Hurricane Ian 03

 Please note: As of this entry, my posts are being backdated as to give “real time writing” for what happened during Hurricane Ian.

The posts will be mixed with personal thoughts, news interjections and random items. I tried my best to give times, but there are points I did not write it down, so you’ll have to understand that there may be some time spans.

As I typed this out, if I’m talking about news for some bullet points in a row, I am trying to keep them together. In instances where I am rambling, as I usually do, don’t mind the nonsensical freeform. That too, I tried to lump together.

Reader discretion advised (there is some TMI [“too much information”]).

Pictures to come at some point (over 1,000 snaps).

 September 30 2022

 

6am – Woke up. Slept with windows open last night for cool air. Not freezing, but at least it’s less humid. Started to find news on radio and it’s all “talk” shows. Nothing major. One of the shows said this is now one of the top ten worst hurricanes in history. As we spent an hour and a half listening to the radio, we tried our phones again. Got through to a couple of people, but messages are failing again (7:30).

 

8:13am – talk show thinks about 83% of Lee County still without power. People are calling in to say who has power, gas, etc. LCEC is working on search and rescue before power is restored. No news about FPL.

 

9:30am – been outside for an hour or so. Just had coffee at Ed + Joanne’s (one neighbor) as another neighbor has a generator (Mike). We still have our front flooded. There are dry patches, but it still is not going down. Someone was walking from one end of the street and is trying to leave. She was at her cousin’s house in the cul de sac and wanted to go home to her complex across the street. She found out that she has a few inches to a few feet in her house and she’s anxious to see what her place looks like. She wants to be able to get the doors and windows open before the mold starts. Unfortunately, she has to cross a semi flooded street. Luckily, we saw her get picked up by someone in a pickup, about 4 units down the road. They were able to get her home it looks like.

 

10:47am – neighbors have been trying to go out and see what’s going on as well as getting more supplies. Ed and Joanne have taken in whatever food was salvageable from our fridge and freezer. Same with Arlene (lady upstairs). We said we will share with everyone as it is chicken, cheese, meat, etc. Once the grill gets on, everyone can cook what they want. But Ed owns the grill and he’s out getting fuel for not only that, but for Mike’s generator. He might also be getting water for him and Joanne. He’s been gone since 10 or so. They say lines are long at Costco and other places. News reported that about an hour ago. We have just been outside, watching what is happening. Nothing major, but neighbors are together as much as can be. Just to be social so we aren’t all alone. This definitely shows you the power of people. All walks of life and political background. Times like this, we all get along!

 

You don’t realize how much water you have until you go through it. “Plan for seven days” they say. But if power grids go down for weeks, you’re screwed. We certainly can’t ration out water, so hopefully our streets clear and maybe we can go out. If we can get out, now that more places are opening up and are being stocked.

 

Helicopters circle us every 15 to 30 minutes. Don’t know who they are – might be news, might be government. Can’t tell.

 

Service on phones still spotty. I think people in the other parts of the state have problems too. Erica in the Keys, Emi in Orlando, Dawn in Cape Coral. Can’t reach them via text – it keeps failing. Heard from Sue in Titusville. She is en route to the Carolinas and it’s 11:13am.

 

12:40pm – came inside for a while. It’s getting hot. Whatever station we have on the radio, someone called in that from Miami to us, have flooding in places and gas stations are dark.

 

They are telling people to not try to get to Cape Coral. Stay out until necessary. First responders need the roads. Everyone needs to be off the roads. Sam’s Club is saying you don’t need to be a member if you need gas. Open til 6pm. But part of Lee County is under a 6pm curfew. Airport (RSW) is blocked. If your car is there, talk to the guard and explain that your car is there. Otherwise you can’t get in.

 

Our neighbors are helping each other move the tops of the fallen palm trees so the water can recede and our driveways are clear.

 

News caller said all of Cape Coral needs to be repaired and relined with power poles.

 

There are still trying to figure out how to get people evacuated from Sanibel and Captiva.

 

One of my mother’s friends works for a cleaning crew and does our complex. He had been in an accident a month or so ago and lost totaled his car. Now, he lost everything in the storm – his rental, his house, everything. His livelihood is cleaning and 85% of his work is on Sanibel. Luckily he has someone who can house him for now.

