m a y r e q u i r e a d o w n p a y m e n t N e v e r t h e l e s s , d o n o t p a y w i t h o u t a w r i t t e n c o n t r a c t

D o n o t p a y c a s h , r e g a r d l e s s o f “ c a s h d i s c o u n t s ” b e i n g o f f e r e d . C r e d i t c a r d s m a y g i v e y o u s o m e p r o t e c t i o n i f t h e j o b i s n ’ t c o m p l e t e d p r o p e r l y B e c a u t i o u s w h e n a s k e d f o r l a r g e d e p o s i t s I n s i s t u p o n r e l e a s e s o f a n y l i e n s t h a t c a n p o t e n t i a l l y b e p l a c e d o n y o u r p r o p e r t y

W e h a v e r e c e i v e d c a l l s r e g a r d i n g “ c o n t r a c t o r s ” r u s h i n g h o m e o w n e r s i n t o m a k i n g d e c i s i o n s T h i s i s a “ r e d f l a g ” I n s i s t u p o n s e e i n g i d e n t i f i c a t i o n F o r i n s t a n c e , F E M A p e r s o n n e l w i l l a l w a y s h a v e a n o f f i c i a l f o r m o f i d e n t i f i c a t i o n

W h e n i n d o u b t , c h e c k t h e i n d i v i d u a l ’ s c r e d e n t i a l s F E M A , a s a n e x a m p l e , c a n b e c a l l e d f o r e m p l o y e e v e r i f i c a t i o n a t 8 6 6 2 2 3 0 8 1 4 T h e A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l ’ s s t a f f i s p r e p a r e d t o a s s i s t T h e y c a n b e r e a c h e d a t t h e i r C i t i z e n s ’ S e r v i c e s n u m b e r 8 5 0 4 1 4 3 9 9 0

L e t ’ s b e a s v i g i l a n t a s p o s s i b l e d u r i n g t h e s e v e r y t r y i n g t i m e s

C a r m i n e M a r c e n o i s s h e r i f f o f t h e L e e C o u n t y S h e r i f f ' s O f f i c e

We want your opinion

Sheriff

Carmine Marceno

By RAY ECKENRODE

The team at Breeze Newspapers has dealt with hurricanes, large and small, many times over the past five decades, but Ian was my first

When I took over the role of publisher of Breeze Newspapers in 2019, I knew hurricanes were something I’d have to deal with To drive that point home, Hurricane Dorian threatened my travel plans as I arrived in Florida on Labor Day Weekend of that year before eventually making landfall in the Bahamas

As a transplant, I learned the intrica cies of the forecast cone and hurricane kit, but for three years week after week, month after month, season after season no hurricanes, a few close calls, but nothing more That is, of course, until Ian first showed his face in the Caribbean and the local TV weather’s usual bubbly pre sentations got more stone faced each day We talked in the same tones here It just felt different And it was For Breeze Newspapers and likely for each of you, Ian marked a turning point in our lives, now on a course much different than just a few weeks ago

We suffered serious damages from Ian Our Fort Myers Beach office is barely standing and suffered cat

astrophic storm surge damage Our Cape Coral office, which houses the Breeze o p e r a t i o n s a n d O g d e n D i g i t a l a n d D ir ecto r ies , s u f f er ed h eav y w in d an d water damage and is partially inoperable right now Our offices on Sanibel and Pine Island are standing, but we’ve been unable to assess them much beyond that Our printing plant on Jetport Loop in Fort Myers weathered the storm well and is up and running again

At the Breeze, we’ve been on dual paths since Sept 28, trying to begin pick ing up the pieces of our own lives at the same time as getting back to the business o f c o m m u n i t y n e w s p a p e r i n g I ’ v e watched in amazement our teams have gathered news, largely without the aid of Wi Fi or even cell service in many cases, and assembled makeshift quarters for sales, ad design and accounting With the support of our cor porate offices, we were able to publish e editions in four of our markets on Oct 5 and a few days later a special print edition that was released in the Cape

As we recover along with the rest of Southwest Florida, you’ll see some changes in our operation

The big absence in our operation will mirror the big absence in Southwest Florida as we’ll temporarily sus

pend publication of our many tourism related products until tourists return and they will return

There will be an increased focus on real time digital news gathering and digital advertising sales via our web sites: capecoralbreeze com, captivasanibel com, fort myersbeachtalk com, northfortmyersneighbor com and pineisland eagle com

We’ll continue to publish weekly e editions for Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Captiva and Pine Island and, as the pace of recovery quickens, we’ll return to limited print editions, likely distributed at just a few key loca tions at first, until we’re back to full capacity

In Cape Coral, we’ll resume printing Wednesday and Friday Breeze newspapers, beginning this week, Oct 12 and Oct 14

W e ’

o u r m o

y Community Lifestyles magazine, which is distributed by direct mail

In short, we’ll do our very best to do what any good community newspaper should do: reflect its communi ty. In this case, a community that is resilient and deter mined

Post-hurricane

from Lee County Elections Office

O f f i c e r e s u m e d r e g u l a r b u s i n e s s o p e r a t i o n s a t t h e M a i n O f f i c e , B o n i t a S p r i n g s

B r a n c h a n d L e e C o u n t y E l e c t i o n s C e n t e r S o u t h F o r t

M y e r s B r a n c h t o d a y , O c t 1 2

∫ L e e C o u n t y E l e c t i o n s M a i n O f f i c e M e l v i n M o r g a n C o n s t i t u t i o n a l C o m p l e x

2 4 8 0 T h o m p s o n S t , T h i r d F l o o r , F o r t M y e r s

∫ B o n i t a S p r i n g s B r a n c h O f f i c e a t B o n i t a C o m m o n s

