FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — Tuesday morning, the Fort Myers Beach Town Council declared a state of local emergency as Hurricane Idalia approaches.
The town is urging locals to prepare for the storm and secure items on their properties.
Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers said, “It’s not the time to panic, but it’s the time to be prepared and work the plan that you have in place because at the end of the day the decision comes down to you. So, do what’s in the best interest of you and to make sure you and your family are safe.”
The town announced that residents can get free sandbags at the town hall complex from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday or until supplies last.
Fort Myers Beach residents Nadine DeGenova and Lisa Hudson packed several bags of sand for their properties.
DeGenova stayed on the island during Hurricane Ian, and she plans to stay for Hurricane Idalia as well.
"This island is our home," she said. "You and everyone on it are a part of our extended family, and to see them struggle to come back and work so hard with every ounce of energy and so many have, and now to see it wipe away some of the good they did.”
Her neighbor Lisa Hudson said, "I’m nervous about what I’m going to wake up to tomorrow morning is my garage going to be flooded? Are my neighbors going to have two feet of water in their house?”
Lyle Kline is another island resident. He has lived on the island for over 30 years. He said he plans to wait out the storm like he did with the ones in years past.
“I’m looking at the surf coming up here and the two to four foot that’s supposedly coming and it looks like it could be more in 24 hours,” Kline said.
The town of Fort Myers Beach encourages residents to secure any construction sites not just for their own safety but also their neighbors.
Fort Myers Beach said there are two safe havens off the island as well in North Fort Myers and Estero. Waste Management also helped pick up debris that was on the side of roads earlier in the week.
