Forecasters: Expect more active hurricane season
The Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District and the Lee County Emergency Operation Center held its second annual Hurricane Education Seminar last Tuesday night at the Pine Island United Methodist Church.
The seminar covered evacuation, hurricane preparedness kits, shelters and the predictions for the 2017 hurricane season.
Lee County Emergency Management is organized around the National Incident Management System principles, usually re-ferred to as the Inci-dent Command Sys-tem or ICS for short. The system works with the “All Hazards” approach to emergency management, from hurricanes to weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The “All Hazards Guide” was handed out to everyone who attended the seminar and is available from the Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Department.
The National Weather Service is predicting an active hurricane season only slightly less active than last season. It is predicting a total of 13 (the average is 12) named storms, six hurricanes (the average is six) with two major hurricanes for the Atlantic basin during hurricane season.
A major hurricane is a Category 3 or stronger on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. The National Hurricane Center says that Category 3 hurricane winds range from 111 129 and “devastating damage will occur: Well-built framed homes may incur major damage or removal of roof decking and gable ends. Many trees will be snapped or uprooted, blocking numerous roads. Electricity and water will be unavailable for several days to weeks after the storm passes.”
Lee Mayfield, acting director of Public Safety/Emergency Management for Lee County, introduced himself to a crowd of over 60 people. He is responsible for coordinating and planning the preparations for and responses to all hazardous threats to the citizens and visitors of the Fort Myers/Cape Coral metropolitan area.
The” Lee County All Hazards Guide 2017 2018″ provides a map of Lee County indicating all of Pine Island, Sanibel, Captiva and North Captiva and parts of Cape Coral inside Zone A. Zone A is where the greatest effects of hurricane rain, wind and surge could be.
“The phrase I want you to remember is ‘Respect the Wind Fear the Surge’, Mayfield said. “Remember that even a Category 1 or 2 hurricane can create a devastating surge. Hurricane Ivan created a storm surge of more than 11 feet and Dennis, with relatively low winds, created a storm surge of 15 feet. And as to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, that hurricane produced a storm surge of 34 feet. A surge that high would put much of Cape Coral under water.”
Statistics show that 49 percent of people who lose their lives during hurricanes lose them due to storm surge with only 8 percent of the deaths due to wind.
Mayfield stressed the importance of having a plan to evacuate.
“Everyone should have more than one option and staying at one of the shelters should be the last option,” Mayfield said. “Shelters provide only food, water and shelter. The potential for over-crowding in shelters is enormous and very uncomfortable. A much better option would be to stay at a friends house inland.”
“In the event of a hurricane, the Lee County Emergency Operation Center will give Pine Islanders up to five days notice before a hurricane is in the immediate area and two to three days to evacuate,” Mayfield said. “When we say evacuate, the most critical zone, Pine Island and Matlacha are ‘Zone A’, I hope you consider strongly to do so.
“Just because a hurricane has a lower wind doesn’t mean you don’t have to evacuate. A Category 1 hurricane can create a significant surge depending on the direction it’s coming from. Katrina came ashore at the Mississippi-Louisiana border. The storm surge was 34 feet of water. That’s enough water to evacuate all of Lee County and put Pine Island under water.”
Planning ahead is key. If you wait to plan until a day or two before a storm strikes, you’re likely to forget something vital, he stressed.
The All Hazards Guide includes a comprehensive “Supply Kit” for emergencies. This is a partial list: One gallon of drinking water per person 3 to 7-day supply, plastic wrap, cooler for food storage and ice, lighter or matches, sleeping bags, lawn chairs, camp stove, spare glasses, personal hygiene items, list of prescription medications, over the counter medications, hand sanitizer, water and food for animals, NOAA weather radio, first aid kit, etc.
“It is estimated that one in four people live with some form of disability,” Mayfield said. “Emergency Management has been actively learning the needs of disabled people. EOC has recently added a ‘Disability Advisor’ to address the needs of residents with physical and mental disabilities. They have also added training for shelter management staff.”
For those people whose needs can not be met in a shelter, there are “Special Care Shelters” available. You must complete an application to determine if your medical issues qualify for a special needs shelter. Applications are available online at: www.LeeEOC.com. LeeTran and EMS can provide transportation to a “Special Needs Shelter.”
According to the All Hazards Guide, Lee County and the Greater Southwest Florida region is experiencing a “shelter deficit.” The guide suggests “if you have a safe place to evacuate to, plan to use your alternate location rather than a shelter.” Pet friendly shelters are limited to South Fort Myers High School on a first-come first-served basis.
Keeping informed is vital and there are several applications for iPhones available. CODE RED is a mobile phone app that is geographically based and alerts only residents in the affected area via “push notifications” in real time. Lee EOC also uses Twitter and Facebook.
If an evacuation is ordered, instructions will be provided. This “app” is provided by, and available from, iTunes and the Lee County Government at: www.leegov.com/library/online/mobile-apps. Click on Flood Info.
To expedite returning to the island after a hurricane, residents must have a “hang tag.” Following a hurricane Lee County will place sheriff’s deputies at the bridge to check the identification of everyone trying to get on the island. A hang tag will expedite passage. Hang tags are available at the M/PIFCD. You will need identification that you live on Pine Island – an electric bill will serve.
“Recovering after a disaster takes time,” Mayfield said. “Following the storm, electricity and water may be out and although restoring these is a priority, it will take time. Utilities will be restored on a priority basis. Emergency services will be restored first and then homes and businesses. Debris must be cleared from the roads to begin the process.”
Generators, when used incorrectly, can result in tragic circumstances.
“When generators are running they give off carbon monoxide, which is tasteless, colorless and odorless and can kill,” Mayfield said. “If you’re going to use a generator purchase a carbon monoxide detector and put in a fresh battery. Set it on your nightstand so you’ll hear it if it goes off.”
Following Hurricane Charley, points of distribution for the basic essentials – food, water and ice – at several churches were established on Pine Island.
“If you take anything away with you today it should be “fear the wind but respect the surge” Mayfield said. “There is important information in our All Hazards Guide. If you didn’t get a copy tonight and would like a copy, stop by the Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Department. They are invaluable and available for pickup.”