Lee County urges residents to stay home, avoid driving as Hurricane Helene’s inclement weather continues
County will resume normal operations Friday
Lee County Emergency Management urges residents to stay off roads and stay home if possible as Hurricane Helene’s inclement weather continues to impact Southwest Florida this afternoon and evening.
• If you must drive, avoid standing water, use caution at all intersections in case traffic signals are not functioning, and monitor local law enforcement social media for road information.
Lee County Government has announced it will re-open Friday after a one-day closure due to Hurricane Helene.
• Go to LeeGov.com/departments for specific office or operational information, as some may have slight adjustments in the wake of the storm.
Lee County Solid Waste’s haulers will resume collection of trash, yard waste and recycling Friday.
• Regular household collections are delayed by one day for the remainder of the week. Today’s collections will be picked up Friday, and Friday’s collections will be picked up Saturday. Collections will resume as normal on Monday, Sept. 30.
• All Lee County disposal facilities will be open regular hours on Friday and extended hours on Saturday.
The Department of Community Development asks that any unincorporated Lee County Residents with water intrusion in their homes, or those residing in the Special Flood Hazard Area with wind damage, send an email to FIRMinfo@leegov.com for assistance with permit requirements and resources.
• Residents also can visit LeeGov.com for information.
The Lee County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains activated, and county staff and partners continue to work closely with state and federal partners, including the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center.
• To view the county’s Hurricane Helene update from noon today, go to YouTube.
The EOC is fully staffed today at a Level 2, with nearly all seats filled in Plans and Operations. Public Safety partners, including fire and law enforcement, are coordinating on any response issues that arise due to the strong winds. The Department of Transportation (DOT), Natural Resources and Utilities are pre-positioning crews to respond to impacts once the storm passes.
The EOC is working with FPL and LCEC to monitor power issues across the community.
• Residents who use generators should place generators at least 20 feet from doors and windows and should keep the exhaust pointed away from homes.
Members of the community should continue to take action to stay informed:
• Monitor reputable local media outlets, the National Weather Service-Tampa, and the National Hurricane Center.
• Follow Lee County Government and Lee County Public Safety on social media, including Facebook, YouTube, X and LinkedIn.
• Sign up for AlertLee and download the LeePrepares app from Google Play or the App Store.
• Visit LeeGov.com/Storm.
To receive updates from Lee County Government, sign up for the newsletter HERE. Follow Lee County Government on Facebook.
Source: Lee County Government