Marco Island under State of Emergency, issues mandatory evacuation

Marco Island has issued a mandatory evacuation order due to Ian.

There is a predicted storm surge of 6 to 9 feet which means conditions warrant an evacuation.

“Now is the time for residents to leave the Island,” Marco Island said in a news release.

A state of emergency is also in place for Marco Island. This activates the island’s disaster emergency plans and makes available resources for people in need.

“When sustained winds reach a dangerous level, police, fire rescue and emergency medical response may be suspended. First responders may not be able to respond in the event of an emergency,” the news release states. “Marco Island is expecting tropical storm winds to begin around 8 p.m. Tuesday evening. Hurricane-force winds and storm surge are expected Wednesday morning.”

• Collier County Emergency Management will open the following shelters by 5 p.m.:
• Palmetto Ridge High School / Special Needs Shelter – Pet-friendly (special needs only)
• Oakridge Middle School – Pet-friendly (closest to Marco Island)
• Corkscrew Middle School – Pet-friendly
• Golden Gate Middle School – Pet-friendly
• Immokalee Middle School – Pet-friendly

Since Friday, Marco Island city leaders have been telling people to lock everything down and they’ve been doing the same.

Marco Island will close all of its city facilities as of 1 p.m. on Tuesday due to Hurricane Ian. The city says you can stay up to date on the latest information on their website.

Marco Island does not operate any shelters. City Manager Mike McNees says he knows the island is in a precarious position because there are only two access points and the area is vulnerable to high water.

“Now is the time for residents to consider leaving the Island and heading inland toward the East Coast of Florida. This is also the time to prepare for a potential mandatory evacuation, should an order be issued. Due to the potential for rapidly changing conditions, residents are advised to prepare for the possibility of a mandatory evacuation order. To avoid additional stress during an already tense time, develop an evacuation plan now and consider leaving early. The City will not close the Jolley Bridge or impede egress from the Island.”

Collier County Commissioner Rick LoCastro provided a list of the areas to which county leaders say they’re paying close attention now.

“You have Marco, Goodland, Isles of Capri, a lot of communities all the way down, as you drive towards Everglades City, that fall into District 1, Henderson Creek… these are places that, even when we have a mild rainstorm, at times can be flooded significantly,” LoCastro said.

Due to the lack of shelters, Marco Island officials urge evacuating neighbors to leave as soon as possible.

“We don’t want people to hunker down in an evacuation shelter locally if a serious storm is coming, we want them to leave and be in a more safe place with family and friends or somewhere inland,” LoCastro said. “Often we don’t open them because we have plenty of notice for the storm and people can evacuate. Or, when we do open them, it’s a last-minute emergent type of situation. And we hope they aren’t busting at the seams.”

Schools in Collier County are out on Tuesday and Wednesday. The school district says it will make a decision about Thursday by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, at the latest. County commissioners are scheduled to hold a meeting Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. to give an update on Hurricane Ian and the county’s response.

Call 311 to sign up for Collier County’s emergency alert system.