Fort Myers Beach Observer/The Beach Bulletin by BreezeNewspapers

Home lost in post-Milton accident

Wind whips grill flames into fire

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

A home on Avenida Pescadora went up in flames Thursday night while a homeowner began grilling a day after Hurricane Milton hit Fort Myers Beach

The town had reopened earlier in the day to residents following an evacuation order three days earlier

According to Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District Chief Scott Wirth, the homeowner told fire officials he had turned on the grill and was working on prepping food when he saw flames out of control rising from the grill The homeowner attempted to put the fire out himself but was unsuccessful, Wirth said When firegfighters arrived at approxi-

mately 6:50 p m , the fire was fully involved

Wirth said windy conditions strong winds that were still lingering a day after Hurricane Milton contributed to the fire moving quickly through the home

Though firefighters had the flames under control within 15 minutes, the wind kept the blaze from being completely put out until about four hours later

Wirth believed the house would be a

Gut Punch

Hurricane Milton floods homes, taking furniture and appliances two weeks after Helene

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Fort Myers Beach residents returning to their homes over the weekend after facing a mandatory evacuation due to Hurricane Milton, found up to four feet of water and muck had impacted their homes, leaving appliances, furniture and belongings damaged or destroyed

Walls and cabinets that had been repaired from Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Helene were now in need of further repairs, while some wondered aloud how many more hurricanes they could take after the third major hurricane hit the island in two years four if counting Idalia last year

Piles of debris, refrigerators, washing machines, debris and furniture lined up roads after Hurricane Milton sent about six

“We were prepared. We appreciate how the residents reacted. We had a plan in place.”

Andy Hyatt, Town of Fort Myers Beach manager

feet of storm surge down the roads of Fort Myers Beach residents still recovering from Hurricane Helene two weeks earlier and Hurricane Ian two years earlier

Former Fort Myers Beach Mayor Ray Murphy, who just moved back to the island in July after losing his home to Hurricane Ian, said his new rental home “was trashed ”

Murphy said there was “two to three feet of water” in the house He took a lot of his belongings out ahead of time but said the house is currently uninhabitable

“I lost some stuff but not as much as Ian,” he said. A friend, Gary Mathis, helped him save his bed

Murphy said he is now looking for a new place to live

“I'm not going back to that house,”

See HURRICANE, page 14

T h e F o r t M y e r s B e a c h Wo m a n ’s

Club shed was washed away off their Sterling Avenue property into the canal by Hurricane Milton. PHOTO PROVIDED

total loss, with large chunks of the home consumed by the blaze

There was only a single occupant of the house and no injuries were reported to either the homeowner or any of the firefighters who responded

Wirth said the department has responded to fires in similar conditions where wind exacerbates the situation

“The wind conditions take a regular

Fire

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District Chief Scott Wirth said a new system used

Milton in conjunction with island residents evacuating, saved a lot of doors and shortened the window between the hurricane and when residents could return

“The fact that everybody evacuated

evacuated and their

“The community was proactive. It helped us help them ” Fort

would have to do if

search and rescue,”

Wirth said

“The community was proactive It helped us help them ”

In the days before Hurricane Milton struck, the department asked the public to contact them to let them know their home would be vacant during the storm so that it wouldn’t be searched after the storm

More than 1,000 people notified the fire department by email and through phone calls that they had left their home or would be leaving. That meant 1,000 fewer properties the department didn’t need to check up on after Hurricane Milton and allowed firefighters to quickly conduct safety checks after the hurricane passed to make sure nobody was in danger After Hurricane Ian, search and rescue teams were forced to knock down many front doors and break windows as they searched for survivors Not knowing which homes had been evacuated and which ones hadn’t prolonged the search

See QUICK RETURN, page 11

Myers Beach Fire Chief Scott Wirth

Milton sends Woman’s Club shed into canal

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

One of the casualties of Hurricane Milton was the Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club shed, which was installed on their Sterling Avenue property a year ago The shed ended up in a canal after Hurricane Milton’s storm surge uprooted it sometime Wednesday night

