STORM RECOVERY INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

Friday, October 21, 2022

*NEW* NEXT WEEK – TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

On Tuesday, October 25, 2022, at 4 p.m., there will be an additional Town Council meeting at the same location as yesterday’s Town Council meeting, 17650 San Carlos Boulevard, the site of the former SkipOne Seafood. 

*NEW* WATER RESTORATION 

We have begun to restore water service today to a limited number of homes. Here are the steps to water service restoration of your home: 

1. Secure structural and electrical inspections
2. Submit the inspections by email to buildingpermits@fmbgov.com
3. Upon acceptance of the reports, wait for notice from the Town’s Utility Department that your street is ready for water restoration and that your home is scheduled to receive it
4. Be at your home when water is restored so that you can be present if any issues arise 

The Town’s Utility Department will contact you when water is able to be restored to your home. Emailing or calling the Utility Department will not make things go any faster as they are all involved with getting the water restored and will contact you when they are ready. Currently, the following streets have the ability to receive water: 

• Sterling
• Lanark
• Seminole
• Falkirk
• Sabal
• Launder

Click on the aqua colored (Utilities) sand dollar on the front of the Town’s website homepage for updates as water on additional streets becomes available. 

*NEW* MANDATORY BOIL WATER NOTICE

If you have potable water in your home, you are under a MANDATORY boil water notice

THEREFORE, WE ADVISE THAT ALL WATER USED FOR DRINKING, COOKING, MAKING ICE, BRUSHING TEETH, OR WASHING DISHES BE BOILED. A ROLLING BOIL OF ONE MINUTE IS SUFFICIENT. AS AN ALTERNATIVE BOTTLED WATER MAY BE USED. THIS “MANDATORY BOIL WATER NOTICE” WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL SATISFACTORY BACTERIOLOGICAL WATER SAMPLES SHOW THAT THE WATER IS SAFE TO DRINK.  

If during a hurricane, tropical storm or unforeseen emergency, our water system loses power and water pressure, we will issue a mandatory boil water notice (MBWN) to our customers. Water pressure keeps pollutants from entering the underground pipes that bring drinking water to your house or business. When the pressure is lost, contaminants can seep into the pipes. This might allow pathogens (disease-causing germs) into the water that can cause illness if one drinks it or prepares food or beverages with it. So, as a precaution, it is important to disinfect tap water to kill any bacteria or viruses that may have entered the water or use an alternative source of water (bottled water).  

Under a boil water notice, water used for consumption can be disinfected by any one of the following methods:

• Bringing the water to a rolling boil and holding it there for one (1) minute, OR

• Using a disinfecting chemical. If you cannot boil water, you should put eight (8) drops of common household bleach (unscented) which is about 1/8th teaspoon, into one (1) gallon of tap water, then shake it, and allow it to stand for 30 minutes before drinking. If the water is cloudy, use sixteen (16) drops, about 1/4 teaspoon of bleach instead of 8, shake it, and let it stand for 30 minutes. There should be a slight chlorine odor. Use common household bleach that has 5% to 8% active ingredients. Use food grade containers. OR

• Using water purification tablets or iodine that many sports and camping stores sell, and follow their directions. You can also buy commercial bottled water for consumption and food preparation as an alternative. Consumption includes brushing teeth, washing fruits and vegetables, and homemade ice. 

Tap water may be used for showering, baths, shaving and washing, so long as care is taken not to swallow or allow water in eyes or nose or mouth. Children and disabled individuals should have their bath supervised to ensure water is not ingested. The time spent bathing should be minimized. Though the risk of illness is minimal, individuals who have recent surgical wounds, are immunosuppressed, or have a chronic illness may want to consider using bottled or boiled water (that has cooled) for cleansing until the notice is lifted. 

Businesses and non-residential sites should take steps such as posting notices or disabling water fountains and ice machines. If you provide water to visitors or employees, use commercially produced bottled water for drinking or beverage preparation (coffee). Food service operations have additional requirements from their regulatory agency. After the water system is repaired, and the pressure is restored in the pipes to your home or business, the mandatory boil water notice will remain in effect for one to several days while bacteria tests are conducted to assure the safety of the water.  

