Very powerful!

The strength and power of water is mind-boggling.

Do you know how far from the beach/ocean this location is?

Oh wow! Very good to show how things can change so fast and so dangerous! Thanks for posting.

I have always felt, as much as I love going to the beach, I would never live on the beach. I am fine with just visiting on a beach a couple of times a year. Not because of the powerful winds of hurricanes, but the potential horrendous flooding.

People were in the house at the time!

“Do you know how far from the beach/ocean this location is”

Ft. Myers Beach is on Estero Island, There is one main road, everything is close to the beach. I’m not sure the location of the camera.

Thanks for that aerial shot. I didn't realize it was so narrow. The pictures coming out of the area show such catastrophic damage.

Wow - you wouldn't have to tell me more than once to evacuate. I'd be out of there.

@Eileen

People were in the pink house? What happened to them?

UPDATE - We have confirmed via family that the people who were staying in this house at the time of the storm somehow were able to make it out alive even after floating away. We are still getting details and I'll try and post more specific updates but I just wanted everyone to know the good news.

(In the comments.)

ETA: also in comments:

According to their relatives' Facebook posts they jumped out a window when it was floating away in the water and clung to a palm tree. She had a life jacket and he did not. Then they broke into a building for shelter. You can see on his Facebook page that he did actually live there, but seeing how much that water was raging it's still a bit too fantastic of a story for me to believe without more evidence.

~~~

There is a GoFundMe which says they also had two dogs. No way the dogs would have survived.

So sad for all the people affected by this. I read this morning about responders basically doing assessments and noting where they see human remains, but not attempting to remove any yet. Whole houses underwater with bodies...😔

“There is a GoFundMe which says they also had two dogs. No way the dogs would have survived.”

Be careful about any GoFundMe s. Local news just did a segment about some that look real and helpful, being scams. Disasters bring out lots of scammers.

Confirmed Death total is now at 64.

I’m flabbergasted that people did not evacuate.

I think some people don’t understand the cone. The cone of probability. They seem to only concentrate on the middle of the cones landfall. It can hit anywhere in the cone.

I've watched that video several times. It just astounds me, at the end, that the house is just ... gone. I assume it came to rest in a heap somewhere off camera. But it was there, and then a few hours later, it was gone. Mind blowing. And I live in a hurricane state.

Be careful about any GoFundMe s

I wasn't about to donate, and have only donated via GFM when I knew it was legit. I donated via the Florida Disaster Fund, which has been mentioned by Gov. and Mrs. DeSantis.

@just_terrilynn the cone is only good for 66% of storms. If NHC sized the cone to encompass all hurricanes, the cone would have to be larger, and less meaningful.

the cone is always the same size during any given hurricane season.

Thirdly, many people think the impacts of the storm are in the cone. This is not true. The cone is only an area shaded to predict where the center of storm will track. The hurricane force winds or extreme flooding rain of a tropical system very often will extend outward one hundred miles or more from the storm center, and impact areas outside of the cone.

I'm so glad they posted the update about the people in the house and that they survived. I cannot imagine being out in the elements during that thing, but many people were. I saw a story about a man who escaped his trailer home and floated on some compressed foam steps -- just him and those steps for hours.

I wonder if the people who did not leave had not lived there long or if they had become complacent about hurricanes. But I also heard of people who went north or south along the coast. If you leave, you want to go inland or go much further.

Jen, Yes, areas outside the cone are affected. We got tornadoes and rain on the other side of Fl as Ian started making its way up the west coast.

The cone is a way to convey the path of a tropical system but also the level of uncertainty that exists within a long-range forecast. The cone represents where the center of the storm can be at a given point in time.

Any point in time. Not just down the middle.

If you are in the cone you certainly need to prepare. Really though, I start my prep in May. Hurricane season is every year. It's part of the routine.

Recently though we have so many people new here from other states and many just zeroed in on Tampa when they were also in the cone. It's not just new people though, some people are just stubborn.

I have a friend whose son and DIL went to the storm to stay with an Uncle on Ft. Myers beach in a beach front condo...all I know is they are really lucky to be alive! Like Jimmy Buffett says, "God watches out for drunks and fools!" His father was so angry but couldn't talk any sense into his son trying to tell him he needed to get out of there! The videos of that area are crazy scary!

