Matlacha’s power poles find new life after devastating hurricanes

Southwest Florida is all about culture, and on Matlacha, you can tell the culture through the art on the island.

Just like the painted power poles, which were salvaged during hurricanes Ian and — most recently — Milton.

WINK News reporter Annalise Iraola said these poles add flavor to the island community.

If you’ve driven through Matlacha and Pine Island, you’ve probably seen the brightly colored painted power poles, but hurricanes have downed many of them.

Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District Fire Chief Benjamin Mickuleit said, “The poles are such a huge part of the history of the island, so during Ian, that’s when this endeavor started, we saw the polls down on the ground, and we wanted to really preserve the history.”

Mickuleit said then Milton came, and they had to do it all over again.

“We truly didn’t think we were going to be here again this quickly, and here we are,” he said.

But the beautiful, picturesque power poles will have a new home soon.

“These poles are gonna be integrated with the architecture of the station, to be displayed up front for the community to see … so it’s gonna be a vocal point of the new station, to have them displayed, to be viewed, said Mickuleit.

For Pine Island residents like Hal Bryan, the plan for the poles is welcome news.

Bryan said, “I’m glad they were saved. But also I know them across the street there’s destroyed, people came out and repainted them. So I imagine that that won’t change.”

Chief Mickuleit told WINK News that if anyone has painted poles from Ian or after Milton that they would like to donate, they can still do so; those will become part of the collection and displayed at the new station two.