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Lessons learned?

By Staff | Oct 4, 2024

Bad memories of the past marked the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Ian here in Southwest Florida.

Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, Captiva, Pine Island and Matlacha all saw inundating storm surge again with Fort Myers and the Cape seeing flooding as well as Hurricane Helene raced off Florida’s Gulf Coast to make landfall in the Big Bend community of Perry as a devastating category 4 storm.

Locally, homes and streets took on water while sand, muck and mire filled coastal roadways, yards and pools — more heartbreak for those of us, residents and businesses alike, who have rebuilt or are in the process still.

Regionally, Helene became the deadliest storm since Hurricane Katrina, wreaking havoc though six southeastern states from Florida up through Georgia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee and parts of Virginia with a death toll exceeding 200 as of press time and hundreds of individuals still unaccounted for.

Whole towns are gone. Entire families are missing.

Damage is expected to top $35 billion.

We, as a community, can say with heart that we feel their pain, share their loss, and that we stand behind them as they mourn, recover and rebuild.

May the post-storm challenges Southwest Floridians experienced in the wake of Hurricane Ian be lessons learned so the structural and material recovery efforts, at the least, not be a second wave of trauma for those who saw homes, businesses and the efforts a lifetime swept away.

First, federal funds, yes, and that includes the votes of conservatives in the House and Senate as efforts move from the approved disaster aid and cost-share commitment under way to protracted recovery relief. Recovery is a bipartisan mandate.

Two, mandates for expedited claims processing and appeals as well as a call for a paradigm change at the national level to assure comprehensive coverage for natural disasters of all kinds is long overdue. Make it happen.

Two years after Ian, too many Southwest Floridans are still waiting to be made whole and too many are now paying insurance premiums that have tripled or more for coverage that, well, may pay pennies on the dollar for the “next time” that is now.

Three, in conjunction with addressing national disaster coverage, there needs to be an overhaul of national flood insurance policies, a program under the auspices of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Politico has reported that among the states that have experienced the worst flooding in their history, fewer than 1% of homes and businesses have insurance through the national program. Flood risk was perceived to be minimal, though, as we as a county have now learned, not non-existent.

Bringing in more low-risk policy holders with low-cost polices will make premiums more affordable for everyone who wants one.

One more, wholly at the local level.

As those of us who repaired or rebuilt in the wake of Hurricane Ian so painfully learned, FEMA enforces its rules and regulations and it does so to the standards it sets. FEMA plies the honed hook of its flood insurance discounts and can and will yank it back hard if it believes its regulations have been abridged.

Local governments, including Lee County, Cape Coral, Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel are urging — strongly urging — that permits be obtained before any repairs necessitated by Hurricane Helene are made.

This is particularly important for all properties within FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area.

That’s most, if not all, of those damaged.

Submission of a Substantial Improvement/Substantial Damage application is also required.

Cape Coral property owners who experienced water intrusion or sustained wind damage are encouraged to contact the city’s Development Services Department for guidance on permits and repair requirements. Property owners are asked to send an email to flood@capecoral.gov “as soon as possible.”

Lee County Government is reminding residents in unincorporated areas to pull permits for repairs as well, stressing “This is particularly important for unincorporated residents in coastal areas, along rivers and in areas that typically flood during weather events.”

Those whose properties incurred water intrusion or other damage are urged to email FIRMinfo@leegov.com for assistance with permit requirements and resources. Provide contact information, property address, type of damage and the height of the water that entered the home. Permits for hurricane damage are being prioritized for review.

Summed up succinctly, when in doubt, reach out. Pull a permit. Do the paperwork.

Lastly, donations — especially cash — can make a big difference in a lot of lives.

State disaster funds like the Florida Relief Fund are actively channeling donations where needed.

FEMA recommends checking nvoad.org — National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster — for other vetted groups or charities. The site can be searched by the state you would like to specifically assist.

If you can, even a small donation can help.

–Breeze editorial