LEHIGH ACRES FGCU softball team helps Habitat for Humanity build three homes The Florida Gulf Coast University softball team helped Habitat for Humanity build three homes Saturday.
ESTERO Home Base Golf Tournament helps SWFL Veterans Veterans hit the green at the Copperleaf Golf Course on Saturday. This was part of the Home Base golf tournament.
FORT MYERS At least one person dead after propane truck collides with golf cart Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a crash that has left one person dead and another injured Saturday morning.
Scattered storms ahead for your Saturday plans The Weather Authority is tracking weekend temperatures in the low to mid-90s this weekend with a chance for scattered storms this afternoon.
WINK NEWS SWFL Scoreboard: High School Football Week 3 Thunderstorms tried to put a stop to week three of high school football on Friday Night, but gridiron action prevailed.
Man accused of plotting murder-for-hire denied bond A man suspected of being involved with a murder-for-hire plot will stay behind bars. Ryan Toranzo had his renewed motion to set bond denied today in Collier County Court.
LABELLE Two dead after crash on State Road 80 According to the Florida Highway Patrol, there was a crash on State Road 80 that has left at least one person dead Friday evening.
DeSoto County looks to recruit more teachers While it can sometimes be easy to fill a classroom with students, it is not so easy for teachers. Schools across the nation and locally in Southwest Florida are still dealing with the challenges of teacher shortages. With class back in session, so is teacher recruiting for DeSoto County schools. The assistant superintendent, Jake Reynolds, […]
IMMOKALEE ROAD Push for change after deadly crash on Immokalee Rd. We’re told the woman was driving with two kids in the car when a semi ran a red light and hit her Thursday morning.
FORT MYERS BEACH Mobi-Mats deployed on Fort Myers Beach A walkway to paradise! Brand new and blue, the Mobi-Mat is making things easier for Fort Myers Beachgoers.
NAPLES Women of Steel business conference inspiring and empowering women Focused, hardworking, empowered. These women have made a name for themselves as Women of Steel.
NAPLES Beloved Collier County bus driver retires after 20 years After 20 years of getting kids to school safely, a beloved Collier County bus driver is retiring.
Wade Wilson has new death row mugshot Convicted double-killer Wade Wilson has a new death row mugshot.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Sizzle Dining is back in SWFL It’s Sizzle Season! Local restaurants are ready to welcome new faces by offering exclusive menu deals to attract new customers.
LEHIGH ACRES FGCU softball team helps Habitat for Humanity build three homes The Florida Gulf Coast University softball team helped Habitat for Humanity build three homes Saturday.
ESTERO Home Base Golf Tournament helps SWFL Veterans Veterans hit the green at the Copperleaf Golf Course on Saturday. This was part of the Home Base golf tournament.
FORT MYERS At least one person dead after propane truck collides with golf cart Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a crash that has left one person dead and another injured Saturday morning.
Scattered storms ahead for your Saturday plans The Weather Authority is tracking weekend temperatures in the low to mid-90s this weekend with a chance for scattered storms this afternoon.
WINK NEWS SWFL Scoreboard: High School Football Week 3 Thunderstorms tried to put a stop to week three of high school football on Friday Night, but gridiron action prevailed.
Man accused of plotting murder-for-hire denied bond A man suspected of being involved with a murder-for-hire plot will stay behind bars. Ryan Toranzo had his renewed motion to set bond denied today in Collier County Court.
LABELLE Two dead after crash on State Road 80 According to the Florida Highway Patrol, there was a crash on State Road 80 that has left at least one person dead Friday evening.
DeSoto County looks to recruit more teachers While it can sometimes be easy to fill a classroom with students, it is not so easy for teachers. Schools across the nation and locally in Southwest Florida are still dealing with the challenges of teacher shortages. With class back in session, so is teacher recruiting for DeSoto County schools. The assistant superintendent, Jake Reynolds, […]
IMMOKALEE ROAD Push for change after deadly crash on Immokalee Rd. We’re told the woman was driving with two kids in the car when a semi ran a red light and hit her Thursday morning.
FORT MYERS BEACH Mobi-Mats deployed on Fort Myers Beach A walkway to paradise! Brand new and blue, the Mobi-Mat is making things easier for Fort Myers Beachgoers.
NAPLES Women of Steel business conference inspiring and empowering women Focused, hardworking, empowered. These women have made a name for themselves as Women of Steel.
NAPLES Beloved Collier County bus driver retires after 20 years After 20 years of getting kids to school safely, a beloved Collier County bus driver is retiring.
Wade Wilson has new death row mugshot Convicted double-killer Wade Wilson has a new death row mugshot.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Sizzle Dining is back in SWFL It’s Sizzle Season! Local restaurants are ready to welcome new faces by offering exclusive menu deals to attract new customers.
