Hurricane Tips For Approaching Hurricane Ian

Although Southwest Florida is not currently in the cone for Hurricane Ian, we're still going to feel the effects. As of 10am Monday morning we're under a Tropical Storm Watch. It looks like Hurricane Ian will be passing by Southwest Florida during the day on Wednesday as a major hurricane. Maybe even a Category 4. We're on what some call the "dirty side" of the hurricane. SWFL is going to see a lot of wind and rain. Here's the radar from this morning:

So even if the current forecast models hold true and Southwest Florida avoids a direct hit, there's still some steps you can take to be prepared. Remember, those outer bands can spin off tornadoes which can break off tree branches. Those tree branches fall on a power line and  - now you're sitting in the dark. And FPL is going to be super busy restoring power. How long will you be without power? We have a guide with a lot of useful information. And it doesn't mean you need to rush to Publix and empty the shelves. Tampa Meteorologist Dennis Phillips has come up with a lot more ideas. Here's a few of the best 'hurricane hacks' I found. And some personal experience.

Throw some bleach in that bin to disinfect and then rinse it out. Fill you trash can with water so you can use it for flushing the toilet in case your water stops. One thing to watch out for is that our area has pumping stations to deal with sewage. In a prolonged outage, with no working pumping stations, what you flush down the toilet could come up through the shower drain. If this is the case where you live, only flush when necessary. This also applies if you use a septic system with a pump. Here's what Collier County has to say on the topic:

The Florida Department of Health in Collier County (DOH-Collier) is urging the public to be mindful of potential issues with sewage. Following a storm, you may experience problems with the operation of your sewage system. If you have a septic system that runs by a dosing pump, it will not work without electricity. You should stop using water in your home as much as possible until the electricity comes back on. Without the pump working, the septic tank will fill and may cause backup of sewage in your home

You know all that water you bought at Costco? Put them in the freezer. In the event of a power failure this will help keep food cold. Plus, you can drink the cold water after they thaw.

Wash the sheets and any dirty clothes. You never know how long you could be without power.

Toss out any old food and clean the litter box. Think of what things may start to smell if the ac goes out and deal with them now.

Bring in anything that could go airborne. At minimum your pool furniture cushions. Is your grill on wheels? It can roll into the pool with the right sustained wind. Just the thought of having to lift a grill out of your pool should be enough to make this important.

Just know where all your important stuff is. Your id, passports, cash. Yes, make sure you have some cash.

Do dog and cat have enough food?

If you're taking medicine that you need, you need to make sure you have enough of it in case something bad happens. It's a hurricane, you just don't know.

Is your tank full? No lie, we made coffee on the grill after Irma.

Round them up and put them where you know they are.

Remember, if the power goes out, it's likely that you're going to lose hot water.

If the power is out, you don't want dirty dishes smelling the place up.

Flickering power surges can fry your electronics. If the power starts to dim, or flicker on and off - turn off the tv, stop the washer and dryer, and turn off the ac. My air conditioner was already getting a little old, but the power going on and off, dimming, and coming back killed it. That's right, even after the power came back on after Irma I still had no ac for another week +.

Push that thermostat down before the storm gets there. If you do lose power, you'll enjoy the cool at least a little longer.

No dirty dishes.

Take pictures of your house. Especially the roof. If you do sustain damage you'll need to prove that it was caused by this hurricane. The days of 'everyone gets a new roof' are over. Insurance companies are going to challenge every major claim.

Hurricane Central - Preparedness Guide gives you the updated information you may need in the event of a hurricane. Just because 2021 was a quiet year for storms doesn't mean we can ever let our guard down. This guide is sponsored by local businesses here in SWFL. Gavin's Ace Hardware, Sean King Law, and Powerhouse Home Services.

Lee County:

Emergency Operations Center 239-533-0622

Bonita Springs YMCA – Bonita Springs

Island Coast High School – Cape Coral

Estero Recreation Center – Estero

Germain Arena – Estero

South Fort Myers High School (Pet Friendly) – Fort Myers

E. Lee County High School (Pet Friendly) – Lehigh Acres

Harns Marsh Elementary School – Lehigh Acres

Harns Marsh Middle School – Lehigh Acres

Mirror Lakes Elementary School – Lehigh Acres

Varsity Lakes Middle School – Lehigh Acres

Veterans Park Recreation Center – Lehigh Acres

Collier County

Emergency Operations Center: 239-252-3600

Highlands Elementary School – Immokalee

Immokalee Friendship House – Immokalee

Immokalee High School – Immokalee

Immokalee Middle School – Immokalee

Pinecrest Elementary School – Immokalee

Village Oaks Elementary – Immokalee

Barron Collier High School – Naples

Big Cypress Elementary – Naples

Corkscrew Elem/Middle School – Naples

Cypress Palm Middle School – Naples

Golden Gate Intermediate School – Naples

Golden Gate Middle School – Naples

Golden Gate High School – Naples

Golden Terrace Intermediate School – Naples

Gulf Coast Intermediate School – Naples

Gulf Coast High School – Naples

Laurel Oak Elementary School – Naples

Lely High School – Naples

Mike Davis Elementary School

Naples High School

North collier Regional Park (Pet Friendly) – Pre-registration is required

North Naples Middle School

Oakridge Middle School

Palmetto Ridge High School – Special Needs

Pelican Marsh Elementary

Sable Palm Elementary School

St. Matthews House

Veterans Community Park

Vineyards Elementary School

Charlotte County

Emergency Operations Center: 941-833-4000

*All Charlotte County shelters are now Pet Friendly

Lemon Bay High School – Englewood

Myakka River Elementary School – Englewood

Kingsway Elementary School – Port Charlotte

Liberty Elementary School – Port Charlotte

Meadow Park Elementary School – Port Charlotte

Murdock Middle School – Port Charlotte

Port Charlotte High School – Port Charlotte

Port Charlotte Middle School – Port Charlotte

Sallie Jones Elementary School -Punta Gorda

South County Regional Park -Punta Gorda

L.A. Ainger MIddle School – Rotonda

Vineland Elementary School – Rotonda

Hendry County

Emergency Operations Center: 863-674-5400

Central Elementary School – Clewiston

Clewiston High School – Clewiston

Clewiston Middle School (Primary Shelter) – Clewiston

Eastside Elementary School – Clewiston

Westside Elementary School – Clewiston

Country Oaks Elementary School – LaBelle

LaBelle Elementary School – LaBelle

LaBelle High School – LaBelle

LaBelle Middle School (Primary Shelter) – LaBelle

Glades County

Emergency Operations Center: 863-946-6020

Buckhead Ridge VFW – Buckhead Ridge

Maple Grove Baptist Church – Lakeport

Glades County Health Department (Special Needs) – Moore Haven

Moore Haven High School – Moore Haven

Muse Community Assn. – Muse

West Glades Elementary (Special Needs) – Muse

Desoto County

Emergency Operations Center – 863-993-4831

Desoto Middle School -Arcadia

South Florida State College (Special Needs) -Arcadia

Hurricane watch = conditions possible within the next 48 hrs.

Steps to take:

Hurricane warning = conditions are expected within 36 hrs.

Steps to take:

Follow the hurricane timeline preparedness checklist, depending on when the storm is anticipated to hit and the impact that is projected for your location.