“It seems like there was a lot of oversight,” St. Leger helped man the logistics and public information channels the Russells had set up, and what he learned through his efforts shocked him. Supplies are being coordinated by other agencies such as FEMA.' 'We don't need your help'ĭillon St.

'Access through Matlacha was prohibited due to the collapsed roadway,' wrote Public Affairs Captain Anita Iriarte. Emotionally, this has taken a toll on us.”Īfter the original publication of this article, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a request for comment about residents and volunteers reporting being turned away from the island.

“Not when they were there for us in the first days when the county had its head up its a**. “They can’t possibly have a good reason for that,” said Jennifer. They say that the local and federal agencies that have shown up on Pine Island to help have ignored requests from islanders to check on neighbors, responded rudely when asked for help, and worst of all, prevented volunteers from running supplies out to the island. Or all three.Īs the days wore on, response from the local government became increasingly frustrating to the Russells, Pine Island residents, and volunteers working with them. They formed one channel on walkie-talkie-esque app Zello to communicate with the public and organize logistics, and worked with local volunteers to set up drop points, pick up supplies and check on residents who were alone, elderly, or potentially trapped. Seven days later, they say, they still haven’t really slept.

When Hurricane Ian slammed into Pine Island at 155 mph Tuesday, the 'Things to do in Pine Island' Facebook page creators and administrators Jennifer and Kevin Russell knew they were going to be up all night making sure their friends and neighbors had a way to communicate and search out information. This story has been updated with comment from Lee County Sheriff's Office.

Im dead inside the office