But some of the hardest-hit areas might be out of the line of sight. Haverfield said 16 nests didnt hatch due to storms which washed out the nests. This is something we talk about every year, how to reach people, he said. Theresa Conway and Daymon Utterback on the day Utterback proposed. Michael Yost's two closest friends in Fort Myers Beach drowned in Hurricane Ian. Susan says, "Neither do I much now today. The Heltons' home is on the back bay in Fort Myers Beach, part of a boating community that's now gone. Lisa is forecast to strengthen before making landfall. The storm hit that afternoon. The 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially ended Wednesday. The insurance industry in Florida has been battered in recent years by hurricanes in different parts of the state and some companies have failed, while others are raising rates or dropping customers. 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. Some boat strikes, others, no definitive cause of death.. Amber LED light is bright, but it has a wavelength that is long which sea turtles and other nocturnal species, including migratory birds, dont react to. There, his new home sits on a slip of gravel. Until then, his dreams will keep him afloat. Photo provided courtesy of Turtle Time. All rights reserved. Haverfield said she is concerned about the sea turtles encountering dangerous objects on the beaches left over from Hurricane Ian. But, Colorado State University issued its season forecast. One of the most common reasons people chose not to leave areas at high risk of storm surge was that they had survived hurricanes before unscathed. It is also just as important to draw your curtains close at night. Hurricane Ians toll revealed gaps in efforts to protect Florida's most vulnerable residents, an NBC News analysis found, based on death records, flood maps and interviews with survivors, victims' relatives and disaster preparedness experts. To taste the salty air and hear the wind chiming his sail rigging. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. There has been this assumption that everybody should be able to read these guides and get this information, but its not that simple, said Lindsay Peterson, a research assistant professor at the University of South Floridas School of Aging Studies. Fort Myers News-Press. Before the news was confirmed, some locals had gotten a sneak peek when they spotted the store was listed as reopening on May 25 on Google earlier this week. Thirty-three of the Lee County deaths were in the federal governments documented storm surge danger zone; 28 of those were in the most hazardous areas on barrier islands and directly along the coast. It is responsible for an estimated 9.6% of current cases in US, Doctors seeing an uptick in 'pink eye' associated with this variant, Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages can lead to weight gain, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. He hadnt been on shore this long for 30 years. 79 hurricanes have been recorded in the Fort Myers Beach, FL since 1930. And that hurt." A South Florida man is facing serious charges Monday after police said he broke into a home and then exposed himself. progress with various recovery efforts continues to be made. Haverfield, who lost her home off island in Fort Myers to Hurricane Ian like many others on Fort Myers Beach, said thankfully most of my volunteers have joyfully returned.. 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. Theres a huge lesson for all of us in public health response and emergency management to learn from what weve seen here and ramp up our outreach efforts, she said. Hurricane Hurricane Ian hit Cat 5 in Gulf, was Floridas most expensive storm. Most of those who died were over age 65, NBC News analysis found, and many of them lived alone. Hurricane Norberg said many homeowners should contact their agents about possibly adjusting the replacement costs of their homes on policies. Over the weekend, gunfire on Hendry Street in downtown Fort Myers leaves the community shaken after a stray bullet hit a man on his way home from work. It had been made for the 1985 John Candy movie Summer Rental, filmed around Tampa Bay. 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. The advisory stretches from Bill Baggs State Park, north to the Venetian Causeway, from the mainland to the west to the beaches on the east. This is preventable, she said. Six months after Hurricane Ian smashed his liveaboard sailboat into the mangroves, after a Coast Guard helicopter rescued him, after spending five months in a tent beneath a Fort Myers bridge, John Jay Burki, 76, finally has a home. Jim and Susan Helton sit int he back of a car outside a hotel in Fort Myers, Fla. Their home in Fort Myers beach was destroyed by Hurricane Ian. Hurricane 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. Scores drowned as they fled on foot, while in their cars or after seawater swallowed their homes. Jim asks Basabe about the investigation, as well as his stance on LGBTQ+ rights and abortion. I may be in the water by next week.. An estimated 34,000 people stayed in emergency shelters. Among them:fear, poverty and stubbornness. 