2 5 9 8 7 S T a m i a m i T r a i l , S u i t e 1 0 5 , B o n i t a S p r i n g s ∫ L e e C o u n t y E l e c t i o n s C e n t e r S o u t h F o r t M y e r s B r a n c h O f f i c e

1 3 1 8 0 S C l e v e l a n d A v e , F o r t M y e r s A s o f O c t 1 1 , t h e C a p e C o r a l B r a n c h w a s c l o s e d u n t i l f u r t h e r n o t i c e

T h e L e e C o u n t y S u p e r v i s o r o f E l e c t i o n s m a i l e d V o t e b y M a i l b a l l o t s o n O c t 6 o n l y t o v o t e r s w h o h a d r e q u e s t e d o n e f o r t h e N o v 8 G e n e r a l E l e c t i o n V o t e r s a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o r e q u e s t a b a l l o t , e s p e c i a l l y t h o s e i m p a c t e d b y H u r r i c a n e I a n I f y o u r e q u e s t e d a b a l l o t a n d a r e i n a n a r e a o f L e e C o u n t y t h a t i s n o t r e c e i v i n g m a i l o r h a v e a n a l t e r n a t e a d d r e s s d u e t o d i s p l a c e m e n t , c o n t a c t t h e o f f i c e a t 2 3 9 5 3 3 8 6 8 3 t o r e q u e s t a r e p l a c e m e n t b a l l o t O n l y o n e r e t u r n e d b a l l o t p e r v o t e r w i l l b e a c c e p t e d

T h e d e a d l i n e t o r e q u e s t a b a l l o t i s O c t 2 9 a t 5 p m A l l o w s u f f i c i e n t t i m e f o r t h e p o s t o f f i c e t o d e l i v e r t h e

b a l l o t B a l l o t s m u s t b e r e t u r n e d b y E l e c t i o n D a y N o v 8 a t 7 p m

B e g i n n i n g t o d a y , O c t 1 2 , v o t e r s c a n r e q u e s t a n d p i c k u p a V o t e b y M a i l b a l l o t i n p e r s o n a t t h e M a i n O f f i c e a n d L e e C o u n t y E l e c t i o n s C e n t e r S o u t h F o r t M y e r s B r a n c h

T h o s e w h o d o n o t w a n t t o r e t u r n t h e i r b a l l o t t o t h e L e e C o u n t y S u p e r v i s o r o f E l e c t i o n s b y m a i l m a y d r o p i t o f f i n p e r s o n a t a n y a u t h o r i z e d S e c u r e B a l l o t I n t a k e S t a t i o n b e g i n n i n g t o d a y , O c t 1 2 T h e s t a t i o n s w i l l b e a v a i l a b l e a t t h e M a i n O f f i c e , B o n i t a S p r i n g s B r a n c h a n d L e e C o u n t y E l e c t i o n s C e n t e r S o u t h F o r t M y e r s B r a n c h O n c e t h e C a p e C o r a l B r a n c h i s o p e r a t i o n a l , i t w i l l a l s o o f f e r a s t a t i o n f o r d r o p o f f

The Lee County Elections Office continues to work closely with state and local officials to assess damages and losses to the Early Voting sites and Election Day polling locations Once it determines the condition and availability of those places, it will post detailed lists on its website.

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i

Lee County Tax Collector offices open

From Oct. 11 through Oct. 14, all Lee County Tax Collector offices Cape Coral, North, South, Lehigh Acres, Bonita Springs, and Downtown Fort Myers are open from 9 a m to 4 p m

Normal business hours from 8:30 a m to 5 p m will resume on Oct 17

Customers who have an appointment on or after Oct 11 should come in at their scheduled time Walk ins are welcome

“I am so grateful to the crews that restored power to our offices, as well as our team members who wanted to get back to work to help the community as quickly as possible,” Lee County Tax Collector Noelle Branning said “We know that our services are vital, and we will do everything we can to help Lee County get back on its feet ”

The goal is same day assistance for anyone who comes into an office, but there may be cases where customers are asked to make an appointment on a later date It is to ensure that the office can help those who need replacement documents to file for FEMA assistance or insurance claims or to obtain aid due to hardships suffered from Hurricane Ian

Solid waste offers reminders post-Hurricane Ian

Lee County Solid Waste, its debris contractor and its contracted haulers recently offered reminders

r e l a t e d t o h o u s e h o l d t r a s h a n d debris pickup

Residents’ storm debris is col lected by a different company than their regular household garbage

R e s i d e n t s c a n h e l p e x p e d i t e cleanup in their neighborhoods by being aware of the following:

For storm debris:

∫ Create separate piles for veg etative debris, construction debris

and appliances

∫ Do not bag or put storm debris in containers

∫ The contractor us es large claw trucks, so keep piles away from obstacles such as mailboxes, utility meters or overhead power lines

The process of collecting regular garbage and storm debris is expe dited if residents use clear bags as much as possible so that the con tents are visible to the debris con tractor and regular hauler

Ray Eckenrode

information for island

the islands are more treach

and not a good place for novice boaters

an experienced captain

navigate the changed condi

crucial is having permission to dock somewhere when coming to Captiva

all of the marinas

still closed to gen

County on building damage assessments, permits and inspection guidelines

On Oct 10, Lee County reported that unincorporated Lee which includes Captiva is temporarily altering rou tine construction permitting and inspec tions for rebuilding due to public and private damage generated by Hurricane Ian

Damage assessment

Customers normally served by the Captiva, Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel

Post Offices

temporarily

County lifts curfew but not on Captiva

On Oct 7, Lee County rescinded the countywide curfew put in place immedi ately following Hurricane Ian. However, a curfew remains in place from 9 p m to 6 a m daily on Pine Island and Captiva