The loss of the shed occurred about two years after Hurricane Ian destroyed the historic schoolhouse that served as the clubhouse for the Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club

The group has been fundraising for a new building

The club issued the following statement on the loss of the shed:

“

Woman’s Club has lost our property’s shed as a result of Hurricane Milton This was a professionally installed, hurricane strapped shed, so we

were not required to remove it ahead of the storm Milton had other plans for it, and it is currently in the Sterling Canal

“We are currently working with contractors who are assessing how to remove the shed from the canal, and we expect the job to begin tomorrow Our primary goal is to clear the canal for our neighborhood We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused anyone trying to access the canal

“Concurrently, the contractor removing the wood pile on our lot from the dead tree has also committed getting it removed as soon as possible Although the request was submitted previously, we apologize this was not removed before Milton

“Lastly, the Dumpster we rented to clean up after Helene is in (queue) to be picked up There are several on the island from the Dumpster company that are in line to be removed ”

Hurricane Milton closes Beach Elementary, students to attend San Carlos Park

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

For the second time in two years, Fort Myers Beach Elementary School students will be attending classes at San Carlos P a r k E l e m e n t a r y S c h o o l a s t h e

County Public School District works to remediate water damage from a hurricane

M y e r s B e a c h Elementary School were set to begin attending San Carlos Park Elementary School today

H u r r i c a n e M i l t o n s h u t d o w n a l l schools in Lee County last week District

o f f i

c i a l s a n n o u n c e d t h a t F o r t M y e r s Beach Elementary School will remain closed for the immediate future due to the

“Storm surge pushed water into the school and Fort Myers Beach residents and business owners know better than most the issues that can cause with the flooring, walls, furniture and equipment. We are diligently working to remediate the damage so it does not get worse ”

—

Rob Spicker, Lee County Schools spokesman

flooding

“Storm surge pushed water into the school and Fort Myers Beach residents and business owners know better than most the issues that can cause with the flooring, walls, furniture and equipment, L e e C o u n t y S c h o o l s s p o k e s m a n R o b Spicker said “We are diligently working to remediate the damage so it does not get worse ”

There is no timetable currently for when Beach Elementary School students may be able to return to their school Hurricane Ian closed Fort Myers Beach Elementary School for a year from 2022 to 2023, sending students to San Carlos Park Elementary while it was repaired Part of the school was knocked down while the historic part of the school which dates back to the 1940s was

saved at a cost of $10 4 million

“San Carlos Park was a great host for the school after Hurricane Ian and has prepared the last two days to welcome the students and staff back,” Spicker said “Students on the beach will be able to b o a r d

s a t F o r t M

s B e a c h Elementary in the morning to be driven to San Carlos Park and then brought back to Fort Myers Beach Elementary in the afternoon We understand how deeply this disruption affects our students, families, and staff but it is the safest and most feasible option We are in the early stages of remediating the damage caused by water intrusion and once that is complete will consider the repair options ”

NATHAN MAYBERG

The Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club shed rests in the Sterling Canal after Hurricane Milton uprooted it

Another hit

Hurricane Milton may not have been as bad as feared, but the storm, hard on the heels of Helene, while our communities continue to recover from Ian, was bad enough

Making landfall at Siesta Key in Sarasota County as a Category 3 hurricane, Milton brought record-breaking rain what meteorologists are calling a 1,000-year deluge

Southwest Florida saw dozens of tornadoes with the National Weather Service documenting at least 126 as Milton made its way across the state

As of Friday morning, the storm-related death toll was at 16 as rescue and recovery efforts continued

AccuWeather puts the preliminary estimate for damage and economic between $160 billion and $180 billion

Again, we begin to recover

Again, we begin to rebuild

Again, we stress our resiliency

For we Floridians, it’s SOP

For our leaders at the state level, it may be more than hyperbole and promises this go around

The 1000 Friends reports that “legislative leaders are already talking about prioritizing resilience as our communities rebuild We welcome this objective, which has long been a priority of 1000 Friends ”

It’s long been a priority for many of us who have, literally, weathered the storm and we, too, wait with interest to see how preparing for the next one and the next for our vulnerable piece of paradise plays out