MAKE A FAMILY COMMUNICATION PLAN Even the best plans can go astray when disaster strikes. If your family members are not all in the same place when a hurricane hits, have you considered how you’ll get in touch with each other? Do you have a designated meeting spot? What if your neighborhood is evacuated? It’s vitally important to create a plan now to ensure you’ll all know what to do, how to find each other, and how to communicate in an emergency. Choose the same person for each family member to call or email, so that everyone has a single point of contact. During or after a hurricane, it might be easier to reach someone who’s out of town or outside the state. Make that contact person the “ICE” (“In Case of Emergency”) contact in your cell phone. If you’re injured, emergency personnel often will check your ICE listings to reach someone you know. Notify the person you’ve listed that he or she is your emergency contact. Be sure every member of your family knows the emergency contact’s phone number and has a cell phone or a prepaid phone card to call that person. Text, don’t talk, unless it’s an emergency. It may be easier to text and you won’t tie up phone lines for emergency workers. Text messages can often get around network disruptions when phone calls can’t. Keep your family’s contact info and meeting spot location in your backpack, wallet, or cell phone or taped inside your school notebook. Designate someone from outside the area to be the primary contact for out-of-town relatives and friends to check on your well-being. Following a hurricane, landlines and cell phone networks may be out of service for extended periods. BE PREPARED AND STAY AWARE It’s important to be prepared and stay aware when hazardous weather threatens. A communication plan is only one element of what you’ll need to have in place with your family when a hurricane is imminent. Get your family together well before hurricane season begins so that you can establish a plan for how to respond to a natural disaster. Here are some ideas: Discuss the type of hazards that could affect your family. Know your home’s vulnerability to storm dangers. Determine your evacuation route and destination. Plan to go to family or friends who live in safer areas. Use county evacuation shelters only as a last resort. Establish an alternate plan if your friends should be out of town, your primary evacuation route is flooded, or other unforeseen circumstances arise. Put together a family communication plan as outlined above. Have a plan for what to do with your pets if you need to evacuate (see below). Review your homeowners and flood insurance policies and keep them with you in a secure, waterproof place. The impending arrival of a storm is the wrong time to check if you have the proper insurance. Register any individuals with special needs with your county’s emergency management office. Create a list of prescription medicines that you will need to refill and take with you. Stock non-perishable emergency supplies and food. Prepare a disaster supply kit. PREPARE YOUR PETS You will need a plan for your pets, too. Consider two different pet emergency kits: In one, put everything your pets will need to stay where you are. The other should be a compact, portable version to use if you and your pets have to evacuate. For more information and a detailed list of disaster preparedness tips, go to aspca.org. GET YOUR SUPPLIES NOW: FOLLOW THESE CHECKLISTS Supplies are a critical part of every family’s health and safety. Assemble the supplies you’ll need well in advance of hurricane season each year. It pays to be prepared. When a storm is imminent, time to shop will be limited. If supplies are even available, you will have to scramble to find them. During recent hurricane seasons, many Southwest Florida residents had to contend with shortages of plywood, batteries, flashlights, water, ice, generators, and other storm necessities. Every time a storm is predicted to make landfall near Southwest Florida, shopping lines are long, shelves are bare, and stress levels are high. Supplies can be divided into several categories, but the essentials should be gathered ahead of time and kept easily accessible throughout the hurricane season. THE ESSENTIALS These are the supplies you should always have on hand. Be sure to place the items that you will most likely need for an evacuation in an easy-to-carry container. A minimum of one gallon of water per person per day. Keep at least a three-day supply per person on hand. Additional water for food preparation and sanitation. Bags of ice. Partially fill plastic soft drink bottles, one liter or larger, with water and place them in the freezer. The bottles will freeze without cracking. If the power goes out, the frozen water will help keep the freezer cool, and when the ice melts, the water will be drinkable. Fill up your car’s gas tank and portable gas canisters. Make sure those canisters are stored safely. Keep cash handy. Banks may not be open, ATMs may not be accessible and debit cards and credit cards may not be viable if power is lost. SPECIAL NEEDS If you have family members with special requirements, such as infants and elderly or disabled persons, remember to include items and supplies that may be unique to their needs. That can include setting aside anything from extra diapers and baby formula to special medications and a spare walker. GROCERIES Baby formula Bread Crackers Canned fruits Canned juice Canned meats Canned vegetables Dry cereal Instant coffee and tea Peanut butter Quick-energy snacks Ready-to-eat soups MEDICAL SUPPLIES First-aid kit for your home—for how to stock your kit, consult the American Red Cross at redcross.org. First-aid kit for your car Insulin Denture needs Prescription drugs (minimum two-week supply) A supply of aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever Contact lenses and supplies Eyeglasses, along with a spare pair, if you have one Heart and high blood pressure medicine Insect repellent Itch-relief cream DOCUMENTS Important telephone numbers Record of bank account numbers Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates) Record of credit card account numbers and companies Inventory of valuable household goods—with pictures, if possible Copy of will, insurance policies, deeds, stocks, and bonds Copy of passports, social security cards, and immunization records SANITATION Disinfectant Toilet paper, towelettes, paper towels Soap and liquid detergent Hand sanitizer Personal hygiene items Household chlorine bleach Large bucket or trash can with lid for storing water to flush toilets Tools & Supplies Battery-operated radio or TV Flashlight and lanterns Extra batteries and extra bulbs Lighter or matches for your grill Antenna for your TV Extension cords (heavy-duty and three-pronged) Manual can opener/utility knife Plastic sheeting/tarps Duct tape Generator Gas cans Old towels for cleanup Paper cups, plates, and utensils Plastic trash bags Full propane tank Charcoal and lighter fluid Camp stove Sterno Thermos for hot food Coolers with ice for cold food Tree saw for cutting fallen limbs Hand tools: knife, axe, pliers, screwdrivers, wrench Hammer and nails Fire extinguisher Fix-a-flat Mops, buckets, and cleaning supplies