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is committed to the protection of life and property Residents who see suspicious activity should call 911 if it is an emer gency or 239 477 1000 for non emer gencies

T h e c o u n t y n o t e d t h a t i n d i v i d u a l municipalities may have curfews still in place

The city of Sanibel has a curfew in effect from 7 p m to 7 a m daily

Get updates on Hurricane Ian from the Lee County Government by following @Lee County Government on Facebook o r a t w w w f a c e b o o k c o m / l e e c o u n tyflbocc

M o r e i n f o r m a t i o n i s a v a i l a b l e a t

www leegov com/storm

South Seas updates on post-storm status, docking for marina

On Oct 10, South Seas Island Resort provided the following updates for the community:

FGUA confirmed over the weekend that the lift stations look to be in good condition with an initial review FGUA teams will be on the island to conduct deep dives of all the lift stations It wants to get as many up and running as soon as possible starting with the north end and central area FGUA is also bringing fuel to continue operating the plant on a gen erator

The emergency response relief team's e q u i p m e n t i s o n s i t e O f f i c i a l s w e r e awaiting confirmation from Lee County as to when it will be set up, staffed and operational Island Water confirmed that the water s e r v i c e t o t h e i s l a n d i s p r e s s u r i z e d However, it is at approximately 50 per cent of normal flow.

The South Seas team assisted Verizon with unloading a major piece of equip ment for the cell tower over the weekend Further efforts to improve cell service

Annex Building, at 14651 Ben C Pratt/6 Mile Cypress Parkway, Fort Myers The hours for pick up are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a m to 4:30 p m Customers must present a photo ID for mail pick up

Retail services are available at the Mobile Retail Unit at the Six Mile Cypress Annex parking lot, at 14651 Ben C Pratt/6 Mile Cypress Parkway, Fort Myers Retail hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a m to noon and from 1 to 5 p m and on Saturday from 9 a m to noon

∫ United Way 2 1 1 storm hotline

United Way continues its commitment to providing additional information on resources available to the resi d e n t s i n t h e a f t e r m a t h o f I a n T h e 2 1 1 S t o r m Information Hotline is staffed and available from 7 a m to 10 p m daily Call 2 1 1 or 239 433 3900

∫ Donation process

The Captiva Community Panel is developing a dona tion process to help assist island organizations with storm recovery and hopes to have that in place shortly after its meeting on Oct 11 In addition, it continues to amass

questions from Captivans to pass on to the appropriate agencies and authorities Questions can be submitted to captivacommunitypanel@gmail.com.

∫ Volunteer to help with recovery

The Captiva Civic Association has set up an online volunteer form where interested islanders and others can volunteer their time and talents to help in the storm recovery efforts on Captiva The form is available at h t t p s : / / f o r m s g l e / a f D Z W 3 p K y o V W j F K p 9 F o r m o r e information,

Substantial damage is defined as damage of any ori gin sustained by a structure whereby the cost of restor ing the structure to its “before damage” condition would equal or exceed 50 percent of the market value of the structure The cost of the repairs must include all costs necessary to fully repair the structure to its “before dam age” condition

Substantial improvement is defined as any recon struction, rehabilitation, addition or other improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50 percent of the market value of the structure (before any improvements are performed)

Historic structures may be exempt from these requirements if the compliance would threaten the structure’s continued eligibility for historic designation

∫ These laws are required by the NFIP to protect lives and investment from future flood damages The county must enforce these laws in order for federally b a c k e d f l o o d i n s u r a n c e t o b e m a d e a v a i l a b l e t o Unincorporated Lee County residents and property owners

FEMA 50 percent rule

∫ This is in effect and will be enforced during review

∫ Basic rule: If the cost of improvements or the cost to repair the damage exceeds 50 percent of the market value of the building, it must be brought up to current f l o o d p l a i n m a n a g e m e n t s t a n d a r d s . V i s i t www leegov com/dcd/flood/building/improvements or w w w f e m a g o v / s i t e s / d e f a u l t / f i l e s / 2 0 2 0 07/fema p213 08232018 pdf for more information

Per mitting

Phase II of the Disaster Recovery procedures extends permitting, review and inspection services to all record types regardless of damage, while ensuring those with hurricane damage are given priority

Review the Phase II Disaster Recovery Permitting R e q u i r e m e n t s a t https://www leegov com/dcd/Documents/BldPermitSer v/Phase2DisasterRecoveryPermittingRequirements pdf and the Guides and Forms webpage at https://www lee gov com/dcd/BldPermitServ/AppsProcd for informa tion about Permitting Requirements by record type Work not requiring a permit:

debris

o r o f s t r u c t u r e s

∫ R e p a i r o f m i n o r w a t e r l e a k s t h a t d o n o t i n v o l v e s t r u c t u r a l , m e c h a n i c a l o r e l e c t r i c a l s y s t e m s

∫ P r e v i o u s l y p e r m i t t e d f e n c e s d e s t r o y e d d u e t o t h e s t o r m m a y b e r e i n s t a l l e d , l i k e f o r l i k e , i n t h e e x a c t s a m e l o c a t i o n

M i n o r d a m a g e :

