Fort Myers Beach braces for Hurricane Milton after Helene

WINK News’ team coverage brings us to Fort Myers Beach, an area prone to storm surge and still recovering from Hurricane Helene.

WINK News reporter Annalise Iraola went to the Town of Fort Myers Beach to figure out what the main things people on the island are focused on.

Some people are focused on preparing their homes—loading and piling sandbags, while others we spoke with said there’s no point.

One concern is the piles of debris still left over from Helene.

WINK caught up with Ramona Kaiser, the wife of Frank Kaiser, who said after dealing with 2.5 feet of storm surge from Helene, they’re done dealing with these storms.

We spoke with Frank Kaiser after Helene came through, and on Monday, he was busy ripping out drywall while preparing for yet another storm.

His wife spoke for both of them, saying, “Same old, same old, it’s getting pretty, really hard. I mean, I don’t know what to do anymore. We prepared. We prepared. That didn’t work.”

They sandbagged and tried to prepare, but 2.5 feet of storm surge damaged their Fort Myers Beach home.

Now, staring Hurricane Milton down as it strengthens in the Gulf, they said there’s no point in the sandbags for them.

“I’m ready to cry, and I haven’t cried in, I don’t know how long, so it’s just like, you know, you don’t even know what to do anymore,” said Ramona.

But she knows one thing for certain: she’s heeding the evacuation order.

“This time, the very first time in the 30 years that I lived here, I will actually leave the island to stay with some friends inland. And I just wished it was over already, no matter what it does, so we can come back and do something,” she explained, “and, hey, if anybody wants to buy a waterfront home, it’s for sale.”

She plans to leave the island, but as for Frank, he’s still undecided.

They both know they can’t keep living like this.

“It just feels like you can’t go forward with your life. You know, you do one step forward and two steps back and start all over, so I have been researching good places to live. I haven’t found one yet,” she said.

So many people are worried and stressed but keep a brave composure.

We spoke with a woman just before she left the island who said she’s so worried for her home, her community and also by this debris that could become hazardous in a surge.