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. Duo arrested for robbing man leaving Fort Myers dollar store Some had physical or cognitive conditions that made it more difficult for them to seek help before the hurricane arrived, or they chose to stay home because they feared ending up in nursing homes if they sought help, aging services providers said. Utterback tried to get out the kitchen window but became trapped. Hurricane 2022: Be Prepared! After tornado hits Virginia Beach, dozens of homes left damaged If those numbers hold up, Ian would be the fourth costliest hurricane in U.S. history. The city of Fort Myers Beach on Florida's southwest coast was leveled by Hurricane Ian, a local politician said late Thursday. Seven lived. Landscaping. Fifteen of the organizations clients died in Ian. When a young dolphin named Fergie found himself in a life-threatening situation, the dolphin explorer answered the call. Collson, an avid cook who liked to kid and laugh, stuck firmly to her decision not to leave home, Jim said. Of those violations, the town issued 44 citations with a total of $19,050 in fines. The Tuesday morning order surprised Matthew Hoffman, who has lived in Fort Myers Beach for more than a decade. Still, at the seven-month mark since the Category 4 storm hit, it can be difficult and painful to see the scars that remain in many places, including Sanibel Island, which along with Fort Myers Beach, Pine Island and parts of Cape Coral and Fort Myers neighborhoods along the Caloosahatchess River, absorbed the brunt of Ian. Like all counties in southwest Florida, Lee County maintains a registry for those who might need special-needs shelters. They say they'll dispose of a property they loved, but which, like so much else on Fort Myers Beach, is now gone forever. Hurricane Ian: Fort Myers Beach Publix set to reopen May 25 They had notice. Many residents, especially those who were new to the area, didnt know that they lived in storm surge danger zones, relatives and survivors said. He evacuated for Hurricane Irma in 2017 but decided not to leave for Ian. Betsy Clayton, Lee Countys spokeswoman, said in an email that Lees evacuation order was a collaborative decision made based on the totality of known circumstances and factors at that time. The county finally issued the evacuation order when storm surge predictions drastically increased the day before landfall, Clayton wrote. Each spring without fail, female loggerhead sea turtles make their way back to Fort Myers Beach after months of swimming hundreds, if not thousands of miles out in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. Lees has 2,700 people on it. ", "And the washing machine," his wife Susan adds. Her son Robert DeMoss drove to her house soon after Lee Countys evacuation order was issued and begged her to come home with him about 15 minutes inland. If we ring the alarm bell too loud every time, what happens is the public starts losing the sense of urgency or threat, Judge said. CBS4's Trish Christakis spoke with one resident who has to put his washer and dryer on concrete blocks to avoid them being flooded out. 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 late September storm exposed shortcomings in how local governments communicate the risk posed by hurricanes, decide when to order evacuations and identify and help the most vulnerable residents. An emergency sand berm is built on Fort Myers Beach on Tuesday, April 18, 2023. In the video at the top of this page you can still see hard-hit areas that are still months, or even years away from fully recovering. Peters had safely ridden that storm out at home, and she told her son she would be fine this time, too. Many impaired older people are hard to reach because they are afraid of being forced to leave their homes. Families of the missing are caught in limbo over their loved ones fate. She said they were blindsided by the storms ferocity. He tried to stay positive, but when he saw the boat inside his house and the damage done by the surge, his heart sank. By the time Peters realized she was wrong, water had already started gushing into her home. Theres No Spring Break Here: Floridas Gulf Coast Fights to 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. I would have gone and picked him up.. The agency uses the maps in public education campaigns around the country before the annual start of hurricane season. Any death, whether its a car accident or storm surge, is tragic. Nicole is expected to weaken to a depression early Friday, Additional weakening is forecast while Nicole moves over land. CBS4's Ivan Cabrera reports on the has the latest information on Tropical Depression 9. More: View from above: Aerial video shows Fort Myers Beach scars six months after Ian, More: These 8 aerial photos of Fort Myers Beach reveal wounded landscape six months after Ian, This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Sanibel island hurricane damage documented in drone video, Mark