As we did two weeks ago, we add continuing federal recovery funds and insurance reform at both the state and federal level

As a state and as a nation we must address how casualty claims are processed and paid as well as how risk pools affect premiums, already unaffordable for many

This includes an overhaul of national flood insurance policies, a program under the auspices of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which also is needed to bring in more low-risk policy holders with low-cost polices that will make premiums more affordable for everyone who wants one

Recovery will happen

We have no doubt

Reform and resiliency for the future

Those are the hard tasks that lay ahead

No beds, food, or diapers — the storm has just begun for Florida’s children

In the days since Hurricane Helene made landfall, volunteers from churches and local service groups like Better Together have been helping families pick up the pieces

We are knocking on doors (if homes still have one), delivering meals and supplies, and triaging the most urgent needs of children and families It’s hard to fully express the depths of the devastation and despair we’re seeing on the ground

I recently traveled from Fort Myers to connect with our team in Perry, where I met a father who was sitting outside of his apartment and cradling his young son, Mazieon. He explained it wasn’t safe inside of the apartment because the storm had punched a hole in the ceiling

When Mazieon’s mother showed us the rest of the apartment, we realized the ceiling was just the beginning They had no food or water The power was out Every room had taken a hit, and days of wet clothes and water damage made the air feel heavy They were not sure where Mazieon would sleep that night

Commentary

Other children from the neighborhood were sitting together outside while their parents searched for anything that could be salvaged Mattresses, toys, clothes, furniture, and family photos were all piled high, waiting for the dump The entire complex looked as if it had been evicted

This might seem like rock bottom, but for these families it can get worse. Many parents lost their jobs in the storm and have no money coming in the door for home repairs and essentials for their children They were barely making ends meet before Hurricane Helene, and the storm is pushing them over the edge putting their children at risk

A hurricane is an unplanned crisis, especially for families who are already isolated and living in poverty First responders and welfare agents are doing a hero’s work in the recovery efforts, but they don’t have the capacity to provide the depth of services that families like Mazieon’s will need to stay intact

As families along Florida’s Gulf Coast including many who are still reeling from the impacts of Helene are facing the threat of Hurricane Milton, Better Together stands ready with support for those in the storm’s path Our team is canvassing communities before the storm to help families find shelter and resources After the storm, we will continue working in the hardest-hit communities throughout Florida, walking alongside families now and in the days, months and years to come

This is why local volunteer service groups like Better Together exist: to stand in the gap and catch families before they fall

Our volunteers sprang into action within hours of Hurricane Ian in 2022, knocking on thousands of doors, serving hot meals, tarping roofs, helping people find new jobs, and opening up their homes and hearts to children displaced by the storm And our work didn’t stop there our volunteers still keep in touch with the families we served during Hurricane Ian, offering them a community of friendship and support for life.

We are doing it again with Hurricane Helene, and now with Hurricane Milton, and there is a role for everyone If you are able to canvas neighborhoods and assess the needs of families, host a child displaced by the storm, drive supply trucks, distribute meals and resources, or connect people with jobs to get back on their feet, join us

We are also collecting supplies to meet the basic health and safety needs of children during this time, such as bug spray, bedding, portable cribs, diapers, wipes, formula, comfort toys like stuffed animals, as well as fans and generators

After Hurricane Ian, I’ll never forget the children covered in mosquito bites because their doors and windows had washed away in the storm, leaving them exposed to the elements. I’ll never forget the newborns suffering in the heat without generators or fans But I will also never forget the relief on the faces of their exhausted parents who couldn’t believe we kept our promises and came back the next day with solutions

In the coming days and weeks, we will continue to help families impacted by Helene and Milton Mazieon’s parents are now part of our community We’re connecting them with a volunteer who will walk alongside them with resources and encouragement as they get back on their feet Together, we will build strong families and communities

Local volunteer support groups are uniquely positioned to give hope to these families and to keep them together If we can, we must Visit BetterTogetherUS org/Hurricane-Relief to get involved

Megan Rose is CEO of Better Together, a nonprofit organization that helps parents and families To help families in your community, get help or donate, visit BetterTogetherUS org or call 239-470-2733

