First things first.Β We are blessed by a loving God who continues to provide the greatest nourishment we need, food for the soul.Β You’ll find it all around, including in the gift of a temperature irrelevant shower, the first in five days, and a belly full of beef stew, Dinty Moore of course. πΒ Finest gourmet dining in years. Perfect.
Airborne search and rescue efforts continue with particular emphasis on the barrier islands and back bay region.Β If you haven’t watched the video of U.S. Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin aircrew from Airstation Miami, you should [See Here].Β It’s a great example of the hundreds of rescue flights taking place all day, and the kid who used the mirror to signal the flight crew and protect his grandma is, well, sharp.
Again, if you evacuated the coastal region of Southwest Florida (SWFL), stay put where you are.Β There is no power and no water system; literally nothing to sustain you that you do not bring yourself.Β If you do enter this region to check on your property, do so with the intent to leave again because there’s no current timeline for any restoration. A strict sundown curfew remains in effect throughout.
Rescue ferry service from Sanibel Island continues for those who can make it to the Western side of the destroyed causeway.Β The entire island is being evacuated leaving only the national guard in place to provide security.Β No reasonable estimate for any recovery.Β Officials need everyone off the island.Β Earliest estimates for repair of the major damaged infrastructure are being made in terms of years.
Air and boat rescue from Matlacha and Pine Island continues.Β Like Sanibel Island the bridges are gone.Β State and county law enforcement resources are too stressed to operate in a location now inaccessible by road.Β Mandatory evacuations have been ordered.Β See Graphic for how to leave Pine Island today (Sunday):
Residents are asked to make their way to the location above and national guard trucks will take you to Coast Guard boats.Β Evacuees will leave their vehicles at the pick-up point.Β This is a mandatory island evacuation until interim recovery efforts can take place to make returning the island possible.Β My heart goes out to the people forced to leave their homes, some, likely many, with no place to go after the shelter stay.
It’s a mess.Β Pine Island is mostly salty good people with working callouses and a mix of retirees who just wanted to live quietly in an old Florida location.Β Now this assembly of people need to figure out where to live with no available housing for 50+ miles.Β Β According to local media every hotel and motel within 50 miles of the western impact zone are full of evacuees.Β Β Long term, I don’t think anyone knows what this is going to look like.
I’m not going to repeat the prior post, but Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is rightly calling out the Lee County Electrical Cooperative (LCEC) for not seeking more help to deal with the catastrophic situation surrounding full infrastructure collapse of the power grid.Β There is almost no energy recovery effort taking place in the western impact zone and thousands of homes have fallen powerlines atop them, around them, or blocking the roads in front of them.
More people are starting to notice the absence of LCEC recovery efforts. It’s good that Governor DeSantis called them to task personally and publicly.
Recovery operations continue with a street-by-street debris removal process.Β Once most debris are dealt with, the residents who remain can start to organize life in semi-livable structures albeit without electricity or potable running water.
Thankfully many people evacuated the coastal region including Cape Coral.Β The remaining population needing resources is less than normal. Those who remain are traveling up to 30+ miles for gasoline for generators.Β Β Utility restoration is being discussed in terms of multiple weeks.Β Most businesses are closed.Β Reality is starting to settle in, and tough decisions are being made.
If you lift your head up from the chainsaw buzz and listen, just about every conversation is about the void of longer-term information that would help people make decisions about their next move.Β It’s like tens of thousands of people in a holding pattern trying to figure out what comes next.Β The current status is short-term sustainable for most, day-by-day, after all inherently people are resilient.Β However, two weeks out or six weeks out, no one can see that far.
Naples is in full restoration mode.Β Bonita Springs and Fort Myers are not far behind.Β The inland areas are doing similar yeoman’s work getting some semblance of life back to a sustainable place, including their ability to earn a living.Β But travel west into Cape Coral, a town of approximately 230,000 residents, and it’s an entirely different situation.
The barrier islands are being forcibly evacuated.Β The western or coastal areas of southwest Florida are hammered in every imaginable way.Β Everything, including the ability to restore, rebuild, operate a business or work in the region, is contingent upon the return of utilities like power and water.Β Β Right now, those are questions without answers.Β Hence, the holding pattern for tens of thousands.
Amid all of the uncertainty the resiliency of the ordinary person or family is on full display.Β Neighbors helping neighbors, generators being shared in four-to-six-hour increments to allow multiple homes to maintain a fridge, that sort of thing.Β Fellowship and connections deepening.Β Good stuff.