H. Bickel and Ricardo Roln, Fort Myers News-Press. "I think one of the biggest tips is to find that insurance policy, take a picture of it and put it on a phone, so you don't have to find it," Norberg said. The boats owner had been hurt in a fire, or something Capt. NBC News reporters submitted more than 60 public records requests to local and state police agencies, medical examiners offices and emergency management agencies to collect 911 and emergency dispatch recordings, police reports, autopsy records and other documents to account for the dead. Hurricane Local and county officials in southwest Florida, one of the fastest-growing regions of the country, are well aware of the danger. April 28, 2023 Don't Miss Efforts will focus on identifying problematic lights and educating property owners on solutions. Carlos Osorio for NPR Scores of people on Floridas southwest coast and others in flood-prone inland areas stayed to face the Category 4 storm or tried to run only when the water began to deluge roads and homes. ", Jim says he's also thought about God, the challenge he's been given and whether he's still up to it. Many have moved to Florida in recent years from places where theyd never experienced hurricanes. Jay has no idea where his neighbors went. Collson, who lived on a finger of land 5 miles from the island where the hurricane made landfall, texted Jim as conditions worsened. Hurricane The forecasters were comparing Ian to Hurricane Charley, a Category 4 storm that hit the area in 2004. Clayton, the countys spokeswoman, said in an email that the government held about two dozen hurricane seminars for the public from April to August. Even though the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season officially ends Nov. 30,its repercussionswill linger long into the future. You start explaining to them that this area could get up to 20 feet of storm surge, and they say: What do you mean? Michael Yost finds a chair amid the rubble of the destroyed home of his friend Mitch Pacyna. CBS4's Ashley Dyer reports plenty of cars were also stalled out. Facing a Dire Storm Forecast in Florida, Officials Delayed Evacuation Rent vouchers dont help. About 10% of the homeless had lived on boats that were destroyed. But he was alone at home with a newborn child, and the roads were too dangerous. FORT MYERS, FLA. No place in Florida seemed to have suffered more damage from Hurricane Ian than the town of Fort Myers Beach, located on Estero Island Jay had given up on getting any storm compensation money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Destruction caused by Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach is viewed from the air on Oct. 1, 2022. Over the previous 24 hours, the expected landfall had shifted about 80 miles south, according to the National Hurricane Center. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. South Florida can expect heavy rains, gusty winds, and coastal flooding. Protected nationally since 1978 by the Endangered Species Act, loggerhead sea turtles were once much rarer on Fort Myers Beach. 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. The guy told him: It hasnt been floating in quite a few years.. But Lee County had kept its schools open on Monday, Sept. 26, two days before Ians arrival, as did Charlotte County. With his slumped shoulders and back bent from an ancient injury, its hard to imagine Capt. So that makes the need to prepare for hurricane season even more essential. 0:51. Ten years ago today, one of the most catastrophic storm events to hit Southwest Florida impacted Fort Myers Beach and those who lived or worked on it. " We have a tentative reopening date of May 25 for the Fort Myers Beach location. A good Monday morning to you as the sun rises from Placida, he texted friends on March 20, beneath a photo of tangerine clouds. On Sept. 28, Hurricane Ian made landfall on Cayo Costa, a barrier island northwest of Cape Coral and Fort Myers, Fla., as a Category 4 storm with sustained winds Then, in February, Lee County Sheriffs Office deputies ordered everyone out. He doesn't expect to be around to see it. An NBC News analysis found that 119 were attributed specifically to the flooding, winds and other dangerous conditions during the storm. The town charges $250 for the first citation and $500 for additional violations for the same property. They survived, and their house wasnt seriously damaged. They are giving out teddy bears to every child who rides with them, aiming to ease ambulance tensions. Michael Yost at the damaged home he was renting in Fort Myers Beach, Fla. Between May 1 and July 31 of last year, the town issued 220 warnings for lighting violations. Too many people still die in hurricanes, even after vast improvements in forecasting and communication, said disaster researcher Amber Silver. The hatchlings, once they break out of their eggs and through the sand out of their nests, will head for the Gulf of Mexico as long as they arent disorientated by any light or other human activity. Got married five times. The berm is being built to protect