City of Cape Coral, FL

10/11/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/11/2024 10:42

10/11 Cape Coral Milton Recovery Update: Power Outages, Water Station, and Generator Safety

The local State of Emergency ends at 7 PM this evening. This does not preclude the city from continuing with our recovery efforts, communication, or resources for the community. The City of Cape Coral's Emergency Operations Center remains activated.

Here's what you need to know today:

City Hall Closures:

  • City Offices remained closed today and through the weekend, including Monday for the Columbus Day holiday.
  • City Hall is anticipated to reopen Tuesday, October 15, with normal business hours.

Power Outages:

  • Cape Coral residents' electric provider is LCEC, as such the City has no authority over LCEC operations. If residents have any concerns regarding electric service please contact LCEC at 800-599-2356.

Local Business Resources:

  • Local businesses can submit real-time post-disaster status reports using the Business Emergency Coordination Center (BECC), created in partnership by the City of Cape Coral and the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral to help businesses and the community.
  • Please visit the Business Resource section of the gov/Miltonwebpage.

Water Station:

  • Water stations/Aquapods will open today at noon at Jim Jeffers Park to supply drinking water to residents. Residents must bring their own containers.
  • Beginning tomorrow (October 12), the water distribution will take place from 7 AM to 7 PM daily until further notice.

Waste Collection:

  • Waste Pro will resume household trash pickup on Monday, October 14.
  • However, there will be no collection of recycling, bulk waste, or horticulture next week. Only regular garbage will be collected.

Debris Removal:

  • Curbside pickup of hurricane-related horticulture debris will begin the week of October 21.
  • Residential drop-off sites for debris are expected to open early next week. We will provide further details on dates and locations soon.

Parks and Recreation:

  • All parks and recreation facilities are still closed while staff continue to assess damage.

Road Safety:

  • Approximately 80% of traffic lights are back up and operational. Continue to limit travel to essential trips while we work to get infrastructure back up and running.
  • If lights are not powered, treat them as four-way stops.
  • Some traffic lights are coming back online. While they function, it takes time to get the light cycles to match traffic patterns. Please be patient and continue to obey traffic signals.

Generator Safety:

  • We've had four structure fires since the hurricane due to generator safety issues
  • Keep generators 20 feet from structure
  • Make sure generator is off AND cool before fueling/refueling (at least 20 minutes)
  • Use heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cords or plug appliances directly into generator
  • Do not run generator in enclosed spaces, including the home or garage
  • Do not operate in wet conditions

Free Carbon Monoxide Detectors:

  • Do not operate a generator without a working carbon monoxide detector inside your home.
  • Beginning at 3 PM October 11, each fire station in Cape Coral has a limited number of free carbon monoxide detectors. If you need one stop by your nearest Cape Coral fire station.

For ongoing updates, continue monitoring trusted local news outlets, the City's social media channels, including our facebook page City of Cape Coral Government and our designated Hurricane Milton webpage at CapeCoral.gov/milton.

We're in this together, Cape Coral. Stay safe, and thank you for your resilience and cooperation.