Gus is a 55-year-old air conditioning repair man.Β But Gus cannot work without power, and Gus’s bosses will not put the 50+ employee workforce on the road.Β Jesse is a 25-year-old barber, with no electricity at his shop, ergo no income.Β Β Mac is a single 25-year-old auto mechanic living in a town without power to operate a business where he could work, and there’s no electricity or water at his house.Β Juan is 35 with a lawncare service, a wife, kids and a trailer with a broken roof.
Gus’s kids and their spouses and kids are now under Gus’s roof sharing resources.Β Jesse’s mom, sister and cousin have assembled at his home to do the same.Β Mac couldn’t see a future, so he left for Georgia.Β Juan is busy making money with his chainsaw and new fuel delivery service in lieu of lawncare customers, which is good because Juan is now covering the missing paycheck for his sister-in-law and her husband who just lost their work.Β Β This is the reality for people putting one foot in front of the other.
For a few moments today the elephant looked bigger, but immediately I noticed more people are biting it now.
I hope that civic and community leaders, elected or installed, will pause – look around- and cherish what they are seeing in We The People.
Those officials need to commit to be better stewards and work to deserve their role in whatever capacity they hold.Β The working middle-class are the backbone of every community – and this nation is full of grit and determination.
Love to all.Β Steadfast,
Sundance
S.D. Thanks for the update, informative and positive!
KUTGW
For those of us from Rio Linda, KUTGW = Keep Up The Good Work
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Blessings to all
Thanks for the El Rushbo memory.
I understand that there are people who need to be told what to do but I stand against mandatory evacuations. You will not sway me on this. Prayers up for all affected.
So, you are in the evacuated area working on removing debris from your property using a chain saw. The saw slips and you severely cut your leg. Do you expect emergency services to respond? Perhaps, as you lay bleeding out, you can shout at the sky since there is no cell phone service for you to call someone. Look, Iβm about property rights. But there is also the fact that common sense dictates using resources wisely. Trying to sustain a population of people who refuse to evacuate is a terrible idea. They are islands, ergo, no vehicle access other than air and water.
There is a time for rugged individualism and there is a time for putting the needs of the many ahead of the few. I think that this is one of those times.
Well said Mr. Spock
there may be many reasons why people won’t leave besides being stubborn;
lack of mobility, health issues, not owning a car and financial hardship for a few.
Hey East TN, oh boy you hit a sore spot for me.
I went through Florence a couple years ago in NC and I Lived 1/4 mile from the coast. Unless you live there, you cannot make ANY judgements. We decided to stay (which saved our home) because those who left usually ended up in worse situations, and had no community or area knowledge of where they were so could not help themselves. Time and time again, it was worse inland than on the coast. Especially the flooding.
The storm moved very slowly and they stopped bringing gas to our area, just before the evacuation was made mandatory. So, if you did not have a full tank where were you going to get gas? Just drive til you find it? Getting stuck in a car”somewhere” for the duration of the storm. No way. Bad move.
People had been evacuating from FL, GA, and SC so everything is full to include roads. A 45 min trip to the closest “big city” was 45 min … with the traffic, now an hour and a half…. again gas?
With Ian, it was first forecast to move west… so everyone went 95 north and east… and days later, found themselves in the storm as it shifted.
I have a LOT of friends in FL, none of them left for a wide variety of reasons because it was just as dangerous for them to leave. All are fine, but lots of property damage.
I have lived on the coast (from the north to south on the Atlantic, and now on the Texas Coast) and have been through some terrible storms. I take each one as it comes, get the best info I can, and make the best decision at the time. But sometimes. the decision is made for you as well.
People in these areas usually know their limitations and their skills and supplies. Do not underestimate them or pass judgement. Your common sense in TN is different than the common sense on the coast.
These are real Americans out there doing the best they can.
Agree 100%. With some shining exceptions, government Numpties generally don’t show me too much, and waiting for them to show up and save you is usually a mug’s game.
This sort of fear-based thinking did not tame the West or build this country from scratch. They have every right, and I would argue the obligation, to pitch in and do what they can. Basically they have been thrown back into frontier living and they are going to have to butch it up and act like it.
Mad respect to those who do. And by the way … those who do, generally do know how to handle a chainsaw. Even official licensed and credentialed and government-papered and -stamped workers can slip with a chainsaw and cut themselves.
Mandatory evacuation declarations trigger some of the additional living expense benefits under homeowners policies.
The mayor of New Orleans did her city’s residents no favor by refusing to made a mandatory evacuation declaration in short order ahead of their last storm.
The mayor of New Orleans did her citizens “no” favors if I recall correctly.