properties from storm surge associated with tropical weather or hurricanes. Six months after Hurricane Ian smashed his liveaboard sailboat into the mangroves, after a Coast Guard helicopter rescued him, after spending five months in a Some were rescued by Turtle Time but it is believed many likely perished due to predators, exhaustion, and dehydration. He wound up spending his next Social Security check to stay at the boatyard through April. Nearly two months after the hurricane, with funerals still being held and the wrecked landscape still being cleared of debris, experts say the disaster should serve as a warning for communities that continue to build homes in places exposed to increasingly powerful storms and a reminder to step up efforts to help the defenseless. Jay scaling a five-story pole. Companion bills making their way through the Florida Legislature would make Gov. I was ready to say my last prayer and the water stopped and started receding, Conway said. 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. Take a walk on the beach to see if your propertys lighting is visible from the beach, and install wildlife friendly lighting now, rather than waiting for warning letters and enforcement citations, Chustz advised residents in an email. Hed never been through a hurricane before, and he didnt have a car. The morning the storm hit, Verdream, 66, told his niece Stacy Verdream that he planned to ride it out. The berm is being built to protect It's a blow he's not sure he can recover from. You can never get prepared too early, Giarratana said. If one encounters a sea turtle or hatchlings on the beach, they should stay clear as to not interfere with their nesting or hatchling process. Lighting compliance is not in place yet, far from it, Haverfield said. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. April 28, Please note, filter wraps, gels, and colored , are not compliant, because the emit light that sea turtles are sensitive to., Efforts will focus on identifying problematic lights and educating property owners on solutions. Theyre calling for a season that is just below normal. We are banging our heads against the wall, because it keeps happening.. Lee County suffered none of the states 123 Irma deaths. Of the 109 Im not going back to a home, she told her brother. On Aug. 13, 2004, Hurricane Charley passed by Fort Myers Beach and made landfall at Cayo Costa. "I got over there today and there was a note by the coffee machine, 'Call the sales lady.' According to the Fort Myers Police Department (FMPD), a man Damaged mobile homes lie scattered after the passage of Hurricane Ian, in the San Carlos area of Fort Myers Beach, 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. Hurricane season 2022 ends; Ian deadliest storm. Why so many Lee officials did not yet issue an evacuation, saying Ians path remained uncertain. The water got up to my neck. A catastrophe modeling company estimates that insured losses will be over $60 billion and total damages may exceed $100 billion. Jay is not entirely sure and had to unload it. An emergency sand berm is built on Fort Myers Beach on Tuesday, April 18, 2023. Beginning May 1, some people with higher credit scores may actually end up paying a higher fee. Loggerhead sea turtles are protected by the Endangered Species Act, Floridas Marine Turtle Protection Act, and The Town of Fort Myers Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Code. 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. Destroyed houses and buildings are visible in Fort Myers Beach, Fla., on Friday. While there have not yet been any sea turtle nests spotted on Fort Myers Beach yet this season, Haverfield said sea turtles have hit the beaches in Captiva and Bonita Beach. In recent years, a growing number of older people with impairments have been given the resources health aides, medical equipment, meal deliveries, paid caregivers to remain at home instead of spend the rest of their days in nursing homes or assisted living centers. Half were in places at risk of 9-foot storm surges or more. They were now on their own. Hurricane That decision was partly based on initial forecasts for a hurricane that had weakened into a tropical storm, as well as Ians westward and inland approach into the county, said Jim Judge, Volusia Countys emergency management director. That, Jim Helton says, and the boat he found in the middle of his house. CBS4's News meteorologist Dave Warren and Jennifer Correa bring you the latest weather outlook for South Florida. Beneath the Matanzas Pass Bridge, where Capt. He felt the breeze through his beard, looked up at the stars, then climbed into his cabin and poured another rum and Coke. He rode out three hurricanes and dozens of other storms on the water. But the storm shifted east and weakened, and it arrived at low tide. One of the places severely damaged by Hurricane Ian was Fort Myers Beach, and seven months later, theres still more to do, but theyve come a long way. The deputies from the Sheriffs Office will help us in the event of a disoriented turtle on the street, she