The notice will be lifted (rescinded) only after tests prove the water is safe to drink. It may be lifted in sections of the city/county as those areas’ pipes are cleared and the water deemed safe to drink.  

The employees of The Town of Fort Myers Beach Utilities, your public water system, take great care in assuring that your water is safe to drink, and we appreciate your cooperation with the mandatory boil water notice to protect public health during this difficult time.

*NEW*COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTERS

A Community Resource Center opened at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 21, to provide access to federal, state, local and non-profit partners at Beach Baptist Church, 130 Connecticut St., on the corner of Estero Boulevard, Fort Myers Beach. The location will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. 

Lee County, the Florida Division of Emergency Management, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have partnered to open this new location to serve Fort Myers Beach residents. The Community Resource Center includes FEMA Disaster Recovery Assistance Teams, as well as other local and national non-profit organizations. The site includes bathroom trailers, shower trailers, and water and ice distribution, provided by the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Florida Department of Children and Families is also on-site providing assistance for existing beneficiaries of DCF programs or newly unemployed residents who need food assistance. 

*NEW*DEBRIS REMOVAL 

Debris removal contractors from Lee County have completed passage of ALL Fort Myers Beach streets (first pass) and are well on the way to completing the second pass.  Additional passes will be made until all debris is removed. Among other places, debris is primarily being deposited on Bay Oaks Recreational Campus although other locations i.e. Lovers Key are being considered. Since the beginning of the debris removal process on October 7, nearly 200,000 cubic yards has been collected, with collections resulting in excess of 25,000 cubic yards per day. If your street or home has been skipped, please ensure that no vehicles are parked in the right of way and that debris is pushed curbside, not in the right of way. It’s also possible that property owners have pushed more debris curbside since the last go-around. 

*POWER RESTORATION*

Residents need to get an inspection from a Florida licensed structural engineer and an electrician for power to be turned on.  The electrical report must be emailed directly from the Florida-licensed electrical contractor or electrical engineer to the Town of Fort Myers Beach Building Services Division at buildingpermits@fmbgov.com. The format of the report is at the discretion of the contractor, but it must include the contractor’s name, license number, and whether the structure is safe to energize. After submittal and approval of the report by the Town, the information will be forwarded to the electric utility (FPL) for their use in connecting electric to the structure. 

The Building Services Department will then submit the address to the FP&L (and water utility) for energizing and reconnection of service. Please be aware that the Town is processing hundreds of inspections and furthermore, FP&L electricity and water service repairs may not have been completed in some areas which may result in delays to the process. Please email utilities@fmbgov.com if you need to reach the Utility Department 

Since the first two homes were connected last Saturday (10/15) more continue to be restored every day, mostly on the south end of the island, about 100 thus far. The Town provides a daily list to FP&L of properties that are approved for power reconnection after those properties have passed structural and electrical inspections. FP&L will energize your homes when they have completed the electrical system repairs in your area and the Town has approved your inspections. FP&L says it will replace all meters on residential properties.  

*NEW* CONTRACTORS

Be sure to use only licensed and registered contractors. Don’t become a disaster scam victim! A list of registered contractors of all types, including electrical, is on the Building Services page of the Town’s website at www.fmbgov.com/building and is being updated regularly.  You can also access the state’s database of licensed contractors at www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp    

 *NEW* MAIL PICKUP

FMB residents can pick up mail at the Fort Myers Processing & Distribution Center at 14080 Jetport Loop. For customers arriving by car, there is signage directing them where to park. A mobile retail unit has been set up in the parking lot to assist customers with mailing and shipping needs, stamp and money order purchases and change of address requests. This new location will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. USPS says all customers impacted by Hurricane Ian should file for a change of address to ensure they can receive uninterrupted and accurate mail delivery service. The USPS Care Center (1-800-275-8777) is available for customers in areas affected by Hurricane Ian with questions about their mail or package delivery service, or any other matter involving postal operations.