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Hurricane Irma- 9/8/17 9am Update

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San Carlos Park Fire District  – Hurricane Irma
Date:   September 8, 2017
Time:  9am 

IMPORTANT:  This is a dangerous storm.  Do NOT focus on the line plots but rather on the entire cone.  As we have seen already, the storm can and may shift which will directly impact the forecast.  Stay tuned to local media and head all warnings and evacuations.

Bus Transportation:

LeeTran buses will begin transporting people to open evacuation shelters as of 9am this morning (9/8/17).  At this time, all fares will be suspended for both Passport and Fixed Route buses.

To be transported to a shlter, all passengers can board the bus at any stop, and then need to exit the bus at the designated Shelter Transfer location.  Passengers can also board the bus from dedicated pickup locations on Sanibel Island and Pine Island.

From the Shelter Transfer location, another dedicated bus will take passengers to the closest open evacuation shelter.  Regular transit service will continue to run at this time as well.  LeeTran buses will remain running until winds reach approximately 40 mph.

Shelter Update:

Pets will be accepted at all shelters although the main pet friendly shelters are East Lee and South Lee.  Cats and dogs are the only acceptable pets at the shelters.

 

Sand and Sandbags:

  • Sand Location as of Thursday afternoon:5850 BUCKINGHAM RD., LEHIGH
    12345 PALM BEACH BLVD., FORT MYERS
    2660 STYLES RD., ALVA
    5700 PINE ISLAND RD., BOKEELIA
    17350 NALLE RD., NORTH FORT MYERS
    11901 REGIONAL LN., FORT MYERS
    1280 BARRETT RD. NORTH FORT MYERS
    2900 TRAIL DAIRY CIR., NORTH FORT MYERS FD
    8013 SANIBEL BLVD., FORT MYERS
    27701 BONITA GRANDE DR., BONITA SPRINGS
    1000 JOEL BLVD., LEHIGH
    3102 16TH ST SW., LEHIGH
    TROPICAL SHORES WAY ST., FORT MYERS
    750 DUNLOP RD., SANIBEL
    8860 DANIELS PARKWAY., FORT MYERS
    360 EAST RAILROAD AVE., BOCA GRANDE
    6061 SOUTH POINTE BLVD., FORT MYERS
  • 5850 BUCKINGHAM RD., LEHIGH – No sand at this time
  • No Longer Available: 12345 PALM BEACH BLVD., FORT MYERS
  • New Location: 10721 PALM BEACH BLVD, FORT MYERS – Crossroads Baptist Church
  • 2660 STYLES RD., ALVA
  • 5700 PINE ISLAND RD., BOKEELIA
  • 17350 NALLE RD., NORTH FORT MYERS
  • 11901 REGIONAL LN., FORT MYERS
  • 1280 BARRETT RD. NORTH FORT MYERS
  • 2900 TRAIL DAIRY CIR., NORTH FORT MYERS FD
  • 8013 SANIBEL BLVD., FORT MYERS – No sand bags
  • 27701 BONITA GRANDE DR., BONITA SPRINGS – No Sand or bags
  • 1000 JOEL BLVD., LEHIGH – No sand at this time – No bags
  • 3102 16TH ST SW., LEHIGH
  • TROPICAL SHORES WAY ST., FORT MYERS
  • 750 DUNLOP RD., SANIBEL
  • 8660 DANIELS PARKWAY., FORT MYERS – Address correction
  • 360 EAST RAILROAD AVE., BOCA GRANDE
  • 6061 SOUTH POINTE BLVD., FORT MYERS
  • 9700 TREELINE AVE. – FT MYERS FIRE STATION # 5
  • 3300 MARION STREET – SHADY OAKS PARK
  • 10091 MCGREGOR BLVD – ALLIANCE FOR THE ARTS
  • 2300 PECK STREET – FT MYERS FIRE STATION #1
  • 4540 DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. BLVD – FT MYERS FIRE ACADEMY

Evacuations:

Lee County has announced evacuations planned for Friday.

Mandatory evacuation orders will be issued tomorrow morning (9/8/17) for:

  • Barrier islands, including Bonita Beach, Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, Captiva, and Pine Island AND BOCA GRANDE
  • Mobile and manufactured homes throughout Lee County

 

The following shelters will be open for evacuees at 9 a.m. Friday:

  1. East Lee County High School, 715 Thomas Sherwin Ave., Lehigh Acres
  2. Varsity Lakes Middle School, 801  Gunnery Road., Lehigh Acres
  3. Harns Marsh Middle School, 1820 Unice Ave. N., Lehigh Acres
  4. Oak Hammock Middle School,  5321 Tice St., Fort Myers
  5. Island Coast High School, 2125 De Navarra Pkwy., Cape Coral
  6. South Ft. Myers High School, 14020 Plantation Road., Fort Myers
  7. Estero Rec Center, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Road., Estero
  8. Opening tomorrow – Ray Pottorf Elementary, 4600 Challenger Blvd, Ft Myers

Tolls at Lee County’s three bridges – Midpoint, Cape Coral and Sanibel Causeway – are suspended until further notice.

Residents in low-lying and other vulnerable areas are urged to seek safer locations with friends and family or hotels and motels when possible.

  • Please secure your home and bring in anything that can be blown around.
  • Take your pets with you – do not leave them behind.
  • Take paperwork with you concerning your insurance as well as contacts for family and friends.
  • Bring at least two forms of identification with you for your return. To protect properties, only residents may be allowed back into neighborhoods and you want to be able to prove you live there.
  • Take your time. Traffic will be heavy so leave as soon as possible and remember to pack lots of patience.

