Lee County officials say they waited to issue the evacuation order until changes in the storms forecast direction put the county in Ians direct path the day before landfall. Every hurricane is different, and slight changes to its path or strength can dramatically change the level of surging water. This is something we talk about every year, how to reach people, he said. Scientists say too many people still die in hurricanes, despite improved forecasts. Your nonperishable food items really important to want to make sure that you have that those important documents on hand, flashlights, batteries, making sure all your devices are charged up as much as possible, Giarratana said. The vessel was smaller than hed hoped for, but a foot longer than his old one. But they feel lucky they got a room here after their home was demolished in the storm. But the county relies more on social media, its website and an emergency messaging system to reach large numbers of people. But Lee County had kept its schools open on Monday, Sept. 26, two days before Ians arrival, as did Charlotte County. Recovery efforts continue at Fort Myers Beach in the wake of Hurricane Ian. I never would have dare dreamed to have a hurricane like this hit Fort Myers Beach and for us to be on the worst side possible of it.. The Heltons' home is on the back bay in Fort Myers Beach, part of a boating community that's now gone. Haverfield said 16 nests didnt hatch due to storms which washed out the nests. On Sept. 27, the day before Ians expected arrival, Lee County officials issued a mandatory evacuation order for people close to the coast, including Collson. Duo arrested for robbing man leaving Fort Myers dollar store He found Utterbacks body stuck in a window. Sea turtle nesting season officially begins this Monday on Fort Myers Beach, with regulations in place to protect the threatened species. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. They want $800 for me to stay another month, Capt. Further direct disturbances of sea turtles and their nestings could result in federal or state prosecution. Not everything is going to be unfortunately fixed and like how it was last year, Giarratana said. Death toll from Hurricane Ian surpasses 100 as the search for It slowed over Volusia County, dumping nearly 21 inches of rain in some areas and bringing gusts of up to 96 mph that battered coastal zones with near king tides, he said. Thats why hurricane experts say preparing ahead of time is vital. Hurricane Craig Fugate, a former administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and a former director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said ordering evacuations carries its own risks. Hurricane Capt. The elevation of the $7.8 million berm will be more than 6 feet and will cover most of the beachside of the island. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. The guy told him: It hasnt been floating in quite a few years.. The Bay to Beach condo complex is at 740 Estero Boulevard, about a quarter mile north of the Fort Myers Beach pier where the rooftop fire with copious smoke was reported around 12:30 p.m. Part of the reason for the difference in numbers each year is that female sea turtles typically lay eggs every other year. ", Jim says he's also thought about God, the challenge he's been given and whether he's still up to it. Yost went looking for Pacyna after the storm and was told by a neighbor that he hadn't survived. Turtle time is here | News, Sports, Jobs - FORT MYERS - Beach A catastrophe modeling company estimates that insured losses will be over $60 billion and total damages may exceed $100 billion. Rebuilding. FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, many businesses along Fort Myers Beach have put in the work to get their operations back up. He found a lot on the beach where a house had been destroyed and the owner said he could stay as long as he helped clean up. Lee officials did not yet issue an evacuation, saying Ians path remained uncertain. South Florida can expect heavy rains, gusty winds, and coastal flooding. County governments also maintain registries of disabled people who may need to go to special-needs shelters during storms. County-by-county resources for renters facing eviction, OUR Florida - Emergency Rental Assistance Relief Program, Palm Beach County Department of Housing and Economic Development. His body was found two days after the storm in a canal near his home. It seemed like in this one, it was like, OK, tomorrow you gotta get out of here, Yost said. Many impaired older people are hard to reach because they are afraid of being forced to leave their homes. But it only takes one for it to be a memorable storm. They matched those records to the Florida Department of Law Enforcements official list of hurricane deaths and did additional reporting to find out where hurricane victims died or were fatally injured, whenever possible. After being grounded by Hurricane Ian, an aging sailor struggles to The order was in response to a change in Ians forecast path, which shifted to the south and put Ian on course for a direct hit on the Fort Myers region. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. Last night, a tornado hit the Great Neck area of Virginia Beach, prompting the city to declare a local state of emergency. If those numbers hold up, Ian would be the fourth costliest hurricane in U.S. history. File photo. The countys emergency management director also hosted a media day with local news outlets and the county issued multiple warnings and notices on its website and on social media in the days and hours before the storm. But Hurricane Ians toll on vulnerable residents showed the gaps in those efforts. ", "And the washing machine," his wife Susan adds. So usually, we have about 14 named storms throughout the hurricane season, and theyre calling for 13, Giarratana said. There is no one to be mad at. Hurricane season 2022 included widespread destruction fromFiona and Ian. Collson, 67, was alone and bedridden with knees so badly deteriorated that shed spent two years in nursing homes, including for much of the pandemic, when the facilities didnt allow visitors, her brother, Jim, said. Seven people died, three of them in high-risk surge zones. When it comes to windows and glass slider doors, FWC sea turtle biologists have advised that , with 45% light transmittance may not be sufficient to adequately reduce light visibility to nesting and hatchling sea turtles. By dawn on Tuesday, Sept. 27, Ians projected path put Lee County in the storms crosshairs. I'm alive," Jim says, and then laughs. Undaunted, the hoary-headed seaman said he scraped together $3,000 from the Veterans Administration, Social Security, plus pension from his time in the Navy, and emptied his bank account to buy the aptly named Barnacle. C, Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931 | 239-463-4421, most of my volunteers have joyfully returned., Lighting compliance is not in place yet, far from it,, We encourage people to use Amber LEDs, remove all furniture from the beach, keep dogs on a leash, do not disturb nests, no flash photography,, This year will be a challenge because of the missing buildings and vegetation that once blocked light from reaching the beach,, All the more reason for the Town to pursue getting amber LEDs put in place. He was sick of the grind of bureaucracy, tired of living on land. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Ron DeSantis has announced he will travel to Japan, South Korea, Israel and the United Kingdom as part of an international trade mission. Hurricane Damaged mobile homes lie scattered after the passage of Hurricane Ian, in the San Carlos area of Fort Myers Beach, Ron DeSantis appointees have authorized a lawsuit against the entertainment giant. But people dont realize that for older adults who are isolated in their homes and are trying to fly under the radar its extremely difficult to leave, Rothhaar said. Fort Myers Beach After a winter of searching for crabs, mollusks and whelks, adult female turtles begin mating this time of year and searching for coastal habitats like Fort Myers Beach to lay their eggs. Each of those nests can contain up to 100 eggs. CBS4's Ted Scouten reports on the increasing presence of climate change, and how is making it necessary for us to look differently at hurricanes. Other residents said the evacuation orders came too late. Fort Myers News-Press. Destroyed houses and buildings are visible in Fort Myers Beach, Fla., on Friday. On Aug. 13, 2004, Hurricane Charley passed by Fort Myers Beach and made landfall at Cayo Costa. Theresa Conway, Utterbacks fiance who he was set to marry in April, said by the time they realized how bad the hurricane was, so much water was rushing down their street that they couldnt get out not even to cross to their neighbors elevated house. Where the newly constructed berm is in place, sea turtles are less likely to reach Estero Boulevard., The Town of Fort Myers Beach is reminding all property owners to be conscientious about the lighting they are installing, Chustz said. South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. Hurricane Ian killed at least 148 people in Florida, most of them in coastal communities where the danger of storm surge is well documented but not widely understood. And if you are installing new windows, choose a NFRC light transmittance specification of 30% or less., Its important to verify that the spectrum specifications of the bulb indicate 560 nm or greater. Hurricane Utterback tried to get out the kitchen window but became trapped. Hurricane We are particularly concerned for everybody in Southwestern Florida, everyone that sustained significant damage from Hurricane Ian, Ross Giarratana from the National Weather Service said. After its all said and done, the only thing that