Megan Rose Guest

BUsiness

Pink Shell reopens after Milton

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina reopened Tuesday after Hurricane Milton flooded part of the hotel and left it without power The quick work of its staff to clean out the pool, parking lot and ground floor from water and muck, has made for another miraculously quick reopening

“We’re excited to announce that we’ll be welcoming g u e s t s b a c k o n T u e s d a y , O c t 1 5 , i n c l u d i n g b o t h overnight and day pass visitors! Both the Captiva and Sanibel pools will be open, with the Octopool following soon,” resort management said in a Facebook posting “Jack’s will be serving breakfast, and Bongo’s will be open for lunch and dinner If you have any questions, feel free to call our team at (888) 222-7465 or email us at bookings@boykin com We can’t wait to see you back at Pink Shell ”

The resort faced down more than five feet of storm surge last Wednesday night into early morning Thursday, as the pool deck was overrun by the flooding

Just two weeks earlier, Hurricane Helene dumped sand and three feet of water into the resort’s pool deck and flooded the ground floor level just days before the Island Hopper Songwriter Festival The resort staff somehow worked a miracle to reopen just in time for the a n n u a l p o o l p a r t y a n

McCreery.

On Friday and into the weekend, workers were digging sand out of the parking lot and out of the pool after Hurricane Milton The resort took about two feet of water that got onto the ground floor level, General Manager Bill Waichulis said Power was restored over the weekend

The hotel was evacuated Monday as part of a mandatory evacuation declared by the Town of Fort Myers Beach About 100 rooms had to be evacuated, Waichulis

said. He said there was some landscaping damage. “It’'s not a catastrophe It was a lot better than we thought was going to happen Worse then Helene and not

even close to Ian. We dodged a bullet,” he said. “It’s one of the pleasures of living in paradise,” Waichulis said

The Islander gets ready for Round 2

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Islander, Gift Gallery & Boutique is getting set for another Fort Myers Beach comeback at Santini Plaza for the third time in as many weeks

T w o y e a r s a f t e r H u r r i c a n e I a n destroyed Anita Cereceda’s store, the form e r m a y o r a n d F o r t M y e r s B e a c h Observer Humanitarian of the Year was ready to reopen on the anniversary of Hurricane Ian Then Hurricane Helene came and Cereceda postponed opening

She reopened nearly two weeks ago on a Friday in what she called a “homecoming parade” with residents and old friends who hadn’t seen much of each other since Hurricane Ian gathering together in a reunion “It was fantastic,” she said

“We had two good days and then I had to put everything in a trailer,” Cereceda

s a i d T h a t w a s b e c a u s e t h e n e w s o f Hurricane Milton came down “It was all in a 26-feet U-Haul truck,” she said

Almost all it Cereceda said a couple tables that were left behind did not make it. “Which in the scheme of things is pretty darn good,” she said

As for her own Fort Myers Beach home, Cereceda said she was able to put most of her furniture in a neighbor's house which was more elevated than hers Her own carpet was “tore up,” Cereceda

said. Losing her carpet is what Cereceda called “the joy of island life ”

On Monday, Cereceda was surrounded by friends helping her get back into the store, cleaning up puddles of water and muck from Hurricane Milton “It’s a day of mopping,” Cereceda said The group included former fellow councilmembers like Rexann Hosafros and Ray Murphy

Cereceda, the current chair of the Fort Myers Beach Local Planning Agency, lost her two other two businesses on Fort Myers Beach after Hurricane Ian The Pier Peddler and Local Color at Times Square were literally washed away

She had no insurance and lost everything in the stores

Now she is starting over again, more than 30 years after she returned home to help run her family’s Times Square business The Pier Peddler

T h e I s l a n d e r , G i f t G a l l e r y a n d

Boutique features women, men and children’s clothing as well as jewelry, housewares, artwork and gifts.

