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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Betsy Clayton, APR/CPRC
Communications Director
Lee County Government
239-826-4606
[email protected]
Message from Lee County Emergency Management – Hurricane Ian
Fort Myers, FL, Sept. 28, 2022 – This is a life-safety critical message.
At this time, Lee County Emergency Management is urging Lee County residents to shelter in place immediately.
It is no longer safe to travel on roads.
Based on the current National Hurricane Center forecast, Hurricane Ian is predicted to hit Southwest Florida as a Category 4 or 5 early this afternoon with the potential for 12-16 feet of storm surge above ground level along with destructive waves somewhere along the Southwest Florida coastline from Englewood to Bonita Beach.
The National Hurricane Center anticipates the following here in Lee County:
• Catastrophic wind damage is expected beginning in the next few hours.
• Structural damage to sturdy buildings, with some complete roof and wall failures.
• Heavy rainfall will continue to spread across the county and will intensify, resulting potentially life-threatening flooding.
• Large trees snapped or uprooted and many roads impassable from trees and debris.
• Destruction of mobile homes and manufactured homes.
• Widespread power outages.
• Tornados also are possible.
The National Weather Service recommends the following when sheltering in place:
• Take refuge in a small interior room, closet, or hallway on the lowest level during the storm.
• Put as many walls between you and the outside as you can.
• Stay away from windows, skylights, and glass doors.
• If the eye of the storm passes over your area, there will be a short period of calm, but at the other side of the eye, the wind speed rapidly increases to hurricane force winds coming from the opposite direction.
Plan to remain inside even after the storm passes so that first responders can ensure conditions are safe.
All responding agencies have stopped responses for the safety of our first responders. You can still call 911.
Calls will be prioritized so that once conditions are safe enough, responses will resume. Response decisions will be made as Hurricane Ian continues to move through the area.
I want to repeat: If you have an emergency or perceived emergency, you should still call 911.
More information is available at www.leegov.com/storm and www.facebook.com/leecountyflbocc.