Future of La Ola in question

Reporter: Amy Galo Writer: Elyssa Morataya
Published: Updated:

La Ola on Fort Myers Beach is asking for your help.

“We just became aware, just in the last 48 hours, that FEMA has given us a deadline of just over two months from now to remove anything that can’t be towed from their definition of a lightweight pickup truck,” said Thomas Houghton, owner of La Ola in a Facebook video.

Houghton said they may be forced to remove their business from Times Square. Why? Because of shipping containers.

“I quickly got the idea to buy shipping containers and modify them into a bar,” said Houghton.

In a video posted on La Ola’s Facebook, the business hopes to prove to FEMA that its setup can be easily taken down in four hours.

First by towing the food truck and storage trailer and then two shipping containers.

“I’m standing right in the middle between the two trailers and the two shipping containers. We would be removing this piece of metal. It’s about 12 inches wide. That would expose the gap between the two trailers that are next to each other,” said Houghton.

Since they’re on wheels, they, too, would be pulled away, leaving just the deck, which would need to be demolished to stay within the four-hour evacuation window.

“I’ve exhausted all my resources in coming up with what you see here today to reestablish, and it would be very unfortunate to have it all taken away again,” said Houghton.

WINK News reporter Amy Galo reached out to FEMA and was told to speak with the floodplain manager for Fort Myers Beach, who then directed me to the town’s spokesperson.

The town told WINK News they’d share more as soon as they hear from FEMA.

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