 

1:25pm – News - $20 million in damage in Naples. They also said that local sheriff said there is zero tolerance in regards to curfew. It is to prevent looting and is for the overall safety of everyone since we are still with no power. They are still trying to do search and rescue.

 

Thoughts – everyone doing auto pay for bills, what happens if you can’t get online to transfer funds? People have basics attached to accounts. Our HOA fees are due, along with car insurance and what not. Big money!

 

1:30 – Ed and Joanne came over to tell us there is cold water. Some people are reporting water. Still boil, but he have a little water.. now what?

 

We are starting to get together food to cook. With Ed and Joanne having a grill, we are all sharing.

 

News confirmed the water is back on in places and North Port now has a boil water order.

 

3:01pm. We went to Ed and Joanne’s for a meal. Scrambled eggs and cheese, left overs (cooked meats from last night). English muffins. Everyone said it was better than the breakfast places.

 

News: Power stats - 109,000 in Collier County with power. About half of that is without power. 225,000 in Lee County without power. Still a large number from FPL. 103,000 in Charlotte County without power. 5,000 in Hendry and half of that is without power.

 

Text still is spotty. Can’t log in to apps or make good messages or calls. IMessage can’t connect to server. I won’t be able to do anything Apple related.

 

The hurricane is pulling the weather away so we are getting cooler air (News).

 

We are trying our best to keep up with the drinking and staying clean.

 

Announcement on news (3:10): said US41 is closed – both ways in Charlotte County at the Charlotte Harbor / Peace River area. It is just past North Fort Myers. So we wouldn’t even be able to leave unless we used 75.

 

Some stores are open with limited stock but the news says check the website to see list. It doesn’t help if you can’t get online, have power or cell service.

 

Once everyone said the water is back, a couple neighbors tried the toilets. One then another. We have all been trying the “if it’s yellow, let it mellow” rule.

4pm – news says there is a 24 hour curfew on Sanibel because it’s way too dangerous to be out and about. Boat access is prohibited and there is absolutely no access to the island. Prior reports said that at least 1500 people are there. Sanibel and Captiva are completely severed from help. Officials are trying to get help there.

 

4:49pm – I can definitely tell the difference between 4G and 5G cell services. My iPhone 11 is 4G, while my mother’s is a 13 with 5G. She is getting random texts to go thru every time we attempt to turn on her phone. My phone struggles, yet, I’ve been able to call out occasionally. But it hasn’t been working for a while. We are both on LTE, but towers are still wonky. I keep trying to reconnect to iMessages, but it’s circling. It doesn’t seem to connect since we have no wifi or reliable connection for cell service. The LTE changes when everything circles after 5 minutes and goes to SOS or NO SERVICE. Totally a blow to the gut because we can’t respond to the people who we get texts from.

 

5pm – news – they are talking about the Causeway. FL DOT will have a plan to rebuild soon. There will be a design within the next thirty days and a full on build within the year. So, by this time next month, there will a new bridge on paper and by this time next year, it’ll be live. There is now a “half trillion dollars’ worth of damage”. “Charley was a walk in the park compared to this”. “30% of people will have power overnight while 70-80% of people will have power over the next couple weeks. 50 % ill have water within the week. Wifi will be up as soon as it can”. Major intersections will have police detail. As of this news cast, the death toll is: 12 in Charlotte, 8 in Collier, 16 in Lee, 5 during hurricane but may not be from the hurricane itself. FPL says “restored 50% during Irma state wide. SWFL is dramatically lower. Less than 50% been restored. Lee County estimate is it could be 75% will have within two weeks. But that is being generous”.

 

I don’t know why they said Irma.

 

“There is a small percentage of people who have power. By 7am tomorrow some places in Cape Coral could have power in places but not sure what”. “People are warned they won’t have power now”. “Bridge over Peace River is closed. It’s precautionary. Southbound traffic to King’s Highway and Northbound traffic to Marion Ave is closed. 75 is the way to go”. “The worst may not be over for Desoto County. Peace River hasn’t crested. Water is 8 foot higher than it should be. Gas stations are not open in Desoto so people can’t drive through Arcadia. You must use 75 for travel”.