P e r m i t s f o r m i n o r d a m a g e , c o n s i s t i n g o f r o o f c o v e r i n g , s c r e e n e n c l o s u r e s , w o o d d e c k s , d o o r s , w i n d o w s a n d o t h e r n o n s t r u c t u r a l c o m p o n e n t s , m a y b e o b t a i n e d u p o n t h e s u b m i s s i o n o f a n i t e m i z e d l i s t f r o m t h e c o n t r a c t o r o r o w n e r b u i l d e r s t a t i n g t h e i t e m s t o b e r e p a i r e d , w i t h a n a c c u r a t e c o s t e s t i m a t e o f t h e r e p a i r s I t w i l l b e t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f t h e o w n e r b u i l d e r o r c o n t r a c t o r t o r e q u e s t t h e r e q u i r e d i n s p e c t i o n s f r o m t h e L e e C o u n t y I n s p e c t i o n s O f f i c e a t 2 3 9 5 3 3 8 9 9 7 o r u s e a n a p p r o v e d a r c h i t e c t o r e n g i n e e r t o p e r f o r m t h e i n s p e c t i o n s a n d p r o v i d e i n s p e c t i o n r e p o r t s t o t h e L e e C o u n t y B u i l d i n g I n s p e c t i o n s O f f i c e

M a j o r d a m a g e :

∫ P e r m i t s f o r m i n i m a l s t r u c t u r a l c o m p o n e n t s s u c h a s d a m a g e d g l a s s r o o m s , t r u s s e s o n s i n g l e f a m i l y h o u s e s , c l a d d i n g ( r o o f a n d w a l l s h e a t h i n g ) a n d n o n s t r u c t u r a l c o m p o n e n t s , i n c l u d i n g m e c h a n i c a l ( a i r c o n d i t i o n i n g ) , e l e c t r i c a l a n d i n s u l a t i o n , m a y b e i s s u e d t o a c o n t r a c t o r o r o w n e r b u i l d e r u p o n s u b m i s s i o n o f a n i t e m i z e d l i s t s i g n e d a n d s e a l e d b y a n a p p r o v e d a r c h i t e c t o r e n g i n e e r .

∫ C o n s i d e r e d S u b s t a n t i a l D a m a g e p e r F E M A g u i d e l i n e s , r e q u i r i n g a m o r e c o m p l e x p e r m i t r e v i e w p r o c e s s d e s c r i b e d a t w w w l e e g o v c o m / d c d / f l o o d / b u i l d i n g / i m p r o v e m e n t s

M a j o r s t r u c t u r a l d a m a g e :

∫ P e r m i t s f o r c o l l a p s e d r o o f i n g s y s t e m s , d e s t r o y e d w a l l s , f o u n d a t i o n d a m a g e , d a m a g e t o b e a m s a n d o t h e r m a j o r s t r u c t u r a l c o m p o n e n t s w i l l o n l y b e i s s u e d u p o n s u b m i s s i o n o f d e t a i l e d c o n s t r u c t i o n d r a w i n g s p r e p a r e d a n d s e a l e d b y a n a p p r o v e d a r c h i t e c t o r e n g i n e e r

∫ C o n s i d e r e d S u b s t a n t i a l D a m a g e p e r F E M A g u i d e l i n e s , r e q u i r i n g a m o r e c o m p l e x p e r m i t r e v i e w p r o c e s s d e s c r i b e d a t w w w l e e g o v c o m / d c d / f l o o d / b u i l d i n g / i m p r o v e m e n t s

Expired per mits/per mits due to expire

Existing permitting records (all record types) that have an expiration date of Sept 26 through Oct 31 will be auto extended, with a new expiration date of Nov 1 and is subject to further extension

Inspections

∫ All inspection requests are being accepted at this time, with priority being given to hurricane related repairs

∫ It will be the responsibility of the contractor or owner builder to request the required inspections, based on the approved scope of work The use of an approved private provider inspection firm to perform the neces sary inspections and provide inspection reports to the Lee County Building Inspections Office is acceptable Email inspections@leegov com

∫ Inspections can be scheduled via eConnect/ACA or by phone at 239 533 8997.

∫ Inspections must be scheduled by 5 p m for next business day inspections Lee County is temporarily suspending same day inspection scheduling

Tips for rebuilding

∫ H o m e o w n e r s m a y p e r f o r m t h e i r o w n r e p a i r s p e r s t a t e s t a t u t e 4 8 9 1 0 3

∫ A n y o n e h i r e d t o d o r e p a i r s f o r t h e h o m e o w n e r m u s t b e a p r o p e r l y l i c e n s e d c o n t r a c t o r T h e h o m e o w n e r s h o u l d v i s i t t h e F l o r i d a D e p a r t m e n t o f B u s i n e s s & P r o f e s s i o n a l R e g u l a t i o n w e b s i t e a t w w w m y f l o r i d a l i c e n s e c o m o r c o n t a c t t h e L e e C o u n t y C o n t r a c t o r L i c e n s i n g O f f i c e a t C o n t r a c t o r L i c e n s i n g @ l e e g o v c o m t o a s s u r e t h e c o n t r a c t o r i s p r o p e r l y l i c e n s e d t o p e r f o r m t h e w o r k b e i n g r e q u e s t e d

∫ G e t t i n g a p e r m i t f o r p e r m a n e n t r e p a i r s w i l l h e l p p r e v e n t p o s t s t o r m s c a m s a n d p r i c e g o u g i n g Y o u r c o m m u n i t y ’ s p e r m i t t i n g p r o c e s s c a n h e l p e n s u r e t h a t r e p a i r m e n a r e l i c e n s e d a n d p e r f o r m i n g r e p a i r s t o c o d e

T h e s e p r o c e d u r e s a r e d e s i g n e d t o f a c i l i t a t e p e r m i t t i n g d u r i n g t h e a f t e r m a t h o f a m a j o r c a t a s t r o p h i c e v e n t C h a n g e s m a y o c c u r , d e p e n d i n g o n c i r c u m s t a n c e s

Recovery updates and resources on Hurricane Ian can be found from Lee County government by follow ing @Lee County Government on Facebook or at www facebook com/leecountyflbocc