Are your daughter and husband okay? I have them on my list of people “in the path of Ian.”
I agree. Let people make their own decisions and be responsible for themselves.
Tyler is a gem. Pretty amazing video. God Bless them for taking the pets, I remember when that wasn’t something that was done. I feel particularly bad for the elderly for such a thing to happen at this stage in life.
“I hope that civic and community leaders, elected or installed, will pause β look around- and cherish what they are seeing in We The People.” It would be nice.
With no electricity on Cape Coral, then water with continue to trickle out of faucets..
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With no electricity of Cape Coral, then Internet will not resume.
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Cape Coral Police and FL National Guard are having to manually direct traffic because stop lights don’t work.
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Directing traffic is very taxing work standing in Florida sun.
And why was the entire Lee County Heath system shut down?
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Lee Health has transferred hundreds of patients because thereβs no running water. Patients are being moved out to facilities outside of Lee County
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https://www.chiefhealthcareexecutive.com/view/hurricane-ian-s-aftermath-florida-hospitals-evacuate-patients-due-to-lack-of-water
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The hospital buildings were serviceable, standby generators were in place.
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They could have brought in fresh water tankers and pumps to get water going?
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Sorry to get so local here but I am perplexed?
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I’ve been involved in telecom responses for dozens of hurricane events in many States over many years but never seen anything like this…
Sometimes the impact of the one hurricane is much worse than the other dozens.
Sometimes, the effort and resources required to cobble together a damaged location in order to do a half-ass, get-by job, are better expended elsewhere because they are greater than the resources required to simply move people to a location that can do a 100% job as soon as they get there. This applies well beyond hurricane relief to all endeavors.
Water was restored yesterday in Cape Coral, at least parts of it
I think it depends on how badly the electrical system is damaged. If it has to be rebuilt, it will take months if not years. Hospitals can not run on generators that long especially without additional gasoline.
Somewhere in reading, a Florida native said the positive is that it wasn’t Snowbird season.
‘Cause the Snowbirds moved here full time.
I have been wondering how all the transplants that migrated to Florida are doing.
My brother lives just west of Lehigh Acres in Ft Myers. He was fortunate at no damage but still no power and a boil order for the water (which he canβt do since no power).
His most pressing need is gasoline. Heβs experiencing the βlaw of diminishing returnsββ¦driving to gas stations rumored to have gas only to learn they ran out. Itβs getting very dicey.
Does anyone in that area have any personal knowledge of the likelihood of finding a reliable gas supply if he were to travel easterly to Lehigh or even Labelle?
He cannot afford any more fruitless expeditions.
Thanks for any insights you can offer.
Plus the lines at the stations take hours and hours of waiting.
Yes, only to have them run before he reaches the front of the line. Or run out before he can reach the station
Spotty to no gas up here West of Ocala.
Thanks for the feedback. Brother reports he just struck out again this morning. Thought he had a “hot tip” but again no gas at the station. Ugh!
Can’t boil water because of no power?. Have they ever heard of that incredible technology called fire? There has got to be tons of scrap wood lying about. Jeesh. Pampered…
Gee Randy, thanks for your snarky response. You clearly have no grasp of the situation people are in. If you have nothing helpful to offer perhaps you should just refrain from responding at all. There is enough stress on folks as it is.
Have you ever tried to start a fire with wet wood?
How about dialing down the a-hole, and understand what they are dealing with?
There is always one, who has to speak like a jerk,
You seem to be that guy today…….good job Cletus….
Why do use an honorable name like Cletus to describe a jerk?
C’mon Bobo
Chlorine tablets are good to have for just such an emergency. Doesn’t taste that great but it will keep you from getting cholera.
Our Walmarts had gas when the stations did not. I guess they buy in large enough increments to have priority.
What location? Thanks
While not germane to gasoline Walmart has a HUGE facility on RT 17 between Arcadia and Punta Gorda so I’m of the opinion Walmart will be one of the first to recover. Also the big stores like Walmart and Publix have large generators and will be the first on line.
I’m heading to Lettuce Lake Travel Resort to see if my motor home is salvageable projected arrival Weds afternoon and I’ll report back then when I can get cell service.
Glad you’re okay. I had you on my list of people in the path of the ‘cane!
Sorry if I confused you. I have a lot going on and I’m very distractable lol
I used to be a bad little Irish boy but now I had ADD/HD and I’m OK. π
I spend about half the year in Florida but not a snow bird as much of my time is in summer.
We used to have a house in Port Charlotte but now we are back in Ohio raising a granddaughter.