Cereceda had been working around the clock to be open in time for the anniversary of Hurricane Ian on Sept 28 with the help of workers and colleagues and The Property Medic which handled the layout and installations

The reopening of Cereceda’s store is quite significant to the town as it’s the first business to reopen at Santini Plaza

since Hurricane Ian A whole new group of businesses is expected to open up at the town’s commercial shopping center including Surf Style, a new cafe and Italian restaurant as well as familiar favorites like the South Beach Grille and Leani’s Casual and Swimwear Cereceda, who was the town’s first appointed mayor after being elected to the

town’s first council after incorporation, is thinking about Hurricane Milton’s impact on her town

“I am nervous, hopeful, resilient, just praying day to day that everybody gets t h r o u g h t h i s o n e , ” C e r e c e d a s a i d o f Hurricane Milton “There is a lot of people thinking twice about living on an island Not me This is my home ”

NATHAN MAYBERG

The Islander is on schedule to reopen at Santini Plaza next week after owner Anita Cereceda had to pack up the store again after briefly reopening last week for the first time since Hurricane Ian.

Workers at the Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina dig out sand from the pool and parking lot, and pump out water from the ground level halls after Hurricane Milton.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE PINK SHELL BEACH RESORT

Hurricane Milton blows by, leaves a mess

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE PINK SHELL BEACH RESORT

Storm surge from Hurricane Milton flooded homes and businesses, leaving Fort Myers Beach into post-storm cleanup mode again

Top left; the Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina’s pool deck was under water after Hurricane Milton was felt on Fort Myers Beach Wednesday night

Top right: Workers at the Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina dig out sand from the pool and parking lot, and pump out water from the ground level halls after Hurricane Milton The Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina reopened Tuesday, less than a week after Hurricane Milton flooded the pool deck and ground level.

Race for Fort Myers Beach Council

t l y

a t r u s t e e o n t h e F o r t M y e r s B e a c h

L i b r a r y B o a r d , i s t h e l o n e c h a l l e n g e r

T h e s e a t o f t h e m a y o r a n d v i c e

Uestion oF tHe WeeK

e l e c t c o u n c i l m e m b e r s i n t h e T o w n o f F o r t M y e r s B e a c h i n a n o n - p a r t i s a n

e l e c t i o n A l l e r s a n d A t t e r h o l t r a n s u c c e s s f u l l

m a y o r a r e a p p o i n t e d b y t h e c o u n c i l a n d n o t e l e c t e d b y t h e v o t e r s V o t e r s o n l y

In light of the most recent hurricanes to hit the island, what can the town do to improve protections for residents from future flooding?

❑ dan allerS (Incumbent)

One of the biggest struggles with living on a barrier island is flooding We have multiple streets at or below sea level Before Hurricane Ian, the town started on our storm drain repair and replacement We have since started that backup and continue working to complete the tier-one project streets with the most repeat flooding issues. This will not eliminate all flooding, especially during king tides and heavy rains that breach the sea walls leaving no place for the water to drain However, with these improvements, we should see water recede much faster than we do now Going forward the town must look to increase the height of our seawalls island-wide and add a coastal protection system like what was proposed for the Grand Resort now the Margaritaville project Raising the seawalls even 18-24” higher would eliminate a lot of the flooding currently caused by typical high tides Adding a coastal protection system would not only protect from higher tides and typical surges but also move the gulf front properties out of the VE zone Multiple federal and state grant programs can make both a reality with minimal impacts on our local tax base

The Town of Fort Myers Beach has already changed significantly since Hurricane Ian Many residents and businesses are building back higher up off of the ground or building back more resilient This trend will continue The Town’s massive beach renourishment plan coupled with an emergency berm component is one way we can help mitigate damage at least from the smaller storms Once the renourishment is complete, hopefully by the end of this year, vegetation on the emergency berm can then be planted to help anchor down some of the sand

Certainly intense focus on improving and enhancing our storm water system must continue The Town must welcome input from our residents on these storm water improvements as each side street has its own unique set of challenges The necessary financial resources have already been committed to the storm water improvement plan we just need to continue to move forward as quickly as possible with laser focus

Fort Myers Beach can implement several strategies to enhance flood protection for residents. First and foremost, we need to continue to upgrade our drainage system We need to throw everything we have at this We were lucky that the last two hurricanes had minimal rain totals We also need to get our beach renourished ASAP I also would not be opposed to looking at the coastal protection system once again, especially in the downtown area

We should look at funding options from FEMA for raising our sea walls and as I have mentioned in the past, quick reimbursement for lifting your home

By adopting a multi-faceted approach, Fort Myers Beach can better safeguard its residents against future flooding events.