M o r e i n f o r m a t i o n i s a v a i l a

Captiva

the

very good at times and others

following are must follow guide

for dock access:

a request to Bob Walter at bwal ter@southseas.com. A member of the team will log the request for the Lee County Sheriff's Office and confirm via

Alex Pons at apons@southseas

must arrange your own transportation to the north marina

is a drop off and go situation; there are many people and lots of moving parts. Boat captains will not be able to hang out all day taking up dock space Information required with dock

of

limited resources

not pro vided

people travel ing

and down

and may offer

your captain allows, bring a bike

page

A week after the storm, residents and

islands with a hurricane

entry pass issued through the city of Sanibel again, only by water As of mid week, the Florida Department of Transportation had begun construction on the repairs required to reopen the causeway

Officials anticipated having the bridge accessible by the end of October

As of Oct 11, Span A had been com pleted and the work on Span B was almost done

According to the city of Sanibel, those who wish to travel to, from or about the

island will need to rely

their own risk No

their own resources and do so

Sanibel

In addition, no public boat ramps on Sanibel nor Captiva were open for landing and debarking

There was no power, water nor sewer available for either island, with restoration efforts underway

There is a curfew for Sanibel of 7 p m to 7 a m , with no exceptions Initially, the Army National Guard was brought in to augment the efforts of the Sanibel Police Department and emergency crews With the withdrawal of the National Guard, the Lee County Sheriff's Office has stepped in to help.

As an unincorporated area, Captiva is under a curfew of 9 p m to 6 a m from Lee County

At a press conference on Oct 1 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Fort Myers, where a Temporary City Hall has been set up, Sanibel City Manager Dana Souza con firmed that four people died from the storm.

“Our fatality count remains at four,” he said “We had more happy endings than sad endings ”

Souza spoke to the heart of the island

“We have a strong constitution in this community,” he said “I know we are going to come out on the other side much brighter ”

Following the storm, Mayor Holly Smith sent out a statement to the island

“I am struggling to find the words to con vey my feelings, as I am sure most of us are as we look to the past four days,” she wrote “All our lives and our island have been for ever changed What we do tomorrow and

the days and months ahead will redefine and strengthen our community ”

“The job ahead of all of us is very tough We are heart sick and devastated, but our community will prove to be so much stronger than Ian,” Smith added. “Our island and our community needs us more than ever ”

She also addressed the steps for island re entry

“Like search and rescue, this will be a methodical and long process After the rescue efforts, police then go island wide for safety and clearance, then the structur al safety inspections teams conduct an island wide inspection of every property on island for structural integrity or dam ages,” Smith wrote. “Once these actions are completed, the city will transition to re entry if possible ”

AP PHOTO/STEVE HELBER

Water streams past buildings on Sanibel's oceanfront on Sept. 30 following the passing of Hurricane Ian. The storm brought intense winds and heavy rainfall, including storm surge with an unprecedented inundation of 12 to 18 feet above ground level in Lee County and along the coastline.

AP PHOTO/STEVE HELBER

A U S Coast Guard helicopter takes off on Sanibel on Sept 30 with peo ple affected by Hurricane Ian, as seen from inside a damaged home

AP PHOTO/STEVE HELBER

Residents of Sanibel are moved to a waiting U S Coast Guard helicopter on Sept 30 after weathering Hurricane Ian on the island

Recovery

Chef

more specific information as we finalize plans

People are asked not perform work on their property until there is adequate fire protection services

should be addressed through 911 if they know there is an issue

As of Oct 1, approximately 25 people had been evacuated off the island to safe ty

“So far, we have not reported any deaths or serious injuries on Captiva,” Pawul wrote.

have opened

working to make

which

Drive and all roads in the village South Seas pro vided

on Oct

“The use of generators and the trans portation and storage of fuel creates a sig nificant fire hazard, and we simply do not have the ability at this time to manage the potential dangers associated with compre hensive restoration activities,” he report ed

Pawul also noted there have been issues with propane LP gas tanks

“It would be best for people to call 911 if they know they might have a problem with their tank,” he wrote “These are potentially very dangerous situations and

“However, we did have one structure fire that occurred during the storm,” he added “The homeowner has been noti fied, and the damage was limited to one building

As of Oct 10, the Florida Medical E

C

p

d t

t there have been 102 total deaths between 17 counties attributed to Ian Fifty two of those deaths were recorded for Lee

AP PHOTO/STEVE HELBER

Damaged condominiums along the Sanibel beachfront on Sept. 30 after Hurricane Ian passed by the area.

AP PHOTO/STEVE HELBER Brian Stern of Project DYNAMO walks through debris on Sanibel on Sept. 30 in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.

AP PHOTO/STEVE HELBER Residents Jim Delaney, left, and Judy Hicks, center, speak with Project DYNAMO rescue personnel on Sept. 30 before being transported to Fort Myers after Hurricane Ian moved through the area.

Florida DOH-Lee issues precautionary swim advisory

The Florida Department of Health in Lee County recently issued a countywide precau tionary swim advisory for all public beaches and swimming pools and advised the public not to enter the water due to the possible increase of water borne illnesses The water quality has been affected by Hurricane Ian and at this time, swimming is not recom mended

Swimming pools

Residents and visitors should avoid swimming in any pool until it has been properly cleaned and is fully func tional. A fully functional pool has:

∫ Been cleared of debris

∫ Functioning recirculation and chemical treatment equipment

∫ Life saving equipment that is available and opera tional

∫ Clear water

∫ Properly balanced chemicals

Additional information on public swimming pool water and safety can be found at the Florida DOH’s webpage at https://www floridahealth gov/environmen tal health/swimming pools/index html

