SW Florida Thread -- Lee, Collier, Charlotte-EVACS/SHELTERS

[WhirlWind]

Another Note:
Tune into WINK or NBC-2 @ 1 PM and 2 PM today for the Collier EOC News Conference and for the Governer's Conference.

They will be bringing very importatnt information to public eyes at this time.

Kevin Cho

Kevin -
Are you giong to give us a hint as to what they will be saying?

WhirlWind

Sorry, at the moment, I don't have any further information, my dad is at the EOC, he has been all day and hasn't been able to pass any information along to me to post on S2k Today, all he's been able to say is that Collier County is preparing for the worst case scenario, a major hurricane making landfall in Naples or Marco Island, and they have alot more work to do this time, more than Charley, and all the other hurricanes in the last 2 years.

I will try to get more information, but all I know is that the Governer is at 1PM, and he will be directly adressing the issues of evacuating Naples and Collier County, and his reccomendations for Lee County.

At the present time, Lee and Collier Counties are expected to feel the worst affects of this hurricane.

The Collier EOC, according to my dad this morning before he left, are expecting a category 2-4 hurricane, they just don't know. They are saying that even if this stays over the Yucatan, they continue to say that this was never supposed to be more than a cat 2/3 a few days ago, and that they will not be suprised if the storm restrengthens to a cat 3/4 before landfall, however they say it is unlikely.

They are reccomending that Collier Residents prepare for worst case scenario with a hurricane making landfall over Naples, driving the winds at a 90 degree angle into the South Collier Coasts, especially Marco Island and Everglades City. At this time they just want to drive the point that it is still possible that a Category 3 is not out of the question, and neither is a 4, however much more than a minimal 3 is likely.

The Governer will be addressing issues very specific to Lee/Collier Counties. More information if I get any. Good Luck SW FL.

Kevin Cho - City of Naples, FL
Junior: Naples High School

Thanks Kevin-
We all in Naples will hope for the best and prepare for the worse...
WhirlWind

[jim09091]

for anyone who is interested, nbc2.com is broadcasting live right now on their website (assuming for the live meetings that are coming up shortly)

http://www.nbc-2.com

[LSue]

Kevin,

Again....my heartfelt thanks for keeping us informed.

Keeping vigilant in central Naples,

Linda

[tracyswfla]

This just announced by Lee County on NBC-2. I hope I got the facts right.

Mandatory Complete Evacuation of All Barrier Islands including Captiva, Fort Myers Beach, and Sanibel Island. A Voluntary evacuation for *I believe it's* Fort Myers and all of Cape Coral. If this is true, this will create a huge traffic problem area, Cape Coral is densely populated.

So far, no evacuations or school closings in Charlotte County at this time.

Kevin Cho

Come on Ft. Myers?

[cape_escape]

My sister just called me from work in Clear Water , and said that everyone is talking abuot a Ft. Myers hit up her way. She wants me to leave and come up there with he. But, I really don;t know which would be better, it seems Wilma could still end up anywhere!

[tracyswfla]

This just announced by Lee County on NBC-2. I hope I got the facts right.

Mandatory Complete Evacuation of All Barrier Islands including Captiva, Fort Myers Beach, and Sanibel Island. A Voluntary evacuation for *I believe it's* Fort Myers and all of Cape Coral. If this is true, this will create a huge traffic problem area, Cape Coral is densely populated.

So far, no evacuations or school closings in Charlotte County at this time.

Kevin Cho

Come on Ft. Myers?

If I heard them correctly, they said a voluntary evacuation for coastal Fort Myers and all of Cape Coral, but I'm likely wrong, it does sound a bit far fetched.

Coastal Ft. Myers? I know the beach is being evac'd and now mandatory for Sanibel.....

[tracyswfla]

http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readartic ... 670&z=3&p=
From NBC-2.com


FORT MYERS — Mandatory evacuations will begin at noon Saturday for all barrier islands in Lee County and all mobile homes south of the Caloosahatchee River.

The evacuation includes the islands of Captiva, Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach. Sanibel police and Lee County deputies will be stationed on the Causeway to prevent anyone from getting back onto the island.