We live on a barrier island Gulf storms produce surge and that is just a fact of life, and we can never mitigate 100% of the risk that comes with these storms What we need to do as a Town is to encourage resilient build back measures, so that recovery from these events is swift and cost effective In addition, I feel the Town can do more in holding people and contractors accountable and/or educating them on the dangers of items left behind in a storm's path Things like containers, large Dumpsters, construction materials all become missiles and battering rams when a storm comes through, causing more damage and cleanup than necessary It will take a cooperative effort by the Town, residents, businesses and contractors to assure we are doing everything possible to minimize the damage from any future storm events

❑ JIm atterholt (Incumbent)

❑ Scott Safford (Incumbent)

❑ GreG ScaSny

Fire

From page 1

fire and turns it into a blow torch With a wood-framed home, it has a lot of fuel All those conditions added to how fast it burned,” Wirth said

He said the vinyl siding of the home also contributed to the blaze growing fast

“Coming up from San Carlos Boulevard you could see it,” he said.

Fort Myers Beach firefighters were assisted by the I o n a - M c G r e g o r F i r e D i s t r i c t , B o n i t a S p r i n g s F i r e District, Lee County EMS and Lee County Sheriff’s Office

A home on Avenida Pescadora caught fire after winds linegering after Hurricane Milton whipped the flames from a grill, fire officials said, adding the home is likley a total loss.

Quick return

From page 1

m i s s i o

m returning to their homes Ultimately, 16 people died during Hurricane Ian

Hurricane Milton spared Lee County of any storm-related deaths

“We had to secure life, secure hazards and then go into debris removal,” Wirth said

“We were able to check off (that all life was secure) within an hour or two of getting back to the district ” Wirth said “Which meant the town could start their cleanup that much faster ”

After Hurricane Ian, Wirth said if there was any uncertainty if a home was occup i e d

o force down the front door

“A lot of front doors had to be knocked down and people had to replace them,” Wirth said I t

among residents who returned to their

already

With said next time there is a hurricane, he expects to have a more formal process for how residents can contact the

homes won’t be occupied

Hurricane Milton in the same way it had prepared for Ian prepared for the worse By Wednesday, the department had evacuated to its shelter off Alico Road

in Fort Myers as winds picked up speed Wirth said the department has offered its assistance to Boca Grande and Captiva, which were in far worse shape than was Fort Myers Beach

A t o r n a d o t h a t t o u c h e d d o w n i n Matlacha made its way through the back bay of Fort Myers Beach and as far as Hickory Island.

Wirth said the area of Fort Myers Beach around Times Square and on the north end got the worst of the sand from Milton Wirth said the sand that Milton swept up onto roads and properties was two feet thick At one point of the north end, only the top part a fire hydrant was visible

After Milton, the department responded to a few reports of gas leaks

There was a severed gas line in the 4,000 block of Estero Boulevard

“A pool heater floated and broke the gas line loose,” Wirth said “We had to shut off gas and dug out the propane tank We found where it was located We grabbed a bulldozer and dug out the propane tank and shut off the tank ”

Wirth estimated that the storm surge on the island from Miltom was about a foot higher than Helene

“We were very fortunate compared to what Sarasota County is dealing with,” Wirth said

NATHAN MAYBERG

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Murphy said Murphy had spent a year and a half living in Estero until returning back to Fort Myers Beach

“I couldn’t wait to get back here,” Murphy said He said he knew it was “risky” though he missed the island too much “I wanted to get back to fishing and my beach stuff I didn't even get to do that much of that I don’t know what I’m going to do ”

Town of Fort Myers Beach resident Patrick Vanasse said dealing with Hurricane Milton “gets easier after a few” hurricanes, while cleaning out his Sterling Avenue home in boots

