Officials remind residents of beach’s updated re-entry plan
To receive a Fort Myers Beach hurricane re-entry pass, visit the Town of Fort Myers Beach Town Hall at 6231 Estero Boulevard between Monday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. One form of identification that confirms status as a resident, business owner or property owner is required. Identification can include a driver’s license, utility bill, rental agreement, mortgage statement or tax records. “Proof of residency and government identification,” Fort Myers Beach Public Information Officer Abigail Eberhart said.
Everyone who lives in the town, owns or manages a business in the town is eligible to receive two hurricane re-entry passes.
The town’s hurricane re-entry plan, updated in 2024, specifies that access back onto the island after a future hurricane will be closed for at least 48 hours after the storm ends depending on the severity of the hurricane. Even those with hurricane passes will not have access to the island until emergency responder agencies have deemed the island to be safe, roads have been cleared, debris has been assessed and any search and recovery efforts have concluded. The town was able to open up the island quickly last year after Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene. In the event of a storm as severe as Ian where search-and- rescue crews will be deployed to the island, the wait to get back on the island could take days. During Hurricane Ian, 16 people were killed and some bodies were not found until months later.
“For residents within the Town of Fort Myers Beach, it’s important to remember that the Town issues reentry passes, which are required to return to the island following a storm,” Fort Myers Beach Fire Chief Scott Wirth said. “Just as important is understanding that reentry occurs in a deliberate, safety‑driven order.”
Following a storm, the reopening of Fort Myers Beach generally proceeds as follows:
> Life Safety: Search-and-rescue operations;
> Life Safety: Treatment and transport of anyone injured who remained on the island;
> Life Safety: Securing hazards such as energized electrical lines, leaking natural gas or propane tanks, unstable buildings, vehicles, or vessels;
> Life Safety/Scene Stabilization: Infrastructure assessments, including water and sewer systems, bridge stability, and roadway washouts;
> Scene Stabilization: Clearing roadways of debris;
> Resident Reentry: Residents returning to assess and secure their property;
> Essential Services Reentry: Contractors, fuel, food, and other recovery resources;
> Normal Access: Full public access is restored.
The severity of the storm and its resulting impacts will always determine how long each of these phases takes. The Town and the Fire Control District say their goal is to reunite residents with their families and properties as quickly as possible, but never before it is safe to do so.
— Nathan Mayberg