Before that we lived in the USVI and..before that….. I’m just a ramblin rover π
Very important point, Walmart, Publix, hospitals, police stations, fire stations all have priority power restoration.
One of the tips in moving, if you want to be first to get your power back find a place near a hospital or police station.
We are seeing in the comment threads that Walmart’s in the area did not plan for backup power and are therefore closed.
In the future, said brother should purchase two five gallon or a ten gallon gas can. Every year, before hurricane season fill it/them up and put in gas stabilizer. Store it in garage away from anything flammable. It has fumes.
In addition, he should purchase at least one big plastic garbage can on wheels. Before a hurricane season, fill it up with water. When the can begins to bulge, stop filling and maybe dump a bit. I filled mine so full they try to fall apart when I move them. So, two thirds full not 100%. Also, purchase a water boy. It’s a plastic bag you put in a tub (if he has a tub), fill with water and it has a spigot for drinking. Buy a gallon of CLOROX chlorine bleach, so, you can make bad water, ok to drink without heat.
Then, he should chose at least one fuel for heating water: wood, charcoal, propane, kerosene, cans that they use under serving dishes. Buy matches (waterproof preferred), lighters with butane fuel and probably lighter fluid for charcoal/wood.
Nice to haves are NASA blankets, tarps and indestructible cooking pots and implements.
It is also a good idea to buy bottled water ahead of hurricane season and store in frig and freezer. When they are empty, save them dry and refill them just before hurricane season the next year like the water bob. The bottled water in plastic is not designed to last in months long storage, they deteriorate with water in them and in the sun.
Is it too early for outside the state help to come in?
Is it possible to even travel to Fort Myers area and will local authorities allow?
Water, fuel, generators and chainsaws? Talking individual assistance not corporate or government?
Best thing to do is to find an organization like Samaritanβs Purse that has set-up locations for volunteers. Basically, they partner with a church as a temporary HQ. You bring a sleeping bag or cot and work during daylight hours, then sleep on the church floor at night, then repeat. There are 4 main processes: 1) mud-out homes, 2) tarp roofs, 3) cut down trees, and 4) remove debris.
Cajun Navy apparently already working.
https://www.wwltv.com/article/weather/hurricane/cajun-navy-making-rescues-florida-hurricane-ian/289-61fcc22d-4601-4cf6-a375-23b22238f085
If theyre in your area get meals from them. It’ll beat Dinty Moore, though I understand what SD meant. If one wants to get involved that might be a good contact to go through. Just showing up, unless you really know the area and have some contacts is likely to be more hindrance than help. And anyone who goes has to know they have to bring all fuel and supplies to be self sustaining and able to get back out to civilization again. Otherwise they’re just taking resources from locals/survivors.
Any liability issues as well?
They posted on FB that they needed boots on the ground volunteers in Port Charlotte.
Excellent points.
Excellent points
My sister worked with Christ in Action after Hurricane Harvey. Her group stayed in a church in Corpus Christi. They cleaned out houses and removed wet sheetrock and insulation and cut and moved fallen wood debris. They show up with trailers including an equipment trailer and a guy who serviced their saws.
There is a way for charitable organizations that field volunteer work crews to be compensated by FEMA for that free labor. After Harvey, the rate was $10/h. Red Cross and some of the other organizations take that money and hang onto it. My sister said that Christ in Action poured the money back into the people affected by the storm. This might have changed since they are involved in more than episodic disaster relief. Just an FYI.
Here is their website. I think there is more information on their FB page. There is a link to their FB page on their homepage.
https://www.christinaction.com/content/Home.aspx
They are out of Virgina and their initials, CIA, freaks me out a bit.
Love to Sundance. So proud of you. So inspired by your actions and words. God Bless you! ππ»ππ»
My BIL in Cape Coral, fortunately had little damage but he still has
no power..They have a generator, but he is using it sporadically
the neighbors are helping each other clean up. Minor
damage to his house, only to the soffits and screens on the porch,
his house was made of concrete and roof is metal he said it
was built to the standards after Hurricane Andrew.
Sundance,
You are indomitable. Winston Churchill would be proud of you. Hang in there and just keep working those two feet around you in whatever direction seems to show the most promise. Your hard work will inspire others and progress will be made that you will be amazed to see.
God bless all of you!
I just thought of how hard it will be for everyone getting their mail. Just one thing another issue to be worried about. God Bless everyone dealing through this aftermath of the storm.
Will Florida be able to vote? They took out the side of Florida that is MAGA.
Another problem to be concerned with. However as Sundance has mentioned, it is one step at a time.
