Supporting Hurricane Ian Recovery
October 20, 2022 - Lee County, Florida
Temporary shelters for displaced residents
It's been more than two weeks since Hurricane Ian slammed into Southwest Florida with winds up to 150mph causing massive destruction and loss of life. Officials are still trying to get in contact with hundreds of missing people. Search and recovery efforts have been underway ever since the storm, but the sheer level of destruction is making finding people much more difficult.
The state of Florida and FEMA have activated Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) with shelters for Hurricane Ian survivors across the counties hardest hit. PPMSiteServices First Responder Crews are at four of the shelters providing Case Management and support to the local residents that have suffered such tremendous loss.
Working with our Client, FL Department of Emergency Management, FEMA, Red Cross and various federal, state and county agencies, PPM Site Services crews are helping support the displaced residents who are seeking federal support programs, crisis counseling and assistance with temporary housing resources. PPM has screened and hired talented local workers, many of whom had their employment impacted by the storm.
PPM Site Services crews are supporting displaced residents
The State and local officials, with assistance from utility companies and contractors from around the nation have done an amazing job getting roads open, restoring power and clearing critical infrastructure. However, there are still major challenges with transportation, including taking three times longer than usual to travel from one county to another. Everyone is very cautious as recovery operations always focus on search and rescue.
PPM crews are working out of a base camp in Sarasota backed up by our Tampa office. Multiple projects are underway to perform clean-up work with clients and teaming partners. Teams are working day and night to strategize and plan on how to handle the clean-up and phases of critical rebuilding.
PPM teams were deployed the day after Ian left. Every day we hear personal stories from families and displaced residents. The mangled mess and devastation of boats, cars, homes and debris is unlike any mission that Southwest Florida has faced- and there is more work ahead in efforts to support shelter operations, clean-up, and recovery.
PPM has responded to every major hurricane in the last 20 plus years. Hurricane Ian is the most destructive hurricane in the US since Hurricane Katrina. Both hurricanes were utterly devastating. In our view, Ian’s catastrophic damage is far greater than what's being generally portrayed in the media, with uniquechallenges. More work and help will be needed!.
About PPM Site Services:
Since 2002, PPM Site Services has delivered environmental clean-up, disaster support and environmental staffing services across the nation. Our HAZMAT trained First Responders are uniquely experienced to handle all situations and conditions when responding to catastrophic events such as Hurricane Ian. Twenty years of response experience has spanned from natural disaster recovery to COVID-19 facility disinfection, Haz Mat and oil spill response, rail car and track decontamination to pipeline inspection, cleaning and infrastructure rehabilitation. Clients include state and government agencies, manufacturers and processors, oil & gas refiners, utilities, pipeline operators, rail roads and Fortune 500 companies.