Public beaches

Residents are urged to avoid contact with floodwa ters which come from an overflow of any waterbody from rivers, lakes or oceans Floodwater may contain fecal matter from sewage systems and septic tanks, in addition to agricultural and industrial waste. Entering the water may pose an increased risk of disease or ill

LCEC

From page 1

efforts, to include FPL, Duke Energy and o v e r 5 0 c o o p e r a t i v e s f r o m A l a b a m a , Florida, Texas, Louisiana and Georgia, until further notice The team, shoulder to shoulder with LCEC employees, will con tinue to restore those customers still with

ness, particularly for immuno compromised individuals

Floodwaters can also mask debris, downed power lines and other hazards

The Florida DOH recom mends the following precau tions after hurricanes:

∫ Follow basic hygiene

Always wash your hands with soap and clean water which has either been disinfected or boiled then cooled, or with commercially bottled water, before eating and after toilet use

∫ Do not allow children to play in floodwater They can be exposed to contaminated water that can cause ill ness

∫ Do not allow children to play with toys that have been in floodwater until the toys have been properly dis infected Use 1/4 cup of bleach in one gallon of water to disinfect toys and other items exposed to floodwaters

∫ If you have open cuts or sores, stay out of flood waters, or wear protective coverings If open wounds have been exposed to floodwaters, keep them as clean as possible by washing them with soap and clean water Apply antibiotic cream to reduce the risk of infection If a wound or sore develops redness, swelling, or drainage, seek medical attention

∫ After helping in cleanup activities and after han dling items contaminated by floodwater or sewage, wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.

For the latest testing information on saltwater beach es, visit the Florida DOH’s Florida Healthy Beaches webpage at https://www floridahealth gov /environmen tal health/beach water quality/index html For freshwa ter beaches in Lee County, contact Environmental Health at DOH Lee at leeeh@FLhealth gov

FWC reminds boaters: Use caution after Hurricane Ian

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, the focus of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission remains on search and rescue, cleanup, and the safety of Florida’s residents and visitors

The FWC reminds boaters across the state that the scope of the storm was large and affected both coastal and inland waterways

Some areas are still experiencing high water and flooding and might not be accessible. If you are in affected areas, please stay off the water and out of the way of boats directly involved in storm response

If you must go on the water, proceed with extreme cau tion, maintain a safe speed at all times and remember Florida Statutes require all vessel operators to maintain a slow speed (minimum wake) within 300 feet of any emergency vessel when the emergency lights are on. Even if you are familiar with the route and surrounding area, expect to find new underwater hazards, so pay close attention and look out for submerged navigation aids and changes to water depth caused by shifting sands Storms can cause hazardous water conditions by altering the location and condition of pilings, trees, shoals, sandbars and navigation markers As always, ensure you and any passengers on board are wearing lifejackets

If you are on the water after sunset, observe any cur fews in place in your area, elevate your awareness and attention to your surroundings, use navigational lights, and remain at a slow speed.

“The FWC takes the quality and safety of our water ways very seriously We have damaged and submerged navigation markers, displaced vessels and other debris in some waterways that might not be visible Please use cau tion,” FWC Boating and Waterways Section Leader Maj. Rob Beaton said

Report missing or damaged waterway markers by call ing 866 405 2869 or by filling out an online form at M y F W C c o m / b o a t i n g , b y c l i c k i n g “ W a t e r w a y Management” then “Waterway Markers” and “Reporting Damaged/Missing Waterway Markers ”

out power, as well as customers ready to accept power after their repairs are com pleted and local government has complet ed its inspections

Customers still out of power are urged to inspect and repair any damage to their

home electrical system, if needed, so they are able to receive power when restoration crews reach their area.

In addition, LCEC reminded customers to stay away from downed power lines, turn off breakers until power is restored,

and use generators safely to protect them selves and the crews working on lines

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t https://www lcec net/pdf/LCECHurricane Guide pdf

Resources available to small businesses impacted by Ian

T h e F l o r i d a S B D C N e t w o r k i s e n c o u r a g i n g s m a l l b u s i n e s s e s i m p a c t e d b y H u r r i c a n e I a n t o s e e k a v a i l a b l e d i s a s t e r a s s i s t a n c e “ W e a r e s a d d e n e d t o s e e a n d h e a r t h e s t o r i e s o f d a m a g e a n d l o s s t h a t i n d i v i d u a l s a n d s m a l l b u s i n e s s e s h a v e s u f f e r e d d u e t o H u r r i c a n e I a n , ” G r e g B r i t t o n , s t a t e d i r e c t o r o f t h e F l o r i d a S B D C N e t w o r k , s a i d “ W e w a n t o u r s m a l l b u s i n e s s o w n e r s t o k n o w h o w i m p o r t a n t t h e y a r e t o o u r s t a t e a n d t h a t w e s t a n d r e a d y t o a s s i s t t h e m g e t b a c k o n t h e i r f e e t a s q u i c k l y a s p o s s i b l e ”

State assistance

A t t h e s t a t e l e v e l , t h e F l o r i d a D e p a r t m e n t o f E c o n o m i c O p p o r t u n i t y ( D E O ) h a s a c t i v a t e d t h e F l o r i d a S m a l l B u s i n e s s E m e r g e n c y B r i d g e L o a n ( E B L ) P r o g r a m I t p r o v i d e s s h o r t t e r m , z e r o i n t e r e s t l o a n s t o s m a l l b u s i n e s s e s w h o e x p e r i e n c e d e c o n o m i c i n j u r y o r p h y s i c a l d a m a g e d u e t o I a n