I had thought maybe to send out a care package, w/things like sunblock, but how would it get there?
Wow! Thanks for the postings. Stay safe! My hubby was an air rescue helo pilot. These guys do amazing stuff!!
My husband and I were in Loweβs yesterday in mid-Missouri. We watched two guys loading a bunch of generators. Our checkout guy said they were going to Florida, but he thought they were planning on selling them for a huge profit.
That’s the sad part of ‘human nature’……
St. Peter is watching.
Aw man, and for a moment I was thinking how wonderful of them.
My daughter is scheduled to graduate college next May and has accepted a job offer in ft. Myers starting in July. We’re wondering if they’ll be any available housing to rent by then.
She should verify her job offer still stands. She should plan on being able to stay in a hotel a bit farther away than normal – commute and rent a room by the week until she finds a place she wants to stay in for the long haul.
GOD BLESS THE USA! hopefully, someone is documenting the cleanup of this mess to show how stupid it would be if we had no gasoline powered tools. where would the electricity come from for the cleanup if we had no gas powered equipment?
Excellent observation, jim.
What peeves me is all the products that are being made to charge w/ISB. When there is no power there is no ISB. If your car runs out of gas, there is no ISB. I want battery operated items.
Thanks. Good ground level insight.
Oh My. I can only imagine, to be uprooted and not sure what tomorrow brings. Heartbreaking. Thank you SD for keeping it Real. May the Sun keep shining with warmth. We all need to help one another. I’m states away. I want to contribute in some way, I’m just not sure where, how.
Iβm sure a $ donation to CTH would help. Iβm in Alaska and obviously canβt physically help but I have confidence that Sundance would put it to good use. Made mine earlier this morning.
May God bless you Brother Sundance.
Thank you so much for your Steadfastness, you are amazing.
Awesome video. Keeping all of you in my prayers.
Tyler and the Coast Guard crew rock!!!!
“I’m a Marine brother. I’m ready.”
LOVE IT!
A Marine w/cats, that made me laugh. God Bless our Marines.
Well done Coast Guard!
Note to residents of the flooded home park: mark the locations of the storm drains in the park, or perhaps modify them, so they can be unclogged quickly after the next hurricane. There shouldn’t be that much standing water days after the event.
Even if the drains were pristine ahead of Ian, they would be chock full of debris now. They probably were not pristine before Ian but a storm like that does an enormous amount of flooding no matter what one does. Much of Florida is flat and/or below sea level. The later settled areas have many drainage ditches and build the lots to slope to the road, but, early Florida they did not do this as much.
They are going to be clogged with a whole lot of sand which is a real pain in the neck to get rid of. Sand especially wet sand is so heavy
Wow! …again. Prayers to all that are stuck in this mess.
The tone of this update is little sobering. Understandable the frustrations of slow/no effort that seems to be taking place. It is a blessing to hear the coming together of the community. As the days roll by and reality sink deeper into the mind, exhaustion will become an enemy. It appears that the impact of the hurricane was extremely damaging in the areas you are mentioning. Fear and exhaustion are not helping. I will be praying the strength and endurance for the community for long and heavy days ahead. Blessings.
What about natural gas supply?
most of that area does not have natural gas. If you want gas, you have to bury a propane tank
I don’t know about anyone else but I DON”T want BIDEN coming to Florida. It’s an insult.
Not to mention the fact that the presidential cavalcade costs a fortune and ties up all the resources for at least 48 hours. All the thousands of people that are required for the Royal procession and to guard his preciousness. He needs to stay in the Washington basement.
I live in south Fort Myers, about a mile from the beach. We stayed and experienced the horror of Ian. We watched coconuts being launched like cannon balls. We watched huge pieces of debris flying everywhere. When the wind picked up another notch we peeked out and saw the wall of water coming. It was just surreal. We watched is horror as the water came down the street like white water rapids. We watched as it filled the street, then the yard, then the porch and then it finally came in. We had 4 feet of water in the garage and another 18β in the house. Our panic was in not knowing how far it would come.
After it subsided we have been left with an indescribable mess. Everything has been soaked in sewer water. The brown sludge on the floor stinks. It got into all of our furniture. All our shoes are soaked. We started to clean up but found ourselves walking around in circles. We finally realized that this is not something we can just clean up. We are waiting for three adjusters, homeowners, flood and auto. We canβt leave until they come. There are no hotels closer than Miami.
We have no electricity, only a trickle of unsafe water. We cleaned the floor of the master bedroom and bathroom to have a semi liveable place to sleep. Our generator was soaked in the garage along with second refrigerator. Shelves toppled over onto our car. Car ruined. Eating peanut butter sandwiches.
