From Hurricane Michael lessons being applied to Ian recovery
With an even stronger hurricane the state’s Panhandle had its own encounter, four years before Category 4 Ian wiped out parts of southwest Florida, Michael. The Category 5 storm all but destroyed one town, fractured thousands of homes and businesses and in damage did some $25 billion. As south Florida residents wonder what their area will look like in a few years the two areas are collaborating on a way forward, at several times with damage from Ian estimated that and the Fort Myers area beginning a clean-up that will be even larger than after Michael. This week at the request of Gov. Ron DeSantis to help officials plan a way forward Mayor Greg Brudnicki and other leaders from a rebuilt Panama City travelled to the southwestern coast. To remove mountains of debris is job No. 1 keeping crews and trucks in the area because of that all other progress hinges, Brudnicki said, and that can mean obtaining loans as a bridge until federal reimbursement money shows up. “Until you get it cle...