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

E l i g i b l e s m a l l b u s i n e s s e s w i t h t w o t o 1 0 0 e m p l o y e e s m a y a p p l y f o r l o a n s o f u p t o $ 5 0 , 0 0 0 t h r o u g h t h e p r o g r a m B u s i n e s s e s m u s t a l s o b e l o c a t e d i n F l o r i d a , h a v e b e e n e s t a b l i s h e d p r i o r t o S e p t 2 4 , b e l o c a t e d i n a n e l i g i b l e c o u n t y , m u s t h a v e b e e n e c o n o m i c a l l y o r p h y s i c a l l y d a m a g e d b y I a n , h a v e a c r e d i t s c o r e o f 6 0 0 o r a b o v e , a n d m u s t h a v e r e p a i d a l l o u t s t a n d i n g E B L s

V i s i t w w w F l o r i d a J o b s o r g / E B L t o l e a r n m o r e a b o u t t h e p r o g r a m , a s w e l l a s t o v i e w t h e l e n d i n g g u i d e l i n e s a n d r e q u i r e d d o c u m e n t a t i o n a n d t o c o m p l e t e a n a p p l i c a t i o n b y t h e D e c 2 d e a d l i n e

Federal assistance

L o w i n t e r e s t d i s a s t e r l o a n s f r o m t h e U S S m a l l B u s i n e s s A d m i n i s t r a t i o n ( S B A ) a r e a l s o a v a i l a b l e t o e l i g i b l e b u s i n e s s e s f o l l o w i n g t h e a n n o u n c e m e n t o f a P r e s i d e n t i a l d i s a s t e r d e c l a r a t i o n b e g i n n i n g S e p t 2 3 B u s i n e s s e s a n d p r i v a t e n o n p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n s o f a n y s i z e m a y b o r r o w u p t o $ 2 m i l l i o n t o r e p a i r o r r e p l a c e d i s a s t e r d a m a g e d o r d e s t r o y e d r e a l e s t a t e , m a c h i n e r y a n d e q u i p m e n t , i n v e n t o r y , a n d o t h e r b u s i n e s s a s s e t s

F o r s m a l l b u s i n e s s e s , s m a l l a g r i c u l t u r a l c o o p e r a t i v e s , s m a l l b u s i n e s s e s e n g a g e d i n a q u a c u l t u r e a n d

m o s t p r i v a t e n o n p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n s , t h e S B A o f f e r s E c o n o m i c I n j u r y D i s a s t e r L o a n s ( E I D L s ) t o h e l p m e e t w o r k i n g c a p i t a l n e e d s c a u s e d b y t h e d i s a s t e r E I D L a s s i s t a n c e i s a v a i l a b l e r e g a r d l e s s o f w h e t h e r t h e b u s i n e s s s u f f e r e d a n y p h y s i c a l p r o p e r t y d a m a g e .

∫ A p p l i c a n t s m a y a p p l y o n l i n e u s i n g t h e E l e c t r o n i c L o a n A p p l i c a t i o n ( E L A ) v i a S B A ’ s s e c u r e w e b s i t e a t h t t p s : / / d i s a s t e r l o a n a s s i s t a n c e s b a g o v / e l a / s / a n d s h o u l d a p p l y u n d e r S B A d e c l a r a t i o n # 1 7 6 4 4

∫ T o b e c o n s i d e r e d f o r a l l f o r m s o f d i s a s t e r a s s i s t a n c e , a p p l i c a n t s s h o u l d r e g i s t e r o n l i n e a t D i s a s t e r A s s i s t a n c e g o v o r d o w n l o a d t h e F E M A m o b i l e a p p I f o n l i n e o r m o b i l e a c c e s s i s u n a v a i l a b l e , a p p l i c a n t s s h o u l d c a l l t h e F E M A t o l l f r e e h e l p l i n e a t 8 0 0 6 2 1 3 3 6 2 T h o s e w h o u s e 7 1 1 R e l a y o r V i d e o R e l a y S e r v i c e s s h o u l d c a l l 8 0 0 6 2 1 3 3 6 2 ∫ D i s a s t e r l o a n i n f o r m a t i o n a n d a p p l i c a t i o n f o r m s c a n a l s o b e o b t a i n e d b y c a l l i n g t h e S B A ’ s C u s t o m e r S e r v i c e C e n t e r a t 8 0 0 6 5 9 2 9 5 5 ( i f y o u a r e d e a f , h a r d o f h e a r i n g , o r h a v e a s p e e c h d i s a b i l i t y , d i a l 7 1 1 t o a c c e s s t e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s r e l a y s e r v i c e s ) o r e m a i l D i s a s t e r C u s t o m e r S e r v i c e @ s b a g o v L o a n a p p l i c a t i o n s c a n a l s o b e d o w n l o a d e d f r o m s b a g o v / d i s a s t e r C o m p l e t e d a p p l i c a t i o n s s h o u l d b e m a i l e d t o : U S S m a l l B u s i n e s s A d m i n i s t r a t i o n , P r o c e s s i n g a n d D i s b u r s e m e n t C e n t e r , 1 4 9 2 5 K i n g s p o r t R o a d , F o r t W o r t h , T X 7 6 1 5 5

T h e f i l i n g d e a d l i n e t o r e t u r n a p p l i c a t i o n s f o r p h y s i c a l p r o p e r t y d a m a g e i s N o v . 2 8 .

