Captiva Island Fire Control District continues to mitigate hazards and assess storm damage and critical infrastructure on the island. Please report any emergency issues by calling 9-1-1, do not call the Fire District directly as our phones are down from the storm. 

Here are a few updates the Fire Chief can share with the public:

Captiva Island Information

• Blind Pass Bridge is now open!  Lee County Department of Transportation has performed the necessary repairs to allow vehicles to cross safely. Residents will need to provide proper identification to access Captiva Island. Sanibel Captiva Road, in the area of Blind Pass Bridge, has sustained damage to the roadway and will be restricted to one lane of travel until the City of Sanibel Island with the assistance of Lee County Department of Transportation can complete the repairs.
• Captiva Drive is now open to residential traffic! Lee County Department of Transportation has performed the necessary repairs to allow vehicles to cross safely. Residents will need to provide proper identification to access Captiva Island. Residents should use caution along Captiva Drive, in the area of Captiva Shores and Jensen's on the Gulf,  as this section of road has sustained major damage. Captiva Drive, in the area of Wiles Drive, has also sustained damage and repair efforts will continue by Lee County Department of Transportation. This section of road will be restricted to one lane of travel. 
• South Seas Island Resort roadways are currently not accessible to fire department apparatus except for the Beach Rescue UTV.  If residents plan to check on their property, please use caution as access to emergency services may be limited.
• Crews continue to perform search and rescue efforts while also working to mitigate many hazards and clear roadways on the island.
• Crews have been working diligently to removal excess sand along Captiva Drive, personnel should be able to complete this today.
• Power is currently off to all of Captiva Island. The power will remain off until crews can access the island, assess damage to equipment, and make any necessary repairs. Please review LCEC's update for more details.
• Island Water Association has restored some water service to the island. The water is very limited, but fire personnel are able to use it for emergency fire services.
• Storm surge on Captiva Island is comparable to what was seen during Hurricane Ian. The Fire Station took on about 2 feet of water in the apparatus bay as did many homes on the island.
• Significant beach erosion has occurred throughout Captiva Island and unfortunately took a portion of the Mucky Duck.
• Please be patient as you try to access the island as fire crews are still mitigation many hazards including multiple large fuel leaks. Be advised, if there is a leak within an unsafe distance to a running generator, it may have to be turned off temporarily until the hazard can be mitigated.
• If residents choose to access Captiva Island via boat, be sure you are only using docks that you have permission to use and ensure the docks have been deemed safe to use.
• Lee County Emergency Medical Services are unable to access the island with an ambulance. Transport services to the hospital will be limited until roads can be repaired and cleared of major debris.
• Lithium-Ion electric vehicles on the island have become a major concern for the Fire District.  Most EVs, if not all vehicles that have been checked, were submerged in salt water and pose a significant fire risk.  Please utilize our website and submit an Electric Vehicle Reporting Form so that firefighters can check to see if your EV has been submerged. We will begin put out more information on our website related to EV fires.  Our recommendation is that you make arrangements to have your EV vehicles removed and inspected or serviced as soon as possible.
  • Residents that own a Lithium-Ion electric vehicles including cars, golf carts, etc. are encouraged to complete an information form on the website. This will allow fire personnel to approach the location with caution and also react accordingly if there is a fire. Please complete the form here.

Lee County Information

• Lee County Government and Fire Rescue Department partners to help people to check on family and friends after Hurricane Milton post-landfall. Lee County Government and local Fire Rescue Departments have partnered to provide welfare checks to help out-of-area people check in on family and friends in Lee County after Hurricane Milton passes. The partnership was announced tonight just after the storm made landfall north of Lee County. People need only to email WelfareStormChecks@leegov.com with the following information about the people they wish to check on:
  • Name
  • Adress
  • Phone number
  • The email requesting welfare checks will be directed to the local Fire Rescue Departments for follow-up. The number of requests may be significant, so residents are asked to be patient. To watch a video about the welfare check program, go to Lee County Government’s YouTube channel. The video is available in two languages. To watch in English, visit https://youtu.be/d95-3nZMaTY. To watch in Spanish, go to https://youtu.be/DArRBy57eVc.
• Lee County Schools are now closed and will remain closed through Friday. 
• Residential garbage collection will resume on Monday, October 14. Recycling and yard waste collection are suspended until further notice due to the expected high volume of household garbage. Reinstatement of recycling and yard waste collection TBD.
•  Any unincorporated Lee County Residents or Businesses within the Special Flood Hazard Area with any damage to their homes or businesses, including water intrusion, must obtain a permit for all repairs.