Our lives changed in a short time. Things will never be the same. But yet we are experiencing really beautiful things. My wife frequents an orchid store. She wanted to check on the lady owner and offer whatever we have to her. We found her in the back greenhouse trying to salvage what she could of her hundreds and hundreds of exotic orchids. She had her pastors with her. She told us that insurance does not cover plants. She has lost everything. Yet, she just oozed peace and joy. When explained to us that although she has lost everything and had no water to drink, she still believes that God is good. All the time. Instead of grumbling about her loses, she was expectant and excited to see what God has in mind for her life. We took her a case of water and bread, peanut butter and other food items. What an inspiration.
We have learned that no matter what we have, everything including our lives belongs to the Lord, to do with as He please. We are in for a long and difficult time, yet we know that The Lord has a plan for our lives. And yesβ¦.He is good. All the time.
Donβt have time to read and edit with 1% battery left.
If I may mention. the order will be coming from within your walls. Dry rot. It will have to be tended to as well as everything else. God Bless.
In south Louisiana, it’s traditional to keep a hatchet and a shotgun in your attic, so if the water gets too high, you can hack or blast a hole in the roof to get out where rescuers can see you. I know a man who took those precautions, before Katrina but didn’t account for the “lifetime” metal roof installed a couple of years before. Had to swim under water and break out a window to get out. One tough old bird!
No need to edit, beautifully stated.
God Bless you guys and your lovely neighbor. πππ
Please let us know where her shop is located, we can’t wait to purchase orchids from her.
And may the Lord of Host bless you greatly on your journey with Him!
Keep your head up and keep plowing ahead. God will always help. Our planet is His unfinished creation and He wants us to be part of His plan. Your story has been an inspiration to me.
And when we go GREEN, after the Globalists total destruction of our world, this is what life will look like, without the choppers, though.
They want just the basics, back to nature; through their distorted lenses of Utopia.
You will own nothing and be happy.
This should be a reality check for those still suffering from communism.
Prayers going out everyday.
Wow, what a video. Tyler was amazing in his compassion.
Your last paragraph!!!
God bless!
I heard that the Biden Regime called Taylor to commend him on his excellent rescue efforts. Unfortunately, Taylor is being forced out of the Coast Guard due to the Biden Regime’s vaccine mandate. Taylor’s request for a religious exemption have, of course, been rejected. He has 30 to 60 days left in the CG. A-holes.
Doubtful but possible. If EVERYONE would boycot the vexx, they’d have no choice but to give up on mandates. It’s compliance that’s killing careers and people. The further tragedy of people incapacitated or killed by the vexxes is unfolding and growing–in a year, I think labor shortages will be so severe, if a person is basically able to just do a job, no more questions will be asked. It will affect the post-Ian recovery, though.
Source?
It was a different USCG hero that he called…
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/10/biden-calls-thanks-coast-guard-swimmer-saving-florida-lives-man-will-kicked-days-unvaxxed/
Is your sister okay? I have her on my Ian list!
Prayers for you and the people of Florida. The devastation is unimaginable. πππ
Gettin Katrina flashbacks! Guess there will have to be a similar diaspora of survivors and a core of diehards who’ll rebuild ASAP, like my inlaws and I did. Prayers! Sympathy! Help when and however we can.
I imagine writing these updates is restorative in a way for you Sundance. There’s a sense of calm, determination and hope coming through that we can all take to heart. Thanks.
Instead of sending $$$ to the Ukraine, Joey and Co. should be sending that $$ to every hotel, long term rentals, for people who have lost everything. And forget student loans and other wasteful expenditures. These are Americans of all ethnicities.
So my advice is buckle up Joey, and for once, do the right thing.
And if the privileged Republicans can’t get their act together, FLORIDIANS HAVE A LONG MEMORY.
except our Veep will try to make certain that the money is only race-based
Yes it was incredible that she had that press conference and announced that very thing! What an outrageous bigot.
This is greatly needed. Besides the coast, Central Florida is also experiencing record flooding from Ian. Most do not have flood insurance, and how many renters have insurance? Rents are at an all-time high in Central Florida with limited affordable availability. I do not know where the displaced are going to go! I suspect many will leave the area permanently, but temporary housing is desperately needed.
Rent is sky high everywhere in the country. There is slim pickens, especially if on a tight budget. I worry where people will go too.
“Those officials need to work to be better stewards and work to deserve their role in whatever capacity they hold.” I guess I’ve lost faith in anyone except the working middle class because my first thought was, ‘that’ll be the day!’.