I hope is that she wasnt mad at me.. Ian brought this gap into focus.. Ian battered the barrier island with a 12-foot storm surge and winds near 150 miles per hour. Hurricane The 2022 Atlantic hurricane season officially ends Nov. 30. The Heltons say they're staying in Florida just until they are able to make the necessary connections with FEMA. He has no idea whose boat it is or what it will take to remove it and the rest of the rubble that used to be his home. Norberg said many homeowners should contact their agents about possibly adjusting the replacement costs of their homes on policies. Seven months to the day after Hurricane Ian completely demolished Fort Myers Beach, another familiar face is set to return to the recovering community. If passed, Hurricane Tax Relief Week would be May 27. Of the 109 nests recorded on Fort Myers Beach last year, 11 of those nests had hatchlings which disoriented due to lighting violations on Fort Myers Beach. Hurricane Ian was flooding some areas of Florida's west coast with storm surges that could reach up to 18 feet above ground level as it moved across the peninsula after making landfall Wednesday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center said. Being prepared for a hurricane is understanding that if youre in an evacuation zone and an evacuation is ordered, you carry out a disaster plan. and last updated 2023-04-26 18:10:08-04. He wound up spending his next Social Security check to stay at the boatyard through April. 79 hurricanes have been recorded in the Fort Myers Beach, FL since 1930. It had been made for the 1985 John Candy movie Summer Rental, filmed around Tampa Bay. Jim interviews Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis who was at the White House this week to push for federal assistance for the victims of the historic flooding that ravaged homes and businesses in Broward County. Conway described Utterback, who loved to bring people a smile by dressing up as a pirate, as the kindest, sweetest, big-hearted big kid.. By the time Peters realized she was wrong, water had already started gushing into her home. It demolished his sunroom and opened the house to the elements. Jay said at the end of March, ranting about the boatyard owners. The result has led many homeowners to state-backed Citizens Insurance. The spot where Mitch Pacyna's home once stood, and where he died. We expect that Hurricane Ian opened a lot of peoples eyes about the danger of storm surge and what to do if youre in an evacuation zone.. 0:51. Hurricane So that makes the need to prepare for hurricane season even more essential. Sand from Immokalee is getting trucked in. 1:31 On the morning of Sept. 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall in Cayo Costa, Florida, a barrier island west of Fort Myers in Lee County. Guest: State Sen. Shevrin Jones/(D) South Florida, Guests: Eileen Higgins/MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSIONER, Jim DeFede spoke about this with Democratic State Rep. Christine Hunschofsky, former mayor of Parkland, who now represents that community in the legislature. A fire burning near Venture Church in Naples off East Trail and North of Triable Boulevard Monday night. Lewis Kamb is a national FOIA reporter for NBC News, based in Seattle. "Sometimes that can be a savings, as well if the company has overstated your replacement costs," Norberg said. Last Updated: October 1, 2022, 11:37 PM ET. In this CBS Miami special report, we take a look at a whole host of hurricane season topics from above average activity to complacency concerns. Fort Myers Beach Then, in February, Lee County Sheriffs Office deputies ordered everyone out. Each nesting sea turtle can return to the beach to nest up to three times in a season, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Some 10,000 people remain in shelters. We are redoing []. "It will probably be there for six months or a year," he says, "because so many places have been hit.". Cleaning up in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian is underway in Fort Myers Beach. They amassed donated blankets, bikes and food, formed a makeshift community. She's a former New Yorker and was in Manhattan on 9/11. The back door just blew off and the waters coming in, she wrote that afternoon. And the county printed 48,000 all hazards guides for free distribution, Clayton wrote. Indoor lighting should be as far away from windows as possible. Corden's farewell episode after an eight-year run showcased his trademark humor and included a thank you from President Biden. And if you are installing new windows, choose a NFRC light transmittance specification of 30% or less., The Sea Turtle Conservancy recommends Frontier Lighting & Synergy Lighting for lighting fixtures that protect sea turtles, Chustz said. Her resolve began to weaken two days before the storm, when she looked into a shelter. There was nothing else we could really do, he said.