Facing Idalia while still rebuilding from Ian

Fort Myers Beach is gearing up for Tropical Storm Idalia while still rebuilding from Hurricane Ian.

Ian took its toll, as debris is still scattered around.

The town is a shell of what it was but has always been resilient.

You know it is getting real when people are moving stuff out of the hardware store on Fort Myers Beach.

A temporary trailer served as a lifeline after Ian.

The owner of The Goodz, Graham Belger, is bracing for Idalia.

“As you can see, I’m kind of emptying out all of my expensive stuff out of here, just to be safe,” Belger said.

Belger’s store shelves look a little sparse.

People are snatching up items to protect what they have, looking for anything that will safeguard their battered homes.

“Fasteners, tie-down straps, rope, all that kind of stuff,” Belger said.

Paul Lochinski, a condo owner, is collecting food and batteries.

Though he is ready for the storm, he said he’s over it already.

“Everyone is still fatigued because we’re not still rebuilt, and just the, ‘Oh, it’s happening again’ attitude,” Lochinski said.

It’s always good to be prepared so what happened with Ian doesn’t happen again.