T h e d e a d l i n e t o r e t u r n e c o n o m i c i n j u r y a p p l i c a t i o n s i s J u n e 2 9

Florida SBDC Network can help

F l o r i d a S B D C d i s a s t e r r e c o v e r y s p e c i a l i s t s a r e a v a i l a b l e t o p r o v i d e c o n f i d e n t i a l , n o c o s t c o n s u l t i n g t o h e l p a f f e c t e d b u s i n e s s e s p r e p a r e d i s a s t e r l o a n a p p l i c a t i o n s a n d w i t h o t h e r p o s t d i s a s t e r c h a l l e n g e s

A s a p r i n c i p a l r e s p o n d e r i n t h e s t a t e ’ s E m e r g e n c y S u p p o r t F u n c t i o n ( E S F ) 1 8 f o r B u s i n e s s a n d I n d u s t r y , t h e F l o r i d a S B D C N e t w o r k , i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h e S B A , h a s e s t a b l i s h e d B u s i n e s s R e c o v e r y C e n t e r s ( B R C s ) i n a d v e r s e l y i m p a c t e d c o m m u n i t i e s F l o r i d a S B D C d i s a s t e r s p e c i a l i s t s a r e w o r k i n g a l o n g s i d e S B A d i s a s t e r s p e c i a l i s t s a t B R C s a n d i n i t s m o b i l e a s s i s t a n c e c e n t e r s t o p r o v i d e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e a n d a s s i s t b u s i n e s s e s i n c o m p l e t i n g l o a n a p p l i c a t i o n s . B R C l o c a t i o n s a r e o p e n i n S e m i n o l e , H i l l s b o r o u g h , L e e a n d C o l l i e r c o u n t i e s F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t w w w F l o r i d a S B D C o r g / d i s a s t e r

Contractors with private barges authorized to transport equipment

The city of Sanibel reported that beginning Oct 10, contractors who have barge access to Sanibel may bring equipment to the island to help their customers with mit igation efforts. This includes removal of wet and dam aged drywall, securing buildings, tarping, landscape work, tree removal, et cetera This is for work that does not require a building permit

The following conditions will apply:

∫ Cannot use the city/county/contractor barges reserved for emergency operation

∫ Cannot land at the Sanibel Boat Ramp, at 888 Sextant Drive, Sanibel; strictly enforced

∫ Barge landing locations include the: Tarpon Bay Marina, at 900 Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel; Sanibel Marina, at 634 N Yachtsman Drive, Sanibel; and Island Inn, at 3111 W. Gulf Drive, Sanibel. Contractors who wish to land at one of the locations need to coordinate their arrival/departure times with the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce at 239 291 5567, 239 206 4603 or 239 215 3284 Contractors who have additional landing locations to recommend should call the chamber Barges may not land anywhere on the city beaches, except for the approved Island Inn location.

∫ Curfew remains in effect for Sanibel from 7 p m to 7 a m It prohibits people from being out on the streets, beaches and canals between those hours The Sanibel Police Department and Lee County Sheriff’s Office are enforcing the curfew. The city is not encouraging resi dents to stay overnight on the island as Sanibel remains without water, sewer service, fire suppression and elec tricity

∫ Contractors must have a valid city of Sanibel hurri cane re entry pass or be accompanied by a resident, busi ness owner or property owner with a re entry pass If driv ing a contractor vehicle, you must have the pass hanging from the rearview mirror

∫ Contractors who do not have a city of Sanibel hur ricane re entry pass can obtain one at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, at 13051 Bell Tower Drive, Fort Myers, by pro viding the following: Sanibel Business Tax Receipt; con tractors doing work on Captiva must have a Lee County Business License; State Licensure confirmed through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation; or out of state contractors must have Florida State Licensure through the DBPR

∫ Law enforcement will conduct field interviews on the island as needed.

∫ A generator may be used provided it has a 20 foot clear distance from all points, and it is not in a garage or other closed space Please do not fill a hot generator with gasoline; it is a fire risk

San Cap Community Bank reopens

I n a n e f f o r t t o p r o v i d e b a n k i n g s e r v i c e s t o i t s c u s t o m e r s a n d s u p p o r t t h e S a n i b e l a n d C a p t i v a c o m m u n i t i e s , S a n i b e l C a p t i v a C o m m u n i t y B a n k r e o p e n e d b a n k i n g o p e r a t i o n s i n t h e p a r k i n g l o t o f i t s m a i n o f f i c e a t 2 4 0 6 P e r i w i n k l e W a y , S a n i b e l

S t a f f w a s o n s i t e o n O c t 1 1 a n d w i l l b e o n s i t e t o d a y , O c t 1 2 , f r o m n o o n t o 4 p m t o p r o v i d e e x i s t i n g b a n k c u s t o m e r s w i t h l i m i t e d c a s h s e r v i c e s a n d a c c e s s t o s a f e t y d e p o s i t b o x e s T h e b a n k w i l l c o n t i n u e t o p r o v i d e t h e s e r v i c e s i n t h e f o l l o w i n g w e e k s a n d a n t i c i p a t e s e x p a n d i n g o p e r a t i o n s t o m u l t i p l e d a y s w i t h e x t e n d e d h o u r s , a s n e c e s s a r y

“ J u s t l a s t w e e k , H u r r i c a n e I a n

w r e a k e d h a v o c o n S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a , e s p e c i a l l y o n o u r i s l a n d a n d c o a s t a l c o m m u n i t i e s , ” C h i e f E x e c u t i v e O f f i c e r C r a i g A l b e r t s a i d “ W e a r e s t e a d f a s t i n o u r c o m m i t m e n t t o s e r v i n g o u r i s l a n d f a m i l y a n d w e w a n t o u r c u s t o m e r s t o k n o w t h a t e v e n a d e v a s t a t i n g s t o r m l i k e I a n w i l l n o t d e t e r u s f r o m s e r v i n g t h e m ”

C u s t o m e r s n e e d t o p r e s e n t a f o r m o f i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , a s w e l l a s a k e y i f a c c e s s i n g s a f e d e p o s i t b o x e s

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F o r o p e r a t i o n a l u p d a t e s a n d i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t s a n c a p b a n k c o m / h u r r i c a n e i a n r e c o v e r y r e s o u r c e s