First 12 hours back on Sanibel 'very successful,' city manager says
A week after Hurricane Ian ravaged their island, Sanibel let residents and business owners back on to see what had happened.
The first 12-hour shift went well, said City Manager Dana Souza at the Wednesday evening Facebook Live update.
“I don’t know how many people went, but there were no injuries, which means it was very successful, considering the hazards,” Souza said.
Immediately after the storm, officials ordered a complete curfew, but after complaints, the city began allowing people to return between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., using private boats and private docks. Responsibility for transportation is on residents, Souza emphasized, something that drew pushback from one audience member.
“We just do not have any provisions to get people from the mainland to the city," Souza told her. "People have to hire a boat captain.” Nor will the city provide any ground transport. “I wish we had the resources to help folks, but we just can’t,” Souza said.
Billy Kirkland of Billy's Rentals offered residents the use of his bikes.
"Anyone that wants a bike, please stop by," he said "All I ask: That you get it from the bottom of the pile so I don't have to," he said, to a round of applause.
Read more: Hurricane Ian: Sanibel issuing passes to residents, businesses to get on island
Also: Any truth to the rumor that Ian wiped out the Sanibel Lighthouse? Sort of
Also from the meeting:
A temporary bridge to replace the damaged causeway should be complete by the end of October,” Souza said, a timeline that “is amazing, considering original estimates were up to 18 months.”
FEMA will push back its 30-day reimbursement deadline to 60 days, and the city is lobbying to get it extended to 120 days.
The city’s damage assessment map, which allows residents to see whether their property has been rated — from “affected” to “destroyed” — was updated and some photos were added, primarily from the east end of the island.
Starting tomorrow, the city will be taking photos of every structure on the island to “memorialize the damage … so it’s there for historians,” Souza said.
National Guard checkpoints are staffed around the clock.
The Public Works department now has three big loaders to remove debris, and roads are 95% clear.
Wastewater plants are getting back online.
At a multi-agency meeting organized by Lee County, Sanibel officials discussed changes needed to Punta Rassa’s infrastructure to accommodate barge traffic, including hiring a harbormaster.
Water lines are pressurized all the way to South Seas on neighboring Captiva Island, but none of those supply fire hydrants, so private generators are still not allowed.
Search and rescue teams begin a second sweep of the island Thursday but won’t enter private property unless they think someone needs help inside, Souza said.
Hurricane passes can't be older than from 2020. Property owners who want to have someone else visit their homes can file a form designating someone else.
Sanibel hired Craig Mole to be its new building department director. Before this, Mole, a registered architect, worked as Naples’ chief building official (Souza also came to Sanibel from Naples a year ago).
Earlier Wednesday, Souza told CNN storm surge on the island was between eight and 15 feet,
"So a lot of the drywall that is wet (and) mold will begin and then can spread," he said.
That's one of the reasons the city is allowing residents back, so they can remove it while there's still time.
"You can take a lot of that out by hand," Souza said. "You can use hand tools to get that out and put it out in your your front lawn or by the road so it'll eventually be hauled away."
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: After Hurricane Ian's wallop, Sanibel's re-opening day appears smooth