@just_terrilynn what do you start in May to prep for hurricane season? We always have extra water and food, and important papers/IDs etc are already in one place. Being new to FT beach living, I read through emails from utility companies and have printed out how to prep elevator. Wondering if you have any new tips.

Allison, I don't think I have any new tips, I just try to beat the rush.

I do somewhat of a meal plan using mostly non perishables for a week or two. I make sure I have lots of good zip-lock bags, and pretend I'll be picnicking for a few weeks. I get everything needed for that like paper plates, cups, bowls , plastic cutlery and paper towels. I make sure the tank is full on the grill and have a back-up tank. I get a few rolls of tin foil to line pans for cooking on the grill burner to be tossed after. I also buy baby wipes for self care body cleaning and any sort of face pad cleaners. I have plenty of large heavy duty black trash bags for cleanups. I didn't do it this year as I'm renting after my house sale but I used to have at least two plastic five gallons of gas or more in the garage and try to keep the cars mostly full. I have a few solar phone chargers and for backup, outdoor solar fence wall lighting that can be taken off it's screw to use indoors at night. This year I also bought a retractable clothes line (can be used for many things) and you will need a few pairs of heavy duty knee high boots. Get an air/water tight container for all your most important documents & leave room for meds for a quick getaway. Then, all the usual stuff on the hurricane preparedness list. If you are evacuated try to take all your most important supplies with you as where you end up might not have power. Have at least one little portable propane burner to take with you. Stay stocked on pet food.

This year I started investing in a power station set up that has four ways of charging including portable solar panels (don't have panels yet). It's not so heavy that I couldn't take it with me and will keep a full sized refrigerator going as well as a few small appliances. I know I'm forgetting a few things but think I have most of the important stuff.

ETA: lots of disinfectant wipes and a few containers of bleach.

Thank you. I always have most of those things, but just started looking at solar cell phone chargers. Haven't ordered one yet. We have a natural gas generator, but might not always be an option, so solar outdoor lights to bring inside is a great idea. Hadn't even thought of a clothes line. Thanks again.

A few solar products we keep in our hurricane supply stash.

Light weight, collapsible for easy storage.

These we sometimes use throughout the year, we also keep a few at our lake cabin for year round use. They are used in various places (floating - tied to the dock, hanging in trees, tied on the dog’s collar, etc).

Tested this week and worked well for light and phone charge

eta: prices are less on Amz

Thank you, @maddielee. I like those options.

A tip for your stored rubber boots, pack them tight inside with black plastic garbage bags, not paper or cloth. Critters love dwelling there, even brown recluse spiders. When I moved last I ended up tossing two pairs of boots that were stored under the garage storage cabinets. They had so many spiders I didn't want to deal with and chance getting bit.

I thought I might add what I found on some forums of those in sw Fl and what works as far as keeping power going. As you know I have started collecting portable power station components. I'm doing so due to the high probability that my future home will be on a small lot where a full house built in generator will not be an option. Sometimes placement codes get in the way. Plus, I want it to be able to travel and I mostly want to rely on portable solar panels. For the record I'm only looking to buy in the no flood zones but that only means so much. I have learned a lot on those forums. I have learned that to be on the safe side I should get a Honda gas powered generator with at least two five gallons of gas. That will carry me through on days of zero sun for a recharge of the power station, keeping in mind that I will only get about two to four days as is with my power station and back up batteries with no solar or charge of any kind. That way I can charge it in the afternoon and have no sound in the evenings. After the storm takes it's overcast rain with it I should be noise free and solar dependent. My set-up so far is the Bluetti ac200max, one Bluetti 230 backup battery is on it's way and a 2nd will be another future add-on. And, I will need a gas Honda generator, and portable solar panels. From my research the xtar 100 w portable solar panels are one of the few that test at a higher wattage than advertised in full sun but being that I need at least a tested 800 watts for my monster I'm going to hold off a bit to see if they come out with 200 w panels. Or, in the meantime find some other brand that actually tests out in full sun what they claim. When I find the right panels the system can charge while in use.