At 2 p.m., six standard shelters and one special needs shelter will open:

Dunbar High School - 3800 E. Edison Ave., Fort Myers
Germain Arena - 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero
North Fort Myers Academy Of The Arts - 1856 Arts Way, NFM
Varsity Lakes Middle School - 801 Gunnery Road , Lehigh Acres
South Fort Myers High School - 14020 Plantation Road, Fort Myers
Bonita YMCA - 27040 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs

The special needs shelter has been identified as Ray V. Pottorf Elementary at 4600 Challenger Boulevard, Ft. Myers.

[tracyswfla]

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... 21023/1075

Tolls suspended on eastbound Alley

By THE NEWS-PRESS
Published by news-press.com on October 21, 2005


PHOTO GALLERY

In order to facilitate the evacuation of the Florida Keys and southwest Florida in advance of Hurricane Wilma, tolls are suspended until further notice as per the following schedule.

Effective immediately, these tolls are suspended:

· Eastbound only on Alligator Alley (I-75)
· Northbound only on the Homestead Extension of Florida’s Turnpike from the US 1-Florida City interchange (Exit 1) in Miami-Dade County to the Northwest 27th Avenue interchange (Exit 47) at the Miami-Dade/Broward County line.

[jim09091]

"Lee County will issue mandatory evacuation orders tomorrow at noon for barrier islands south of the Caloosahatchee River including Bonita Beach, Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel and Captiva. Lee County officials will also order the mandatory evacuation of all mobile homes south of the Caloosahatchee River tomorrow at noon."

http://www.leeeoc.com/publications/docu ... lease2.pdf

edit: didn't see above post, but leaving for the link to the leeeoc release.

[SWFLMom]

Kevin

Any updates based on the 11 pm advisory? It seems to have shifted a bit north and now it may be back to a Cat 2 when it hits land.

[SWFLMom]

Kevin

Any updates based on the 11 pm advisory? It seems to have shifted a bit north and now it may be back to a Cat 2 when it hits land.

Not as of yet, sorry, my dad is finally at home sleeping, has been since 8, I've been at my friends house taking a break from the tropical weather scene. I'll be able to get more information starting tommorow by the 8 AM Advisory, my dad has to leave at 4:30 to get back to the EOC so...

k e v i n . c h o

Hope your dad gets a well-deserved rest. Thanks for all you and your family do for us. I'm heading for bed and will look for your updates tomorrow morning. I think we all need to recharge before we deal with the weekend.

[LSue]

Well said, SWFLMom!

Kevin, I hope you have a relaxing night with your friends and that your dad gets some well deserved rest!

My family is extremely grateful for every bit of information you and your dad unselfishly share with our community.

"Talk" to you tomorrow!

Linda

[HurricaneQueen]

Just FYI, SW FL:

Just did another "how close can it get?" with the new model runs and now says 9.6 miles in about 65.8 hours. Seems to be speeding up again! Sleep well everyone! I think the next couple of nights are going to be real nail biters (as if they haven't already been).

Lynn

http://stormcarib.com/closest.cgi

[LSue]

Good Night Everyone...

We really must get together sometime! Wouldn't it be funny if we met and found out one or more of us knows each other??

Naples truly is a small town, ya know!

Linda

[cape_escape]

I'm about to hit they hay myself. I went in and did the close as it gets again too, and at first about had a heart attack it said 0.0 in 0.0 hrs!!! The link is bad on HurricanQueens post...lol, really this is the right one:

Results for 26.56N, 81.95W:
The approximate Closest Point of Approach (CPA) is located near 26.0N, 81.5W or about 46.1 miles (74.1 km) from your location. The estimated time of when the eye will be at that location is in about 65.3 hours.

[LSue]

Hi Cape,

Lynn's link was probably right...I think the page was down all day. I was able to access the info yesterday, but today it also gave me all zeros and half of a map.

I'm going to try it again....

(I'm at approximately 26.15N and 81.77W)

Night night,
Linda

[cape_escape]

I went into the link I have saved, and it did mine again ,right away. Good night, have a good rest, we may all need it!

[LSue]

The Collier EOC just updated the 11:00pm Landfall Impact chart:

http://67.8.43.251/cceoc/

UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Linda

[cape_escape]

Did I say i was going to bed? WOW! How do I get something like this for Lee county?

[CHRISTY]

people there not going to be need to evacuate wilma is now inland ,i was one of those worried it would hug the coast but now with this dip south she will die of slow death even the eye is filling in so florida got lucky again...