CTH:
It was a week ago Wednesday, around 1:00pm, when Hurricane Ian first approached the coast of southwest Florida. In the aftermath, once again the coastal topography has changed.
Incredibly, rescue workers are still going through rubble on Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island, Captiva Island, Pine Island and Matlacha while recovery operations continue in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Arcadia, Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte. Approximately 50% of Lee and Desoto counties are still without power and water.
The closer to the SWFL coast, the more devastating the infrastructure is damaged. However, the inland areas were also heavily impacted by wind damage and historic flooding. Hurricane Ian left a wide swath of chaos in his slow and sizeable wake.
On a positive note, there are fewer helicopter flights crisscrossing overhead, which would indicate most of the barrier islands have been searched and residents rescued in one of the largest air mobilizations in Florida hurricane history. The flights seem more focused on delivering personnel, equipment and supplies for recovery efforts.
The rednecks and roughnecks also delivered a remarkable accomplishment today, opening a temporary bridge to Pine Island. A few days before Governor Ron DeSantis announced the State DOT effort to help build the temporary bridge, locals from Honc Marine were already in ‘git r done‘ mode.
Incredibly a week after Hurricane Ian took out the bridge connecting Pine Island to Cape Coral, the temporary bridge was finished and five semi tractors/trailers from Publix Supermarket were first to cross into Pine Island with relief supplies. WATCH:
That’s incredible. Considering it’s a 2.5 year job near my house to resurface and make structural repairs to a single highway bridge creating mile-long traffic jams during rush hour.
Anybody seen Sean Penn? He is always so promenent in his row boat, helping Haitians and brow beating us, calling us callous and indifferent to the plight of foreigners, there are some Floridians (Americans, but don’t tell him) that could use some of his philanthropic cash he gets from his hollywood buddies.
Incidently, the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund is kicking ass in the amount of donations they are getting from across the country. We help our own, always have.
I have a couple buddies down there. One of them is an automation technician. I forget where he said he was staying for his current job (lives just outside Tampa but is on a job far enough away that daily driving is not feasible ), but he told me last night the hotel he is staying at is full off electric crews and they are all heading home. Said hundreds and hundreds of truck were headed north. The line worker told him they worked for x company and they are done and recalled back home. The line workers are well aware of the issues in lee county, but they have no control over it.