Fire Districts:

All fire districts within Lee County have been working hard to prepare for Hurricane Irma.  Members have been in the Lee County Operations Center working to secure and pre-stage supplies, equipment and personnel to respond quickly once the storm passes.

Within the county, firefighters are shuttering up firehouses to protect buildings and much needed equipment as well as assisting residents, all while running the large number of daily emergency calls.

Residents are also urged to complete their storm preparations while the weather is mild.

As the storm approaches, emergency calls will continue to be answered until wind speeds reach 40 mph.  For the safety of the firefighters, once this wind speed is reach, response will be suspended.

Once the storm has passed, crews will resume running emergency calls as well as performing damage assessments of the area.

Please stay off the roads immediately following the storm so that these damage assessments may be completed quickly and efficiently.

Specialty crews from Florida Task Force 6 Urban Search and Rescue will be on hand to assist with damage assessments and response needs.

Continue to stay tuned to local media channels for the latest in updates on the projected path of Hurricane Irma along with important information from the Lee County Emergency Operations Center.

Latest forecast:

As always, stay tuned to local news for the latest forecast.  The latest forecast shows Irma remains a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph with an expected turn Saturday night.  Southwest Florida continues to stay strongly in the cone so make sure to follow local news for the latest updates.  Next media storm update at 11:00am.

Lee County Website:  www.leegov.com

Help Line:

The United Way 211 Help Line is activated for those with questions.  Although call takers are receiving many inquiries, the United Way 211 line is responding to all calls.  Additional number:  239-433-3900

 

Alerts:

  • LeeAlert – If you have not yet done so, download the Lee County app LeeAlert for the latest information on everything from evacuations, shelters and links to the Lee County Emergency Operations media sites.
  • CodeRED – CodeRED is a FREE Lee County service by which residents and businesses are notified via telephone, text, and/or email regarding emergencies or critical protective actions required to safeguard life and property.

 

 

Shelters:

  • No shelters are open. Decisions about which general-population shelters may open at which dates and times will be announced. We anticipate that announcement Thursday.Lee County should be determining later today which shelters will be opened throughout the county based on the latest information from the weather center.
  • As a reminder, not all shelters are open for every storm and the openings are based on storm characteristics, such as location as well as storm surge and wind strength.
  • A call-down of the Special Needs Registry is currently being completed today to determine evacuation support requirements for our Special Needs clients.  Per the Lee County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, the Lee County Special Needs Registry closes once we are included in the five-day storm cone. Information about a special needs shelter will be available soon.
  • Once opened, a list of shelters will be sent to all media channels so stay tuned for the latest information
  • Residents should continue to prepare by having a family disaster/evacuation plan, making sure their disaster supply kits are ready and stay informed so they are ready to act when those evacuation orders are given.

Trash pick-up:

Fort Myers, FL, Sept. 7, 2017 – Friday, Sept. 8, will be the last day for all regularly scheduled garbage, yard waste, bulky waste and recycling collections. There will be no collections Saturday.

Residents are reminded to remove anything outside their homes that could become a projectile during the storm including garbage cans, lids and recycle carts. Store them inside.

Regular household collections will begin as regularly scheduled as soon as possible after the storm.

For solid waste collection questions, call 239-533-8000.

For more information, please visit www.leegov.com/solidwaste<http://www.leegov.com/solidwaste>.

Traffic

  • Tolls at Lee County’s three bridges – Midpoint, Cape Coral and Sanibel Causeway – are suspended until further notice.
  • From LCSO – Get errands done as soon as possible so that when the winds begin to increase, you will not be on the road. This is estimated to be Saturday evening but stay tuned to local media for updates as the storm approaches.
  • From FHP – Governor’s office has set up transportation hotline: 800-955-5504
  • Please note that once winds reach 40 mph, county equipment as well as emergency response will cease until the storm has passed and winds reduce to a safe level. This is to provide safety to the responding personnel.
  • FHP reports that traffic on I-75 is heavier than normal but still moving very well.
  • Please be patient in traffic and drive defensively.
  • Follow Lee County Sheriff’s office on their Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/sheriffleefl/) or their website at http://www.sheriffleefl.org/.

Schools:

  • Lee County Schools will be closed on Thursday, September 7th and Friday, September 8th.
  • The school district will be working closely with Lee County EOC to monitor the movement and potential impact of Irma. A decision on whether to close schools on Monday will be made as the week progresses.
  • Follow leeschools.net for more information
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/schooldistrictofleecounty/

Price Gouging:

Price Gouging Hotline 1-866-9-NO-SCAM (66-7226)

State law prohibits extreme increase in the price of essential commodities, such as food, water, hotels, ice, gasoline, lumber and equipment needed as a direct result of an officially declared emergency.  The amount cannot grossly exceed the average price for those items during the 30 days before the declaration of the state of emergency unless the seller can justify an increase in the costs.  If you suspect price gouging, report this to the Attorney General’s price Gouging hotline.

For more information, visit the Florida Attorney General’s website at http://myfloridalegal.com/pages.nsf/Main/5D2710E379EAD6BC85256F03006AA2C5?OpenDocument

Pets:

  • If you evacuate, do not leave pets behind – take them with you
  • Take supplies for pets including food, water, vaccination records, medication
  • A secure crate helps your pet feel safe and is a must if you are going to be reporting to a pet approved shelter. Many hotels require them as well.
  • Should your pet get separated from you, a microchipped pet is much more likely to be reunited with their family. Contact your vet for microchipping.  Please make sure you register your microchipped pet.

Boats:

  • From the US Coast Guard – know the limitations of your anchor and moorings when securing your vessel. Allow for rope length to adjust for water rise and fall when securing your vessel.
  • Personnel and equipment have been prepositioned to respond quickly to needs after the storm passes
  • Please do NOT call for help on social media