CAPE CORAL, Fla. — People in several Cape Coral neighborhoods are becoming very frustrated.
Many of them evacuated for Hurricane Ian. Now that they’re back, they've been ripping up flooded floors and removing debris from their homes.
Water isn’t clean, and some haven’t seen a single power crew.
Pam Spenner, a Cape Coral resident, said she doesn't know what Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC) is doing.
"We haven’t seen any power trucks in our area, and because of where we are, I mean, we have a pole that is at a 45-degree angle," she said. "They’re all down, and some of them are broken in half, just broke like a toothpick."
Residents said they are specifically frustrated with LCEC. They had not contracted any help, but after Governor Ron DeSantis asked them to accept help, the company announced this morning they are now bringing in resources and linemen from Florida Electric Cooperative.
In Punta Gorda, you can see power crews everywhere trying to put poles back up. But with so many down, it looks like weeks of work, and they hadn't reached the Cape Coral streets on Monday morning.
"Just a lot of construction workers, or landscapers," Dennis Cieslinski said. "I haven’t seen any power trucks yet."
Many big stores are open, and some gas stations have gas, so residents said they’re grateful for that.
But some who live on Fort Myers Beach said those that are stuck there feel cut off from help.
"The problem is, there’s still people that live there," Fort Myers Beach resident Denise Brewster said who is staying at another home in Cape Coral. "The thing that frustrates me the most is we don’t have internet, we don’t have phone service -- there’s no way to get any information."
FEMA responded to our email inquiry asking for areas of concern, but did not send an official comment as of Monday evening.
A spokesperson for the Governor's office said they’re having a hard time reaching people since there is no power and therefore limited communication.
"Not being able to access food and water constitutes an emergency, and that person should call 911," the spokesperson said. "Those that are still sheltering in place and/or need evacuation should fill out a form on missing.fl.gov. We are working with FEMA for activation of Operation Blue Roof, which allows the Army Corps of Engineers to install temporary roofs on some homes."
There are three large shelters people can stay, and they also have eight points of distribution for food, water, and tarps.
Distribution locations include:
Old Bonita Springs Library
26876 Pine Ave.
Bonita Springs, FL 34135
Kelly Road Soccer Complex
10750 Kelly Road
Fort Myers, FL 33908
Cape Coral Sports Complex
1410 Sports Blvd.
Cape Coral, FL 33991
Cape Coral Leonard Street
4820 Leonard Street
Cape Coral, FL 33904
Estero High School Ballfield Park
9100 Williams Road
Estero, FL 33928
North Fort Myers Rec Center
2000 N. Recreation Park Way
North Fort Myers, FL 33903
Fleamasters Fleamarket
4135 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
Fort Myers, FL 33916
Veterans Park Rec Center
55 Homestead Road S.
Leigh Acres, FL 33938
The Governor also said he is bringing in satellite stations to help people get cell service.