Charlotte County Evacuations – most listen, quite a few do not

Charlotte County doesn’t conduct mandatory or voluntary evacuations. “We just do evacuations, and we hope that people take them seriously,” said Brian Gleason, Charlotte County’s Public Information Officer.

Evacuations have been ordered for barrier islands, low-lying and flood-prone areas, manufactured homes, and any homes that may not withstand high winds, such as those that may have been compromised by previous storms.

One of those barrier islands is Manasota Key, where neighbors know the strength of storms all too well, with the collapse of Manasota Key Road during Idalia fresh in their memories.

Englewood Water District’s decision to shut off water on the barrier islands at 7 p.m. Wednesday to help protect the water and wastewater system is one thing motivating neighbors to leave.

Safety, of course, is the other. Around Manasota Key, WINK News anchor Liz Biro watched neighbors prepare, put up the shutters, tie off boats and get their ducks in a row to leave.

The area is expected to see three to five feet of storm surge.

In the doorway of his Manasota Key mobile home, Robert King said, “If there are evacuations, we leave. We listen to what they say and hope for the best.”

At the condominium next door, it was a different story. “There are only seven of us who live here year-round,” said neighbor Patrick Dunivan. All seven families are staying.

Over at Florida Finest Seafood, right off the bridge to Manasota Key, owner Monica Sheckler spent the days leading up to Helene tying up boats and lifting belongings out of the water’s way.

“Ever since I’ve been here, I’ve been through every storm there is. We don’t leave,” said Sheckler whose owned the business for 40 years and lives on Manasota Key for more than 50 years.

The whole family stays to watch the boats and their belongings — it’s their livelihood. But the business owner admits Hurricane Ian forced her to think twice

“You ask yourself, why did I stay but again, God carries us through this, and he carried us all through it. We’re all alive and well and ready for it again,” said Sheckler.

But her advice to everyone else: Do as I say, not as I do. “When they tell you to evacuate, you need to evacuate,” said Sheckler with a stern face.

Because some risks are too great even for the most seasoned survivors.

“We have limited sources as well that come in here you have your fire department, sheriff’s department, they’re asking you to leave, and you’re not wanting to leave. There’s nothing they can do if they can’t get to you,” said Sheckler.

Charlotte County Sheriff would rather everyone, including Sheckler, do as he says and evacuate. He reminds everyone that staying in an evacuation zone is a risk and there will come a point when deputies cannot be on the road for their own safety.

Even though the county recommends evacuating, not everyone on the island thinks the storm will be that bad.

Call it the calm before the storm but conditions on Wednesday have been pretty mellow.

Even when the weather picks up, locals facing Helene head-on said they aren’t worried.

One island resident said, “Yes, yeah, yeah we’re staying. It’s not a big deal.”

“It doesn’t bother me at all,” another Manaota resident named Ron claimed. “We think it sucks that everything is shut down.”

This a question many like Ron, who is choosing to stay, are asking after Englewood water district shut off the island’s water and stores boarded up in anticipation of what Helene has to offer.

But not everyone on Manasota Key wants to take their chances with the storm, so Chase Alford is packing up the sandbags and leaving.

“Throughout the past two years, we’ve learned you better over-prepare…Grabbing supplies, prepping, all of those things,” Alford explained. “I’m getting some last minute sand bags to make sure that the family is safe and secure and hunkered down.”

Like many people who chose to evacuate, Alford told WINK he plans to take his family further inland in Charlotte County.