Lee County monitoring the weekend weather; links to report local flooding, ditches

Lee County Emergency Management is monitoring the tropics and is in communication with its state and federal partners at the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center. The activity in the tropics is a good reminder for residents to be prepared for the height of hurricane season, which is upon us. Stay informed:

• Sign up for AlertLee, which is an emergency notification system that allows registered users to receive telephone, text, and/or email. Download the LeePrepares app from Google Play or the App Store.
• Follow Lee County Government on social media.
• Bookmark www.leegov.com. If a storm is approaching, Lee County will continuously update the website with relevant information.

Have a plan:

• Refresh your memory on your Evacuation Zone and your Flood Zone. Review the All Hazards Guide.
• Double check your Family Emergency Plan and an Emergency Supply Kit.
  • Find tips at leegov.com/hurricane.
  • Your Family Emergency Plan should include where you would evacuate – like a family member’s or friend’s home or a community outside the area.
  • Your Family Emergency Plan should include a list of steps, such as securing loose items in your yard and ensuring your shutters are up. Review this list now and ensure you have what you need on hand as you continue to monitor the tropics.

Lee County Natural Resources and the Lee County Department of Transportation work year-round to be prepared for excessive rain events, particularly during the traditional hurricane season.

Watch roadways after rain

In the event of heavy rain, it will take the infrastructure time to drain. Please use caution and don’t drive through flooded roads. If the roadway is covered with water, take another route.

Lee County Emergency Management is coordinating with local fire departments to provide sand and sandbags for residents who request them. Residents should contact their local fire department for details. To find the fire department that serves their neighborhood, residents can enter their address in the Resident Information Lookup Tool at leegov.com.

The county asks the public to report blocked ditches, swales, canals and areas of local flooding: 

• First, to find out if your road is maintained by Lee County DOT, visit http://leegis.leegov.com/RoadLookup/ [leegis.leegov.com]. If it is not maintained by Lee County, find your municipal contact by visiting www.leegov.com/dcd/flood [leegov.com].
• Second, put in a Request for Action (RFA) to improve surface water drainage along your county-maintained road by contacting Request for Action Hotline at www.leegov.com/dot/requestforaction [leegov.com].
• People can use the same website to also report blocked creeks and streams (example: downed trees, collected debris). The reported information will be directed to Lee County Natural Resources.