Retired Magistrate here: There are going to be some people that you are going to have to drag off those islands. They weathered out the hurricane and some of the houses are still livable. I assume that these people also have supplies on hand that they can survive for quite some time. Also, somebody is going to have to supply the National Guard that will be stationed on the island for who knows how long. Who is going to supply the National Guard? Yes, I understand that there are no utilities or emergency services on the islands. However, people should have the right to determine whether or not they want to take that chance.
Before the causeway was built in 1963 the only way to the islands was by ferry; people lived on the islands at that time. In fact, many of the residents were against building the causeway because they knew it would increase visitation to the islands and they didn’t want that.
The residents that will be taken off the islands will have no transportation; they will leave their cars on the island and they will be dropped off in an area that is already destroyed to do what? Some of these residents might have all theirs assets tied up in the houses/trailers, etc. they are leaving behind. Will there be buses to take them where they want to go; food assistance, housing assistance (of course everything is filled up right now), clothing assistance etc. I think many of these people think they will be able to go back to their homes in several weeks, not several years.
If the powers that be are bound and determined to do this then there needs to be a plan about what to do with these people. So far it looks like no one is in charge in Lee County. I agree that the people are doing a great job helping each other; however, the most dangerous words in the vocabulary are “we are from the government and we are here to help you.” Yeah, right.
Oh, just a side note about here in Ohio. We live by the Scioto river. About 17 years ago there was talk of an up ground dam several miles upstream. There were water marks on telephone poles about where the water would be; so people panicked and sold houses/acreage for way below market value. Funny thing; no up ground dam and a developer came in and picked up a lot of property cheap. Just saying.
I am with you on this one. I understand no services, etc. but for many Sanibel residents they might not have any place to go and with no car (being forced to leave it behind) they will have no way to get there other than a bus. I can definitely see some of them preferring to stay on the island, particularly if as you said they have supplies to sustain them. Evacuation by force seems wrong in this situation.
‘evacuation by force seems wrong in this situation’
if these people CHOOSE to stay, then don’t expect the gov’t (we the taxpayers who had no CHOICE in the matter to foot the bill)
imo, people who choose to ride it out/hunker down should be forced to pay for that choice through their insurance and if the insurance is too damn high, you CAN’T AFFORD to live there
Concur. Sign a waiver agreeing you are on your own if so inclined and be left alone to live or die your choice.
My motor home on the peace river
iswas underwater. I know that is peanuts compared to someones house but I knew the risks. I’m leaving SW Ohio to go see if it can be salvaged. Again my risk my choice.Dear Sundance, thank you so much for your daily news and information. We are astounded by the incredible devastation & very proud of the resilience of the survivors and the bravery of their angels of mercy who there giving so much of themselves to rescue, encourage and restore some semblance of normality to so many lives literally turned upside down.
We The People ARE something to see!!
While prayers are the most obvious & of the most help,who with feet on the ground, would be the best to manage donations at this point? Are there still some local churches, or other local or regional charities that can actually benefit from funds and are able reach out to the communities?
My heart especially goes out to those like Janet, you mentioned yesterday. Iβm also in a wheelchair and can only imagine her fears for the future. If you can please pass on to her we will be praying for her and would like to do what we can to help. Iβm sure Iβm not the only one on this site who feels this way about all the folks affected by Ian.
Thank you again for your tender heart and positive outlook in the face of an extremely difficult situation. You continue to be a great example to us all. You & yours are will be in our prayers. Stay safe & God Bless You & Keep You.
Relocatables need to be provided for this who want them in various locations. Better than a motel for the rebuilding effort. People need to be able to at least watch their property.
All the while, one wonders what is going on at the border. As the news cycle focuses on Florida and DeSantis.
As an outsider,
looking in,
thank you
for a little glimpse
of the ongoing
real, rigorous challenges
that are happening
during the daytime.
( and each nightfall without light, running water and the ongoing pondering of how to replenish the dwindling supplies – by word of mouth – continues and changes by the time you get word… ) etc.
The CERT efforts to rescue,
and the other tough efforts by many to rebuild utility and transportation infrastructures are appreciated – and take a lot of resolve and concerted efforts by many, many people.
[ soft solar and wind energy resources would have wiped off the map, and been made useless if that had been part of the prior infrastructure solution. The roadway, underground gas lines, water lines and the electrical / cell tower grid can incrementally be restored from the inland then towards the coast, again.]
Thankfully an intense Ian situation rarely repeats in the exact same location ( hundred miles wide) – thereby making the hours, days, years rebuild efforts very worthwhile for many.