My goal besides powering a full size fridge/freezer, a few lights and small appliances is periodic portable a/c and TV.

@just_terrilynn…add heavy duty (long) power cords to your list. Honda makes a good generator, quiter then most. We ran a 5k generator and had no problems connecting to Refrigerator, TV, Microwave, coffee maker, small AC, lamp.

DH says he used 5 gallons of gas every 6-7 hours.

Even across the state from SW FL there were places that suffered damage from Ian. We had a beachfront hotel booked in Daytona Beach this Thurs-Sun. Our son, a college athlete in NY, has a game north of Orlando so we decided to make a little getaway out of it and fly down for the game. Our younger son has fall break at the same time, so he was flying in with us. After seeing reports last week of power outages and flooding in Daytona, I found some video last night that showed damage to the hotels along the beach where we were supposed to be staying as well as to numerous restaurants across the street . We were planning to call the hotel today, but before we had a chance they sent us an email, cancelling our stay, saying the hotel would be closing due to damage to its amenities. We ended up rebooking at a hotel near the university - won't be a beachfront getaway, but certainly not disappointed given the loss of life and property for so many Floridians. So much devastating damage.

Maddie, I don't need your zooped up Honda but I'm glad it works for you. Luckily the heat isn't as bad after this one as some previous hurricanes. It was like being buried alive. I was freaking by week two. How is it up and over there? And, I only have one long heavy duty extension cord now but need another. This is what I bought so far. Will another of these be good? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N1LVQLR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

4Kids, sorry your beach holiday didn't pan out. You should still enjoy hanging at the pool getting waited on.

ETA: Maddie, please feel free to add things I might of missed on my personal prep list. It's been a few years and one tends to forget some of the handy little things. One thing I always do ahead of time is boil up a few boxes of pasta and keep refrigerated in ziplocks (assuming one has use of a refrig) and cook up some ground beef or whatever meat ahead and freeze. I can cook up some sauce on my grill burner and feed a lot of people if need be.

We lived in Florida with three children and two dogs. I was always ready to leave from late May through the month of October. I kept a bare bones emergency bag in the car always, and we had a larger list that could be assembled in a half hour. During those months I never let my car’s gas tank get lower than half full, EVER. We could leave in an hour and did a couple of times. My husband was a physician and he never left with us as he would not leave his patients who were in the hospital. We all knew what to do because we planned and the kids participated.

Life is full of dangerous situations. The best way to navigate them is to prepare.

I read somewhere that sometimes people are reluctant to evacuate because of pets. Is this common? Do shelters not allow pets? If not, that's really sad. I'm so sorry for anyone who has to make that choice.

I know what you are saying colduphere. It can all be overwhelming. However, if you are in an evacuation zone and don’t, the alternative is death. I once stayed put in a high two some say 3 hurricane. I wasn’t in an evacuation zone, just outside of it. I had a new build at the time so the mandatory elevation of my home was higher, I had the newer roof tiedowns and other things that happened with codes after the big Andrew. It was very scary. Water all around my high up house, trees everywhere. You couldn’t see where roads were in all the water. Many had parts of their roof gone and the older homes had some flooding. Again, I wasn’t even in an evacuation zone. I feel like I have less tolerance these days for those who refuse to leave evacuation areas. I guess maybe the news should just replay the deaths and tragedies of previous hurricanes along with the ”cone” forecast. I get deeply affected watching the bad news of the latest.

Prickly, more hurricane shelters now take pets but they have to stay crated. I am uncertain about larger dogs. There was a neighborhood on the news today where several decided not to evacuate, two women were clinging to trees and posts for five and six hours in water, both their husbands died. One of the men died trying to go back into the home to save his little dog. Another male friend was left to tell the story. Heart breaking. The dog was found later alive.

Pets are not allowed in shelters. Only service animals. (At least this is what I've read. ETA: link in next post of shelters that accept pets.)

@Kswl we keep our vehicles over half a tank pretty much year round. What bare bones emergency kit do you keep in your car? Trying to learn from the experts.

We are lucky enough to have family in central AL, so places to stay. But I'd rather be prepared because there may come a time. I ordered solar lanterns and solar cell phone charger from Amazon (the ones linked above - thank you) and I went to Target today to stock up on things that will be stored and only used if we were to be w/o power. Most of these are things we always have, but now they will not be used unless necessary (and in one place). Easy to take any of it with us if we do leave.

