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Officials provide contradicting statements about North Fort Myers shelter conditions

Reporter: Claire Galt Writer: Matthew Seaver
Published: Updated:
North Fort Myers shelter
Images from inside the North Fort Myers hurricane shelter.

A hurricane shelter in North Fort Myers has received complaints about dirty living conditions, and now there are apparent contradictions from officials in charge of the shelter.

People living at the old Publix in North Fort Myers say the shelter is crowded and are concerned about mold.

MORE: People at the North Fort Myers shelter are upset about its condition

WINK News received a new statement from CDR Maguire, the company that runs the shelter on Thursday that reads:

There is no contradiction with the director’s statement. Different representatives from various agencies, including FEMA, FDEM, Centers for Persons with Disabilities, Lee County Fire Marshal, and other agencies, have toured the facility and found there were no violations.

As per CDR’s statement, there are aesthetic recommendations being addressed and continually monitored. This includes 3-4 spots in the facility in which the sprinkler system, which is not in use, had water in the pipes that dripped. This resulted in some black and green discoloration in the AC ducts, which are also not in use.

There continue to be no health, ADA or fire code violations.

The statement does not address what CDR Maguire told WINK News was possibly mold on Wednesday, which you can read below:

While some pictures show old and somewhat dirty ducts, and possible small areas of mildew or mold, those are not in service. We will be bringing in an environmental contractor to review the 3-4 areas of concern.

The North Fort Myers fire marshal contacted WINK News to say that they did the inspection and to point out, in response to CDR Maguire’s statement, that there is no “Lee County Fire Marshal.” The full statement reads:

An inspection was completed for 18900 N. Tamami Trail. The findings were exit requirements, functional fire alarm and sprinkler system, accessibility of fire extinguishers, installation of propane tanks, permitting, and fire watch compliance. Majority of the issues have been resolved.

Currently, Our Fire Prevention Bureau is working daily with county entities and CDR Maguire to gain a positive outcome in regards to life safety. We understand the complex situation all entities, residents, and staff at the NFM shelter is enduring. We maintain the understanding the circumstances are fluid, intricate, and delicate. Our objective is to provide the highest quality of life safety compliance.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management contracts the shelter’s operation to CDR Maguire. A spokeswoman for FDEM said they were told there were no mold issues at the shelter, only brown water spots.

WINK News also reached out to FEMA, which said it had not inspected the shelter in North Fort Myers.

Above are some of the photos people who now live at the shelter have shared with WINK News.

It is not all bad news for the people staying at the shelter in North Fort Myers. School district of Lee County spokesperson Rob Spicker said they would be helping students at the shelter:

School District staff from the Homeless Education Program will be at the shelter next week to connect the students currently not going to school with the resources they need to return to a learning environment.

15-year-old Angel Bustos, who is living at the shelter, spoke to WINK News about his struggle to get back to school.

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