More hands, make less work.
Love thy neighbors
As the full impact of the unfathomably difficult job ahead for Floridians to get some semblance of their lives back on an even keel becomes apparent, I’m thinking on this Sunday, the Lord’s day, of Sundance and all his fellow volunteers who have put their own lives on hold to pull together for those who look around them at the devastation and have no heart or idea where to start.
Looking for something else in my photos, this by chance (?) made an appearance. It is perhaps my favourite and hopeful piece of Scripture. And it is so appropriate for all the heroic efforts we see in aid of our fellow travellers on this earth in desperate need of help.
“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
~~Isaiah 6:8~~
This video made me cry. I feel ashamed because I was without power for 32 hours and I was miserable. These poor people, praying for all of you in SW Fla. What is the best way to make donations so it gets to the right people?
For those who don’t know about a rocket stove, here’s one made of bricks. A couple handfuls of sticks will boil a pot of water. God, please bless all in this time of struggle and hardship.
Sundance, Here’s what LCEC is posting on its website:
LCEC Restoration UpdatesOctober 1, 2022 β Nearly 1,000 resources will have boots on the ground again today to restore power to LCEC customers. All but three of the 23 LCEC substations were energized yesterday and crews will begin to do work to restore the main circuits. The next phase of restoration will be to safely bring power back to the largest number of customers in areas including Cape Coral, North Fort Myers, Immokalee, Everglades City, Lehigh Acres, and Marco Island. Then crews will focus on smaller pockets of outages and individual services.
Customers are urged to use generators safely to protect their families and workers on the system, turn off breakers in their homes until power is restored, and remain patient. They may not see trucks on their street but crews are working in the area and will continue to work until all power is restored to those able to receive it.
Current restoration numbers are as follows:
A.M Area Update
Cust. On Cust. Out
Marco Island 7,116 19,582
Immokalee 8,442 7,298
Carnestown 427 2,812
Lehigh Acres 16,604 16,522
North Fort Myers 905 55,374
Cape Coral 0 94,276
Pine Island 0 7,398
Sanibel 0 10,946
26,378 214,208
The catastrophic damage from Hurricane Ian is something that has not been experienced before and there are many developments that are new when we consider the widespread flood damage and inaccessibility to some of our barrier islands. LCEC has upward of 600 line crews and 135 tree trimming crews with additional crews arriving this weekend. Customers do not need to call LCEC as we are aware of what circuits are without power.
So….subtle message received? It seems so. Shaming that it took an unspoken but putative threat to get some action.
Would appreciate if anyone has any info on Marco Island.
We visit there often, and love the area.
I find info on Collier County, but little about Marco, Goodland, Isle of Capri.
So much devastation in Lee County. As Sundance wrote, hard decisions being made as lives are changed forever.
Thanks!! Got a thumbs up from my Pine Island Friend!!!!
Excellent! Thank you for letting us know. I’ll take them off my list!
Crying? Must be allergies.
πThank you, Sundance.
God keep you.
The young guys working the rescue helicopter brought tears to my eyes. I know they love it but they are doing great work!
One of my boys does helicopter drop here in Norcal. They drop the guys ahead of fires to break the spread. They are a tight team. Gotta love toxic masculinity.
Yeah. Those teams are selfless. Acting out of pure heart. Heros!
Much pride to see them operate.
Respect for all of them. May God protect all. ππ»πΊπΈππ»
Depending on your outlook the barrier islands and SW Florida in general most of the time are as close to heaven on earth you will ever find so it’s hard to imagine how nature can turn on you. That is the why.
My brother is an adjuster. He spent last night here at my house in East Texas. He has finished the training that is specific to Hurricane Ian and is all set. He left my house a few minutes ago on his way to Florida.
He and a team will be working commercial claims on the east side of the state where the utilities are on and the adjusters can find a place to stay and can access the properties they need to scope. There are already 700 of those claims for them to work. I expect many of those east side claims to be very simple so the estimates will be submitted quickly and out of the way.
His team was formed to deal with complex commercial claims. I anticipate that the company will want to reassign these guys as soon would be practical to the west where the claims will be more complex.
The elephant will be eaten.
My daughter has Air B&B houses near Melbourne FL that are available.
Is there a website?
The adjusting firm has been making lodging reservations. I’ll be glad to pass this info to my brother so he can pass it to the travel lady.
Thank you.
Contact [email protected]
All small letters.
Thanks. I let my brother know so he can pass along the info. I think the office staff at the adjusting firm is working 7a-7p, 7 d/wk as usual during storm work.