“Everybody’s got their heads down trying to get going,” Vanasse said He estimated he had three feet of water inside his home and “a lot of muck,” which he said impacted his storage space He said he didn’t lose much since most of his family’s belongings were on the second floor

“We feel pretty lucky,” Vanasse said “We were prepared I feel bad for those on the ground level ”

Vanasse said he had been working “nonstop since Helene” on cleaning up his property. He said some of his neighbors were not taking Hurricane Milton well and were considering moving

“I don’t know if they are going to rebuild,” Vanasse said “A lot of people are fed up ”

There was a report of one collapsed home on Fort Myers Beach during Hurricane Milton. The wood-frame house, at the intersection of Estero Boulevard and Voorhis Street, was undergoing construction at the time of the hurricane, according to Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District Chief Scott Wirth

Town of Fort Myers Beach Manager Andy Hyatt said the town was still working with Florida Power & Light to restore electricity to parts of town on Tuesday due to a transformer that had to be replaced

“The thing I am hearing the most is FLP trying to get power to everybody,” Hyatt said

Hyatt said there was a power outage Monday night that knocked out power to the Town Hall trailers. One of the trailers was working off a generator from noon through most of the day Tuesday

“Everybody was piled in there,” he said Power was restored to all of the trailers by the end of the afternoon

Hyatt said the future town hall on Estero Boulevard at the intersection of Bahia Via had about two feet of water at the ground level

Bay Oaks Recreational Campus continues remains closed from Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene flooding as it deals with electric issues

“It had a little more water this time,” Hyatt said adding the town has to evaluate the exercise equipment

The town is taking part in a county debris removal contract, which is sending the debris to Lovers Key State Park where debris was previously stored after Hurricane Ian

Hyatt said the town handled Hurricane Milton well overall

“We were prepared We appreciate how the residents reacted," Hyatt said “We had a plan in place.”

Fort Myers Beach resident Jennifer Rusk said Hurricane Milton had affected her similarly in some ways as Hurricane Ian though without as much damage

“It’s been a whirlwind from the time I had to evacuate with my pup, cat and the box turtle that I rescued off the beach after Hurricane Ian,” Rusk said “After Hurricane Milton I walked over the bridge before it opened to traffic It reminded me of Hurricane Ian in some ways not as bad just similar with mucky slippery mud, sand on roads, blown down signs, construction debris, outhouses, garbage, and debris that hadn’t been picked up from Helene

“It felt like a punch in the gut The duration of recovery is going to take less time which is better, it is still heartbreaking and extremely exhausting especially after

Helene,” Rusk said “It was a one-two punch but Fort Myers Beach and my community is resilient and we will have our toes in the sand once we are done digging out No doubt ”

Janine Dickson and her husband were three weeks away from completing their new home on Fort Myers Beach before Hurricane Ian struck The Ohio couple had to wait a little bit longer after Hurricane Ian to finish constructing their three-story, turquoise house off Estero Boulevard Dickson said the home was their “livelihood ” Her husband sold his ice business to build their dream home

Hurricane Milton left their new home with four feet of water and muck

On Sunday, Dickson spent hours powerwashing her driveway and sidewalk from all of the muck that had accumulated in front of her new home from Hurricane Milton

Piles of sand that had been cleaned off the road by county trucks sat along the sidewalk near her home

“The pool was a disaster,” Dickson said They spent more hours cleaning the pool as well.

Despite the challenges, they also considered themselves lucky as their house was built up high and avoided any major damage The couple loaded up a 24-feet truck with their furniture and other belongings to ensure they didn’t lose anything

Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers said Hurricane Milton “left our residents with yet another mess to clean up after an impactful storm We are fortunate to have a staff and contractors in place that know what to do immediately following the impacts of these hurricanes ”

Former Fort Myers Beach Mayor Tracey Gore, who runs a shrimping company with her husband Henry, said she lost two refrigerators and their shrimp freezer which they had elevated on a platform three-feet high inside their shed

