Tim Perry, our neighbor,  photographed at the site of his Trop. home last week.   He came back but found little to salvage.

Mold under a chair and all over our home. The water had risen inside to 4 feet, and everything was strewn about including the refrigerator and my car in the car port.   The interior of our little house is consumed by mold. “A total disaster” said the inspector. Almost nothing to salvage.   Mold is a health threat.  Mold examiner photo. 10/17/22.

San Carlos Island at Ft. Myers is covered with debris from fishing boats and condos. The water is toxic and contains life threatening bacteria. A man in Naples died of that exposure.    AP photo. 10/17/22.

By Paul Goldfinger, Editor. Blogfinger.net. Reporting from Ocean Grove.  10/18/22

Our 1000 ft2 manufactured home is part of a community of 470 units in Ft. Myers, and that place, Tropicana Sands,  has been devastated  as has much of the surrounding area including Ft. Myers Beach which, according to a resident, “looks like an atom bomb exploded.”

Most of the Tropicana homeowners were not present when the horrid hurricane hit.  The damage and the deaths were mostly related to flooding, and most residents did not have flood insurance. Some died while trying to place tarps over their roofs.  Cause of deaths was mostly drowning.

There will be insurance issues as the companies will pay for wind but not for flooding.

In Florida, hurricanes are expected, but not like this monster.  Residents like us have to make a decision:  rebuild or walk away. In an article in The Nation on Oct 11, the writer questioned the decision to rebuild in that and other areas where the essential infrastructure of sand, swamplands, water, and  mangrove forests  do not lend to safe  human construction and life styles.

We will probably choose to walk away, and we are not optimistic about the insurance coverage since we did not have flood insurance. Only a small percent of homes had flood insurance.

But the good news is that we were in Ocean Grove on September 28.  And the rescue effort in Florida after the 9/28 disaster was impressive and restores one’s faith in others.

Our neighbor Joanie, a senior who lived alone year round across the street,  was trapped  for over 24 hours until 2 Lee County Sherrif’s deputies rescued her.

They took her to a “beautiful” apartment nearby and others helped her get dry and clothed.  They took her shopping for food and other necessities. FEMA gave her rescue money, and she has already gotten some  money from her insurance, with more to come.  She is now back in Wisconsin where family is helping her find a new home based on need.

Thank you all for your concern.  We can learn from what happened in southwest Florida, and the lessons and stories  will keep rolling out.

Meanwhile they are expecting a tidal wave of dead fish to hit the shores, and contractors are fearful of safety issues. Flesh-eating bacteria lurk in stagnant waters.

Eileen and I set up a blog to offer some information.  The park’s main communication comes from their Facebook page, but we are filling in the blanks and, as you might expect, I offer my opinions, like it or not.    TropicanaForum.com. (later discontinued after it outlived its usefulness.)