A multi-purpose arena in Southwest Florida is being used as a shelter for hurricane victims

ESTERO, Fla. – Hertz Arena in Estero is a 7,181 seat arena used for sports activities and leisure. Right now, greater than 500 individuals name it house.

Denise Griffin misplaced all the things in Hurricane Ian. She mentioned she tried getting off Fort Myers Beach, however public transportation stopped.

“I don’t have a car, I always rode a bike up and down the island,” Griffin mentioned.

She was left to attend out the storm in a lodge on the seaside the place she lived. “Doors were blowing in the wind. I was so scared,” Griffin mentioned. “I’ve never been so scared in my life. I just prayed ‘don’t let the building fall’.”

After the storm, a good friend rescued her. “He said, I’m so glad I found you.”

Denise now sleeps on the Hertz Arena in Estero. More than 500 Hurricane Ian survivors live there and nurses are treating lots of the individuals who have been harm.

“We see a lot of wound care, a lot of skin tears,” nurse Vanessa Dieujust mentioned.

Much like Hurricane Katrina in 2005 when survivors took refuge in Louisiana’s Superdome, survivors of Ian are staying at Hertz Arena — for now.

“They don’t want to stay here forever,” Jay Lawrence with the American Red Cross mentioned. “They want to get back to their homes or their new home.”

After Katrina, FEMA cellular properties turned transitional housing for displaced individuals. When requested what’s subsequent for Ian’s survivors, Lawrence mentioned, “As weeks go by, we will work with them individually to make sure they have case workers so they have a plan.”

FEMA introduced Friday that survivors who’ve utilized for catastrophe help could also be eligible for shelter in a lodge paid for by FEMA. FEMA mentioned near 4,000 individuals have been rescued by state and federal groups.

More than $90 million in catastrophe aid has gone to Hurricane Ian survivors to date. Ian will price the federal authorities billions.

Despite the arena closing in on their capability of 600, the Red Cross mentioned nobody shall be turned away, and they’re going to discover locations for individuals who have nowhere to go.