“You can only go so high,” Mrs Gore

Clockwise: Many streets on Fort M

appliances and furniture thrown out after Hurricane Milton overwhelmed the island with nearly six feet of storm surge from the Gulf of Mexico; sand is lifted off the property of the Casa Playa Beach Resort; former Fort Myers Beach Mayors Ray Murphy and Anita Cereceda hang tough again and this wood-frame home at the intersection of Estero B o u

, was under construction when it collapsed during Hurricane Milton NATHAN MAYBERG

said Mrs Gore said the shed was full of muck “I think they need to dredge these canals This muck we are getting is disgusting,” Gore said “It’s so much money every time ” Gore said she felt lucky since her home is elevated

“It’s a mess but nothing we can’t fix,” Gore said “There is so much muck and mud. Thank goodness we are elevated.” Gore remarked that she had just finished cleaning up the house from Hurricane Helene two weeks prior

“It’s the annoyance,” Gore said “The pool is full of mud ”

Floodwaters came up three-feet high around her house

“Everybody’s appliances were on the road,” Gore said of the homes on her street like many others

“My street has never been like this,” Gore said She said the flooding has grown worse since Hurricane Ian Peter Ennis, managing partner at Snug Harbor Waterfront Restaurant and Wahoo Willie’s on Old San Carlos Boulevard in Fort Myers Beach, was hoping to be back open by the end of the week after floodwaters got into the dining areas of the establishments

“We lost some TVs and a ceiling fan from wind,” Ennis said “Lots of mud and debris The best thing we did is get all of our equipment and booths off the island We are finishing cleaning and putting things back.” Fort Myers Beach Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt said “folks were very happy to be able to get back on the island so quickly after the storm to check on their homes and businesses The power restoration is coming along relatively quickly all things considered ” Atterholt said he was working with representatives of Xfinity/Comcast who hope to restore internet service to most of the island this week

Milton From page 1

PET PALS

Island pets seeking forever homes

By ISABELLE WELLS Co-founder of the

organization of Fort Myers Beach

to make room for the new ones coming after the storm It never stops

All the dogs below are in danger to be euthanized and are in a shelter. If you wanted to save them please call or text Isabelle at 239281-0739

LEFT:

Atticus is a sweet, 2year-old, German shepherd.

BELOW:

Bambi is 2 years old and weighs 33pounds Fun girl and loves other dogs.

ABOVE: Help a senior! Lana, 12 years old. Great with everybody and other dogs.

Milton

From page 14

Mark Mennen, who splits his time between Fort Myers Beach and Chicago, was pledging to stick it through after Hurricane Milton put his wife through another shock

He said their home had 18 inches of water inside and they had to discard most of the appliances Thousands of dollars of furniture which he and his wife purchased after Hurricane Ian was ruined, he said They were still waiting to see if a refrigerator that they replaced after Hurricane Helene could be replaced, after they found it full of water after

Coley is a male 5-month-old kitten that was rescued with his five littermates from a flooded trailer in North Fort Myers He is very sweet, affectionate and playful as all black cats are Please call 239-851-3485 if you would like to meet Coalie

Blaze is an orange tabby male kitten found in a garden at a home near the golf course off Mcgregor Boulevard He is very sweet and playful and it is a mystery how he got where he was found as there are no adult cats outside at this area nor any other kittens He is 4 months old and ready for his new home preferably with another cat or kitten he can play with He is also close with three other kittens that he has been with so could go as a pair with any of them also

Hurricane Milton Many of his neighbors were also discarding furniture, worried that the damage was not just from water but sewage in the water

“You don’t even know if it’s sewer water,” Mennen said

“My wife is devastated,” Mennen said “We are right on the bay ”

They have owned their home for six years on Fort Myers Beach, supplementing their expenses by using the house as a vacation rental when they are not staying on the island

“We’re fortunate,” Mennen said Mennen said he has learned from Hurricane Milton and said next time he would obtain five tons of sandbags to protect his property

“We love this place We aren’t going anywhere,” Mennen vowed “We’re fortunate ” Mennen said he thinks some people will not be willing to stick it out “We’re just going to build it better,” he said “At the end of the day, everybody is in the same boat ”