Official Contact Information for Rep. Rommel
Office of Representative Bob Rommel
3299 Tamiami Trail East Suite 304
Naples, FL 34112-5746
(239) 417-6200
OFFICIAL PAGE CLICK HERE
FLOODING
Residents with flood insurance from FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program can start their claim at FloodSmart.gov.
POWER
FP&L has reported to us that all of their transmission towers survived -- that is critical, it means the backbone of the system is intact. They also say they have restored power to about half their customers statewide as of this morning.
FP&L reconnaissance crews are walking neighborhoods to assess the damage. They are using these assessments to make sure they get the right crews and equipment to match the damage at each location.
Lee County (excluding Pine Island and Sanibel / Captiva Islands) - is estimated to be 95 percent restored by end of the day Saturday, October 8.
Collier County (excluding Marco Island) - is estimated to be 95 percent restored by end of the day Saturday, October 8.
Marco Island is currently 40 percent restored with specific areas still being assessed for restoration alternatives. It is estimated to be 95 percent restored by end of the day Tuesday, October 4.
Much more info on recovery support will be forthcoming.
TRASH AND RECYCLING HAVE RESUMED
HURRICANE DEBRIS PICK-UP HAS STARTED
DO NOT MIX HURRICANE DEBRIS WITH HOUSEHOLD GARBAGE
The Collier County Landfill, the Immokalee Transfer Station, and the Recycling Drop-off Centers are open. Remember that Recycling Drop-off Centers accept household chemicals, batteries, and more, however, regular household trash is not accepted there.
Household Waste
Put your garbage and recycling carts curbside on your regularly scheduled collection day. Keep your carts at least three feet from hurricane debris. Only contents in carts will be collected – no loose bags. Waste Management will not pick up the hurricane debris; it will be a separate contractor.
Hurricane debris pickup will begin on October 5
Please be patient with this collection; it will take some time to collect and all areas will have more than one pick-up, as needed. (Remember - it took 4 months after Irma, and 5 months after Wilma. Please set realistic expectations for this aspect of the recovery mission.) We will get you more info on this as things evolve.
As you do your cleanup, create separate piles per the graphic below. Do not mix your piles, and space them carefully, at least three feet apart, taking care they do not block the road, driveways, sidewalks, mailboxes, fire hydrants, etc. They will pick up the debris with a big mechanized claw truck -- they need some room in between.
MEDICAL
Our hospitals are receiving significant numbers of patients from Lee Health due to heavy first-floor damage at their facilities. Our Emergency Management’s mass medical ambulance bus is now on-station in Lee County as a stationary treatment site. Collier EMS is managing a normal call load with no calls pending. We have now successfully made both automated and personal phone calls to everyone in our Special Needs Registry to check on their health and welfare. That effort was very successful.
TRANSIT
Collier Area Transit (CAT) resumes regular service today. Fares are suspended until further notice.
PRICE GOUGING & FRAUD
It's disgusting, but a disaster creates a perfect situation for terrible people to prey on desperate people.
During a storm-related declared state of emergency, state law prohibits excessive increases in the price of essential commodities, such as food, water, hotel rooms, ice, gasoline, lumber, equipment, and storm-related services needed as a direct result of the event.
If you suspect price gauging, report it to the state hotline at (866) 9NO-SCAM (866-966-7226).
Regarding fraud, please stay diligent when reading emails with links and/or those asking for personal information. For example, county employees are already getting emails asking the HR department to change direct deposit banking information for staff to fraudulent bank accounts, under the guise of staff changing banks. Please be careful!
DRIVING
While it is only natural to be curious about Ian's damage in your neighborhood and surrounding areas, it is still best to keep off the roads as much as possible. If you need to go out in search of supplies or to check on friends and family, please be extra careful!
Our Emergency Ops people and the Sheriff's Office have asked me to remind you: When the traffic light is out, the intersections function as 4-way stops. Everyone stops and then takes their turn.
MISC.
We received a partial order of an original bulk fuel order from the State last night, 6,000 gallons unleaded and 6,000 diesel. We have a standing order for 35,000 gallons of unleaded and 42,000 gallons of diesel.
A mobile, public fueling station opened on 10/04/22 in Lee County at the Stars Complex to provide fuel for vehicles and gas cans for generators to impacted residents.
Area Agency on Aging service providers in Charlotte and Lee counties have resumed delivering meals to home-delivery clients. These are shelf stable meals to ensure those without power can store them. Providers are also delivering hygiene products that were donated by organizations in Central Florida.
98% of cut and toss operations are complete in Lee County.
FDLE is establishing an additional base camp in Lee County providing housing, food, showers and laundry services are available for U.S. Coast Guard members deployed in post hurricane response.
All of the County’s public safety radio networks and towers are operational. There is one emergency repair at our high tower site in North Naples, a tower crew is enroute to make a substantial re-alignment in our microwave receiver antenna due to extremely high winds.
Verizon is aggressively monitoring and adjusting resources for cellular coverage. A number of sites are on generator power and some Cell on Wheels (COW) units were deployed earlier this week.
Bottled water and shelf-stable meals are being supplied from the state's Department of Emergency Management.
COUNTY OFFICES
County offices have been re-opened since Monday. If you have other questions, call the County Hotline at 311 from anywhere in Collier County (239-252-8444 from outside Collier).
Please be safe everyone and remember we will get through this!
Representative Bob Rommel
District 106 soon to be District 81