The director of Charlotte County’s emergency management, Patrick Fuller, stressed the importance of safety during a Monday morning briefing.
“Many hazardous conditions remain in our community,” he said, referring to traffic signals not working, debris and generator usage.
As of Monday morning, 45% of Florida Power and Light customers in Charlotte County had their power restored, expecting the county’s restoration to be at 95% by Oct. 9.
In the meantime, as many residents remain without power, Fuller asked residents with generators to ensure they’re using a licensed electrician to connect to their panel. “The risk of fire or electrocution are real when dealing with generators, as well as exhaust,” he said.
As FPL continues its restoration efforts, many traffic lights in the county continue to be nonoperational.
Fuller reminds residents that traffic lights that are flashing green, it means go. For those that are flashing red, it means stop, and all others should be treated as a four way stop. When approaching an intersection with law enforcement directing traffic, drivers should heed the directions of law enforcement.
As gas stations continue to reopen as repairs are made or power is restored, Fuller asks drivers to remain patient while receiving and waiting for gas.
In a time where tensions are high, as many have experienced loss and devastation in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Charlotte County’s Sheriff Bill Prummell asks for patience with each other and with officials, as the sheriff’s office is still responding to a lot of disturbances, both physical and verbal.
“You got to be patient with one another,” Prummell said. “Do what it takes. If you’re getting heated, do what it takes to calm down. You got to go hit the punching bag, go hit the punching bag. Find something to do to relieve that stress. We’re all stressed right now, and it doesn’t help when we start fighting amongst ourselves.”
Having patience with each other also lends to the sentiment of neighbors helping neighbors, something Prummell is asking of Charlotte County residents, especially for those with neighbors who are elderly and live on their own.
“We have identified an issue where we have several residents who are all by themselves,” he said. “They are without food, they are without water, they are without power.”
Prummell said he has a team of his deputies, along with the U.S. National Guard, trying to get into neighborhoods, going door to door to deliver water and food, as well as getting gas to generators if these residents have them.
“I’m trying to give them what they need to make sure that their well-being is taken care of,” he said. “If you know of any of those individuals who are out there by themselves, please help them. Help one another. This is what it’s all about here.”