said. Hoffman and his family watched with alarm as the water rose around their house, cresting just short of the walls. Trump's last major visit to Scotland was in 2018, while he was still president, sparking a heavy security operation and several days of protests. Chustz will patrol the beach at night to monitor light pollution on sea turtle nesting habitat. The projected path continued moving south through Monday, the center said. Last year, Turtle Time reported that some sea turtle hatchlings were found under condos and houses because the propertys lights disoriented them. And the Barnacles so much worse than I thought.. "We were going to sell [the house] this winter," Jim says. Usually, theres a Hurricane Tax Relief Week ahead of hurricane season. After being grounded by Hurricane Ian, an aging sailor struggles to Hurricane Further direct disturbances of sea turtles and their nestings could result in federal or state prosecution. This storm showed us that we dont, said Jeannine Joy, the president and CEO of United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades counties. 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. Stunned, Yost went to Utterbacks house. Photos: This is what Florida looks like after Hurricane Ian, Flooding and closed roads are some of the challenges Florida's people face after Ian. Hurricane Irma is the worst hurricane to have hit the Fort Myers-Naples area in recent history in 2017. Fort Myers Beach Other residents said the evacuation orders came too late. On the east coast of Florida, Volusia County opted for only a voluntary evacuation order ahead of Ian. Someone to travel around the world with me., Im going to do a TV show from every port. Hurricane season 2022 included widespread destruction fromFiona and Ian. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Others may have lost spouses who handled such things or dont have nearby family members or neighbors to ask for help. When storms and hurricanes come into the county from the east, officials typically mandate coastal areas to evacuate because those storms bring deadly surges off the Atlantic, he said. Houses floated by. It was Ian's storm surge that did the damage. "Sometimes that can be a savings, as well if the company has overstated your replacement costs," Norberg said. They hung up, and DeMoss hoped shed be fine. WebSeptember 9, 1919 The 1919 Florida Keys hurricane passes about 50 miles (80 km) south of Key West, producing strong winds and heavy rainfall reaching an estimated peak of 13.4 But those efforts reach fewer than 13,000 people in a seven-county region with nearly 700,000 people over 60. Even if he was miles from the water. But the county relies more on social media, its website and an emergency messaging system to reach large numbers of people. Sea turtle nesting season officially starts on Fort Myers Beach this Monday. FORT MYERS How to make the most of your Orlando trip, How a gay bar made downtown Dunedins business culture bloom, Rays go from being no-hit to blowing out the White Sox, Struggling Florida high school seniors may get graduation reprieve, Beneath a Fort Myers bridge, a captain longs to return to sea. Six months after Hurricane Ian stormed across Southwest Florida, people in many areas are still struggling to rebuild. NWS A member of a search-and-rescue team checks a home for victims in the wake of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach, Fla., on Oct. 3. Still, at the seven-month mark since the Category 4 storm hit, it can be difficult and painful to see the scars that remain in many places, including Sanibel Island, which Smile and enjoy your day.. There were 109 loggerhead sea turtle nests recorded on Fort Myers Beach last year, up from 30 when Turtle Time first began tracking the nests. At the Placida boatyard, he has yet to repair his sailboats spreader, fix the in-board engine, buy an outboard one. They were supposed to map out reasons why the death penalty would not be appropriate if a jury convicts Joseph Zieler, but they havent submitted those reasons yet. The surge snapped Yosts mailbox, rising from about 3 feet to about 10 feet in 10 minutes. Much of the catastrophic toll was foreseeable and preventable, an NBC News investigation found. By the time the evacuation orders came, Hoffman recalled thinking, it was too late. Ian battered the barrier island with a 12-foot storm surge and winds near 150 miles per hour. The nesting season lasts through October. Jim Helton has been in Florida more than 40 years. Nearby counties, including Charlotte, issued mandatory evacuation orders for their riskiest areas on Monday afternoon. 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. Some have diagnosed cognitive decline that makes it hard for them to plan ahead or make decisions about whether to evacuate. FORT MYERS, Fla. As Hurricane Ian charged toward the western coast of Florida this week, the warnings from forecasters were growing more urgent. All the more reason for the Town to pursue getting amber LEDs put in place.
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