What the storm leaves behind

The Priorities Pump or bail water out of the house as soon as possible. Open the windows to let the house air out and give the walls and floors a chance to dry. Shovel mud out before it can dry, then scrub floors and walls with a brush and mild soap and water. Make sure […]

People with disabilities and special needs

From the Lee County Department of Public Safety: Estimates vary, but as many as one in four people live with some type of disability. Sometimes signs are obvious, such as a wheelchair, a guide dog or a cane. However, many times a disability is not obvious. Whether obvious or not, awareness and sensitivity toward persons […]

Important numbers & websites

Contact phone numbers, online information, and resources you’ll need most before, during, and after a hurricane. Emergency Operations Centers Lee: (239)533-0622 Collier: (239)252-3600 Charlotte: (941)833-4000 DeSoto: (863)993-4831 Glades: (863)946-6020 Hendry: (863)674-5400 Hotlines FEMA Disaster Assistance/ Registration: 800-621-3362, TTY: 800-462-7585 U.S. Small Business Administration: 800-659-2955, TTY: 800-877-8339 FEMA Fraud Hotline: 866-720-5721 Report false claims: 800-323-8603 State […]

Know your home’s vulnerabilities

Hurricane protection can involve a variety of changes to your house and property – changes that can vary in cost and complexity. A professional contractor licensed to work in Florida should carry out complicated or large-scale changes that affect the structure of your house or its electrical wiring or plumbing. However, there are several projects […]

Avoiding post-storm scams in SWFL

The sun may be out after a tropical system has passed, but so are the scammers. Southwest Floridians have to be on the lookout for people taking advantage of those needing storm repairs. Bad actors will use times of disaster recovery to exploit residents with price gouging and other storm-related scams. Common tactics are repair, […]

NOAA predicts above-normal 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season

Forecasters at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service, are predicting above-average hurricane activity this year — which would make it the seventh consecutive above-average hurricane season. NOAA’s outlook for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, which extends from June 1 to November 30, predicts a 65% chance of an above-normal season, a […]

New tech could bring more data to storm forecasting

There is a new technology that allows drones to go right into the storm which will help provide better storm forecasts in the future. They are bright, orange-looking sailboats, called saildrones, cycled inside of a hurricane for the first time a year ago. This year, there’s another drone to meet up with it when the […]

How to prepare your home ahead of hurricane season

Hurricane season begins next month and now is the time to start making those last-minute home preparations to reduce the risk of damage that might leave you displaced. It could only take one storm to do lasting damage. Here is a list of tips from experts on how to lower the risk: Have a professional […]

Be prepared for storm, hurricane season in Southwest Florida

There are thousands of new neighbors in Lee County and emergency leaders want everyone to have a plan ahead of a tropical storm or hurricane. A shelter should always be a last resort because Lee County says they don’t have nearly enough shelter space for everyone. It’s important to know your evacuation zone and have […]

New technology is helping reshape storm surge forecasting

Storm surge is historically the leading cause of hurricane-related deaths in the united states, however, new technology and better forecasting are helping to re-shape that statistic. That surge refers to the rise of water generated by a storm’s winds, and it’s typically measured in feet. It can travel several miles inland from the coast, rivers, […]