A new system for receiving hurricane passes this season as well as a new policy for hurricane re-entry has been developed by the Town of Fort Myers Beach, the town’s communications director Jennifer Dexter announced recently. The plan was developed by the town with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Fort Myers Beach Fire District.

The new plan specifies that access back onto the island after a future hurricane will be closed for “at least 48 hours after the storm ends” depending on the severity of the hurricane, Dexter said.

Under the plan, the time for island re-entry “could possibly be longer. Even those with hurricane re-entry passes will not have access until the various agencies involved have worked through the above benchmarks. Information will be posted on various social media sites and shared with local media,” Dexter said.

The plan was formulated by Fort Myers Beach Manager Andy Hyatt, Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers and representatives from the Fort Myers Beach Fire District and officials with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office West District staff.

“We worked together with the town’s leadership team and representatives from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office West District and the Fort Myers Beach Fire District to streamline this process,” Hyatt said. “Most everyone in the discussions had operational experience from Ian and were eager to make this process simple and viable.”

Efforts by the town to restrict re-entry onto the island after Hurricane Ian, in plans developed along with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Lee County Government and Fort Myers Beach Fire District in the days after the hurricane were widely criticized and became a campaign issue in last year’s town council elections in which two new councilmembers were elected.

“It is unfortunate that so many were unhappy with not being allowed to return to the island in what most believed to be a timely manner after Hurricane Ian,” Hyatt said. “As a result, we are working to ensure that those who have a vested interest in Fort Myers Beach are allowed to return as soon as the FMB Fire Department officials and Lee County Sheriff Department officials deem it safe enough for those affected to return.”

Under the new policy, anyone who lives in town, owns property in the Town of Fort Myers Beach, or owns or manages a business in the Town of Fort Myers Beach is eligible to receive two hurricane re-entry passes. Everyone who is eligible must secure new passes. Prior year passes will not be honored, the town announced.

Town of Fort Myers Beach Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt said, “I would like to see some additional clarity to the policy surrounding hurricane re-entry. There is understandable cynicism from the public regarding the underutilization of re-entry passes after Ian. We need to be very clear as to when and how people will be allowed back on the island after a hurricane. This should be a public discussion that involves all the stakeholders. This is a conversation that needs to occur prior to the next storm–not afterwards.”

Allers couldn’t be immediately reached for comment.

To receive passes, visit the temporary Town Hall complex at 2545 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. One form of identification that confirms status as a resident, property owner, or business owner needs to be produced before a pass can be issued. Identification can include driver’s license (if it shows a beach address), utility bill, deed, rental agreement or mortgage statement, or tax records.

If you are out of Town, the Town of Fort Myers Beach requests that you email hurricane@fmbgov.com with pictures or files of the document that shows eligibility. Include the address that the Town should use to mail passes

Benchmarks for opening access to the island after a storm, as specified under plan provided by Dexter, include:

• The island must be safe and secure for residents to return. Several emergency management agencies determine this.

• Activation of emergency operations must be complete. This involves the town, fire department, Sheriff’s Office, and other local, county, state and federal agencies.

• Assess and mitigate findings throughout the entire island from the ground

• Assess and mitigate findings over the entire island from the air

• Search and rescue and/or recovery

• Secure hazards such as electricity, gas leaks, road washouts, water lines, unstable structures threatening public right of ways, and bridges

• Debris assessment and management

• Clearing and fixing roads, determining threats to traffic patterns

• Set up and determine how best to manage perimeter control