Besides what @colduphere said about some not leaving, their homes are the only thing they have and they probably cannot afford to replace. Can you imagine leaving and every single thing you own is lost? Nowhere to go home to. Maybe they feel if they stay, it helps in some way (not really, but mentally). Our homes are our safe place, even when it's not safe.

Allison, there are a few that accept pets.

https://www.petswelcome.com/hurricane-emergency/shelters-near-me?lat=37.7510&lng=-97.8220&state=florida

My county has 8 emergency shelters that accept pets. They must be crated.

Its hard to address the reasons some choose not to evacuate. If one chooses to live in an evacuation zone, it’s also their choice to stay during a cat 3,4 or 5 knowing that they may not be rescued.

Thanks for the info. It is heartbreaking to hear stories like that @just_terrilynn. I'm really glad some shelters accept pets. It makes sense to require crates to keep things orderly and safe. Although I imagine that could also be challenging for some families who may not own or be able to afford a crate. I'm so sorry for the loss of human and animal life.

I recently learned the city of Ft Myers Beach delayed calling for mandatory evacuations.

And authorities advise that shelters should be considered a last resort.

I don’t know Carol, when the hurticane took a swerve to the right people were scrambling.

This is from the 27th. I can’t vouch for accuracy but it seems about right. The govenor was telling everyone in coastal areas to move inland the whole time.

https://www.news-press.com/story/weather/hurricane/2022/09/27/hurricane-ian-updates-fort-myers-storm-cape-coral-fort-myers-beach/8120548001/

Thanks, @just_terrilynn I edited my post.

A young woman I work with said her family wasn't evacuating because they have 3 dogs and 2 cats. Can you imagine dealing with multiple dogs and cats, or multiple pets of any kind - or worse, leaving them behind?

I can't Carol. We are starting to 2nd guess our preferred retirement move location, not on the water but maybe too close. We wanted to be in a walkable small town. Moving further out takes away the walkability to everything we seek in that town. I have started to look in areas inland with nice downtowns, both inland east-ish and west but not with a lot of lakes. If both our grown sons were not still in the state and my husband was not ill...I think after almost 45 yrs I would actually think of leaving.

Have you heard or seen anything about Babcock Ranch? It's a sustainable community not very far from Ft Myers that was relatively unaffected, and is now harboring some of the refugees. I read about it the other day

https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/02/us/solar-babcock-ranch-florida-hurricane-ian-climate/index.html

I saw that article, too, carol. And I have so many questions. Like, were the solar panels damaged? What about the connections to the homes? There was no flooding at all? Where did the water in the roads drain to?

Babcock City isn’t ’that’ close to the Gulf, being about 50 miles away. And northeast of Ft. Myers, out of the surge zone. When the community was being built, it was built to withstand Cat 5 winds, and it worked.

I see that every block has a detention basin in the middle of it, so storm rains have someplace to go.

Allison, the emergency bag in the car contained one complete outfit for each person, one week of medications for each person (not many at that time) extra inhaler for asthmatic son), large ziplock of dog food, leashes and a couple of carabiner clips and a collapsible bowl, four gallon jugs of water, water bottles, a good first aid kit, flares, a large jar of peanut butter, a box of saltine crackers, power bars, a box of plastic spoons, a roll of paper towels. freeze dried fruit, wipes, a roll of toilet paper, bleach tablets, waterproof ponchos (the kind folded up into little zippered pouches). small flashlights for each person, a lantern, playing cards. All that was in a large plastic locker that latched and could be locked. We kept several blankets and pillows in the car year round bc of the amount of carpooling we did.

For the extra packing, each child could take a backpack of books, toys, mementos and they had already chosen what to take in advance. Hand held games and extra batteries. i packed a second outfit for us all including another pair of shoes. i had a file box woth a handle that had all our passports, insurance info, wills, safety deposit box keys, etc that i could pick up and put in the car. Most of that stuff is digitized now, which is so much easier!

I also had laminated cards for each of us with name, DOB, home address, cell phone numbers for me and husband, any allergies, and health insurance info. The kids and i kept those in our pockets in case we were in an accident and/or were separated. I did the same thing when we traveled, including the name of the hotel in each city and a written guarantee of cab fare for delivery of a lost child.

Thank you, @Kswl