 

8:21pm – we just finished showering after being out with the neighbors since 5:50. Everyone together, sharing food off the grill. It was nice. But we are all so shocked over the devastation. Some of the people have tried to go out. They say we are EXTREMELY lucky to not get the damage they saw around us.

 

Note – our shower was quick. Don’t know if it’s dirty water or not so we scrubbed good. Tried not to get in our eyes or mouth. Just don’t know.

 

But everyone is really coming together. The problem will be doing this for the next two weeks or more. The grids are bad and the pipes are broken in places. News is reporting how that they are going to have distribution places for people. We would see if we could go out with a neighbor in a high car. See if we all can get water or something because we are going to go through our (now shared) food quick. There has been 5-8 people eating every meal. The challenge is that we’d be “wasting” gas. My mom says if the water recedes enough tomorrow we’re going to walk to our friend Betty’s around the corner. News just said curfew is 9pm to 6am. I’m like, it’s too damn dark right now to be in at 9. Sun set and goes dark by 8:15. It’ll be treacherous. Question on news – main breaks are underground? Answer – they have tech to see where breaks are, but it’s internet based and the internet is down. They’re going to try tomorrow with other tech. no specific number of people without water. Septic problem? There’s been some problems and surcharge, with manholes and pump stations, but it’s little because they know where it is. But they can’t locate the break in the main system. They know where some minor breaks are. It’s a different grid than Cape Coral. So report any breaks you see to the city, which means if you see things like bubbles in the road, it’s a sign something is bad underneath. Conserve water when possible. Garbage pick up starts Monday but perishables only – not recycle. Starz Complex is going to be a distribution center for food for kids. No word about what places will be handing supplies, we don’t know. We have just rethinking about it. Water, bread, peanut butter.. stuff that needs no electricity. We may not attempt to go – it would probably be “cheaper” to find a grocery store if we need it. Waits are long in places. The lines are horrendous where people go. Most places is cash only and you better be good at math in case you get screwed. People and places tend to try to price gouge.

 

The news is reporting that a guy owns three houses, which are family houses. He left in the middle of the hurricane to swim four blocks (½ mile) and it was a rough swim. He needed to save his wheelchair bound mother. By the time he got to her. The water was up to her chin in her house. If he was half an hour later, she would have died. He lost a house and some things, but his family is alive and safe.

 

As I write this, I’m hearing cars SPEED down the road outside. It’s 8:50pm and DARK.

 

News said schools are cancelled of next week.

 

Well, duh. There’s no power. People can’t go out. How can kids expect to learn right now?

 

Other school news: FSW is cancelled next week until Sunday October 9. The goal is to open on October 10. The same with FGCU.

 

Who knows what is going to happen the next week if power won’t be restored for a minimum of two weeks.

 

There has been a least 5 helicopters pass by. Don’t know what is happening.

 

9pm.

 

It is 60 something degrees out right now. “It’s like fall” they say. My mother says “we haven’t had a fall-like night since probably before we moved here”. The news says we won’t have humidity for the rest of the weekend. So it will be nice to sleep with the windows open.  

 

Thought – if I don’t have access to email, power, phone, I don’t know what the status of my (new) job is. Is the building still standing? Did it get leveled? Will they open? Do I have a job (and as important, insurance)? This is nutso. All the more reason we rely too heavily on our (smart) devices. I am so out of touch with everything, like everyone else. I don’t know if courts are open, so if they are, I may have work. But I can’t get out of my flooded area. I don’t want to risk driving down there, especially with no power. I’m basically out of a job at the moment (like everyone else). I can’t totally complain – I have not had damage to where I live. I am without power, but we have water (for now). We have neighbors. Although I do not want to do this again, I still wouldn’t mind dealing with snow again.

 

        It’s 9:13pm. I should think about going bed. Oh, if I get to post this with pix – I have a picture of a military plane – a chinook (thanks to Ed my neighbor for telling me what it is. He’s a Purple Heart recipient - Vietnam Veteran). Real neat but something you don’t want to have to see in your life, flying around your neighborhood. This thing makes you truly feel like you’re in a war zone, given the fact they are talking about devastation and you’re seeing so much landscape damage around you.