SANIBEL
The city of Sanibel held a news conference Tuesday to update recovery efforts in one of the hardest hit areas of Hurricane Ian.
Due to the damage done to the island, the update took place in the Sanibel Room at the Crowne Plaza in Fort Myers.
Sanibel Mayor Holly Smith said the city is committed to getting back to normal.
Until then, the city is allowing residents to return to the island during the day on Wednesday to return to their homes and for business.
The city is under a 24-hour curfew until 7am on Wednesday, when people will be allowed to return. The city said the island will remain open until the curfew is reimposed at 7 p.m. Wednesday. City Manager Dana Souza said the curfew means people should not be on the island, even in their homes.
Residents and business owners who want to return to the island will have to find their way back. The city said it does not provide transportation to the island and does not recommend that people drive unless they need to.
Souza said the National Guard and police will be on the island at checkpoints to verify that people on the island are allowed to be there. Only residents with IDs with a Sanibel address or people with Hurricane Pass are allowed into the city. Hurricane Passes will be available in the Sanibel Room at the Crowne Plaza in Fort Myers.
City officials said people returning to the island can bring aid, but those people must always stay with someone who is a resident or has a hurricane pass.
Sanibel officials say there is no access to the island in the Din Darling area.
The city asks you not to bring a generator to the island, as fire is a major concern. A fire truck on the island will be working to prevent the fire from spreading, but the city attorney said the truck only had water in the tank for a minute or so.
There will also be limited availability of medical services for those who return to the island to see the damage done to their homes. The city said there will be one ambulance and one Polaris SUV to respond to emergencies. The city said it has set up landing zones for Lee Flight helicopters if needed.
City Manager Souza said FEMA officials visited many homes on the island and quickly assessed the damage. They said the information would be posted in a document on their website. You can find this information at by clicking here.
Sanibel city officials are considering repairing the dam. At the same time, they said they are exploring short- and long-term ferry services that could help bring emergency services to the island until the bridge is rebuilt. At the time of publication, the city has not decided on a ferry crossing.
Search and rescue operations continue on the island. Sanibel officials say emergency responders are checking, and in some cases rechecking, homes to help people find missing loved ones.
City officials said the island’s roads are 90% clear and there is sufficient access for emergency vehicles and services. They are asking residents returning to the island to keep debris from their property off the road so it doesn’t interfere with cleanup and recovery efforts.
Souza said the island is producing reclaimed water, but said the island’s pumping stations are severely damaged and expects 80% of them to need to be rebuilt or replaced.
The news for people on Sanibel isn’t all bad. Comcast said it is actively suspending bills for all residents of Sanibel, Pine Island and Captiva.
City officials said the island will rebuild, become resilient and come back stronger.
You can watch the replay of the city press conference on by clicking here or in the player below.
