Tropical Storm Ian has moved slightly westward, leaving the Fort Myers area out of its immediate path. 

After leaving Cuba, the storm is expected to touch land again in the Tampa Bay area as a category 3-4 hurricane. While Fort Myers is not in the immediate path, we do expect rain conditions beginning on Wednesday, September 28^th.

At this time, weather services anticipate five to seven inches of rain in Fort Myers and three to five inches in southern Florida municipalities.

All city-sponsored meetings will be cancelled this week!

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Safety message from city of fort myers emergency manager, kristy mathews

www.cityftmyers.com

We are watching the trajectory and will continue to provide updates through all city-owned platform. 

In the interim, here are some protective measures you can take now:

• Make a Plan– Every household should have a disaster plan specific to the needs of their household. Every individual in the household should assist in developing the emergency plan and understand the plan.
  • Visit https://www.leegov.com/publicsafety/Documents/Emergency%20Management/2020FamilyEmergencyPlan-editable.pdf for Lee County specific recommendations on building a plan
  • Make A Plan | Ready.gov
  • FloridaDisaster.org/Family-Plan 
  • Secure items in and around your home before tropical storm force winds arrive.
  • Be sure all family members know who to call or where to gather if you become separated.
  • Let family and friends in other locations know your evacuation plans.
• Build a Kit - https://www.leegov.com/publicsafety/emergencymanagement/prepare/disabilities/emergency-supply-kit 
• Know Your Zone, Know Your Home –It’s important for residents to know if they live in an evacuation zone, a low-lying, flood-prone area, a mobile home or an unsafe structure during hurricane season. It is also very important for residents to know their home and its ability to withstand strong winds and heavy rain. This information will help residents better understand orders from local officials during a storm. 
  • To find out your evacuation zone: 2022EvacZones_ShelterList_11x17.pdf (leegov.com) / http://leegis.leegov.com/leealert
  • To find your flood zone: https://leegis.leegov.com/floodzone 
  • For additional information: FloridaDisaster.org/Know  
• Keep Gas Tanks Half Full – Residents should keep their vehicle’s gas tanks at least half full during hurricane season to ensure they have enough fuel to evacuate as soon as possible without worrying about long lines at gas stations and to avoid gas shortages prior to a storm. For Floridians with electric vehicles, it’s recommended that the battery be maintained between 50% - 80% capacity at all times, depending.
• Documentation – Know where your insurance policy is and take photos of the interior and exterior of your home. 
• Sandbags: The City of Fort Myers and Lee County in general are not supporting sandbag operations.