Mayor of hard-hit Fort Myers says county acted 'appropriately' in evacuation orders

Kevin Anderson, the mayor of Fort Myers, Florida, which was criticized for not ordering evacuations until Tuesday morning ahead of Hurricane Ian, said on "Face the Nation" that "there is a certain degree of personal responsibility" in deciding to evacuate.

#news #hurricaneian #fortmyers

"Face the Nation" is America's premier Sunday morning public affairs program. The broadcast is one of the longest-running news programs in the history of television, having debuted November 7, 1954, on CBS. Every Sunday, "Face the Nation" moderator and CBS News senior foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan welcomes leaders, newsmakers, and experts to a lively round table discussion of current events and the latest news.

[jayh]

Excuses Excuses Lies Lies This mayor needs to be replaced

[SamSung-nftr]

If they don't admit mistakes no improvements will be made.

[floridacoder]

Here is what people need to consider. There are only so many shelters. There are only so many hotels. Only so much gas available at a given time. The roads can only handle so much traffic at once. When they issued evacuation order for Tampa Bay early on, many of us in the region booked hotels and were hitting the roads. The mayor is being criticized for not issuing evacuation orders earlier - but the information earlier didn't justify him doing that. The information earlier caused Tampa to evacuate when we really didn't need to - so we were taking up hotel rooms, filling up with gas, and creating traffic. The people who needed those hotel rooms were from Fort Myers, not Tampa.

My point is that I think we should have a two-step evacuation process. Step 1 - Prepare to evacuate. This is for people in a wider cone and you have several days notice. Step 2 - Actually evacuate. This is a more narrow cone, and with a day or two notice. With the goal or reducing the number of people flexing the infrastructure and needlessly evacuating.

There are no easy answers to this because hurricanes are difficult to predict.

[floridacoder]

You would be surprised how many people don't evacuate under orders. I was planning to evacuate Tampa prior to the path change, but half of my neighbors were staying put. I only decided to stay once Tampa looked safe - but I still had everything in the car ready to go at any moment. People make choices and although I think we can improve the current way we do evacuation orders, but we must live with the choices we make.

[jct]

There are always people who want to ride out the storm, regardless of the official's warning. I am surprised with Margaret's follow-up question, after the guy just said that the new houses stayed intact because of the tougher building code, she then asked if a tougher building code would be one of the changes he'd like to see. It seems she didn't pay attention to his answers. She just read through her questions. I am disappointed that she didn't ask the question for her viewers: how can we help? she simply said we wish you the best of luck. Now is not the time for words. They need our support.

[ramirobenavidez]

TIMES TO PUT ELECTIC PLUS 1 FOOT DOWN FROM THE CEILING AND NOT A FOOT UP FROM THE FLOORS.FOR INCASE 4 FEETS OR MORES FLOODS THE INSIDE OF HOMES.THE ELECTIC PLUS DON'T GO UNDER WATERS AND SHORT OUT QUICKLY FOR THE CODE.

[backufloyd]

Personal responsibility is also the key to rebuilding. Don't use my tax money or ask me for donations. Florida doesn't have a state income tax, so nonresidents pay for the rebuilding and that is total BS

[gabevachon]

Guess they won't be rebuilding Norma Jean's Cafe. Or Hideaway. Rock on, DDP.

[shirleysear]

Of course, it's NEVER their fault. Vote BLUE in November IF you can find a place that's not been ravaged by Ian.

[troymacdonald]

If I move to Florida today I would go to Tampa Florida cause Tampa Florida has a Democrat Mayor. 😎😎 💙💙💙💙💙

[Ibn_Abdulaziz]

Allah سبحانه وتعالى said,

وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ لِيُهْلِكَ الْقُرَىٰ بِظُلْمٍ وَأَهْلُهَا مُصْلِحُونَ
And your Lord would never destroy the towns wrongfully, while their people were right-doers. [Hud 11:117]

ذَ‌ٰلِكَ جَزَاؤُهُم بِأَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَقَالُوا أَإِذَا كُنَّا عِظَامًا وَرُفَاتًا أَإِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ خَلْقًا جَدِيدًا
That is their recompense, because they denied Our Ayat (Signs) and said: "When we are bones and fragments, shall we really be raised up as a new creation?" [Al-Israa' 17:98]

وَقَالُوا مَا هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا يُهْلِكُنَا إِلَّا الدَّهْرُ ۚ وَمَا لَهُم بِذَ‌ٰلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ
And they say: "There is nothing but our life of this world, we die and we live and nothing destroys us except time (Ad-Dahr)." And they have no knowledge of it: they only conjecture. [Al-Jaathiyah 45:24]

أَإِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا ۖ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ رَجْعٌ بَعِيدٌ
"When we are dead and have become dust (shall we be resurrected?) That is a far return."

قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا تَنقُصُ الْأَرْضُ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَعِندَنَا كِتَابٌ حَفِيظٌ
We know that which the earth takes of them (their dead bodies), and with Us is a Book preserved (i.e. the Book of Decrees). [Qaf 50:3-4]

وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَـٰنُ وَلَدًا
And they say: "The Most Gracious has begotten a son."

لَّقَدْ جِئْتُمْ شَيْئًا إِدًّا
Indeed you have brought forth (said) a terrible evil thing.

تَكَادُ السَّمَاوَاتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْهُ وَتَنشَقُّ الْأَرْضُ وَتَخِرُّ الْجِبَالُ هَدًّا
Whereby the heavens are almost torn, and the earth is split asunder, and the mountains fall in ruins,

أَن دَعَوْا لِلرَّحْمَـٰنِ وَلَدًا
That they ascribe a son (offspring) to the Most Gracious.

وَمَا يَنبَغِي لِلرَّحْمَـٰنِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا
But it is not suitable for (the Majesty of) the Most Gracious that He should beget a son (or offspring or children).

إِن كُلُّ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِلَّا آتِي الرَّحْمَـٰنِ عَبْدًا
There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Most Gracious as a servant.

لَّقَدْ أَحْصَاهُمْ وَعَدَّهُمْ عَدًّا
Verily He knows each one of them, and has counted them a full counting.

وَكُلُّهُمْ آتِيهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَرْدًا
And everyone of them will come to Him alone on the Day of Judgement (without any helper, or protector or defender). [Maryam 19:88-95]

وَإِن لَّمْ يَنتَهُوا عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall on the disbelievers among them. [Al-Maa'idah 5:73]

وَنُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلَّا طُغْيَانًا كَبِيرًا
And We warn and make them afraid but it only increases them in naught save great disbelief, oppression and disobedience to Allah. [Al-Israa' 17:60]

وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوا إِذْ جَاءَهُمُ الْهُدَىٰ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّهُمْ إِلَّا أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ سُنَّةُ الْأَوَّلِينَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ قُبُلًا
And nothing prevents mankind from believing when the guidance (the Qur'an) has come to them, and from asking Forgiveness of their Lord, except that the ways of the ancients be repeated with them, or the torment be brought to them face to face. [Al-Kahf 18:55]

فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَقَالُوا مَنْ أَشَدُّ مِنَّا قُوَّةً ۖ أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِي خَلَقَهُمْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً ۖ وَكَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَ
They were arrogant on the earth without right, and they said: "Who is mightier than us in strength?" See they not that Allah who created them was Mightier in Strength than them? And they used to deny Our Ayat (Signs)!

فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحًا صَرْصَرًا فِي أَيَّامٍ نَّحِسَاتٍ لِّنُذِيقَهُمْ عَذَابَ الْخِزْيِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَخْزَىٰ ۖ وَهُمْ لَا يُنصَرُونَ
So We sent upon them a furious wind in days of evil omen (for them) that We might give them a taste of disgracing torment in this present worldly life. But surely the torment of the Hereafter will be more disgracing, and they will never be helped. [Fussilat 41:15-16]

فَلَمَّا أَحَسُّوا بَأْسَنَا إِذَا هُم مِّنْهَا يَرْكُضُونَ
Then when they perceived (saw) Our Torment (coming), behold, they (tried to) flee from it.

لَا تَرْكُضُوا وَارْجِعُوا إِلَىٰ مَا أُتْرِفْتُمْ فِيهِ وَمَسَاكِنِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْأَلُونَ
Flee not, but return to that wherein you lived a luxurious life, and to your homes, in order that you may be questioned. [Al-Anbiyaa' 21:12-13]

وَمَا ظَلَمْنَاهُمْ وَلَـٰكِن ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ ۖ فَمَا أَغْنَتْ عَنْهُمْ آلِهَتُهُمُ الَّتِي يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ لَّمَّا جَاءَ أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَمَا زَادُوهُمْ غَيْرَ تَتْبِيبٍ
We wronged them not, but they wronged themselves. So their gods other than Allah whom they invoked, benefitted them naught when there came the Command of your Lord, nor did they add aught to them except destruction.

وَكَذَ‌ٰلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَىٰ وَهِيَ ظَالِمَةٌ ۚ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ
Such is the Seizure of your Lord when He seizes the (population of) the towns while they are doing wrong (i.e polytheism and disbelief in the Afterlife). Verily, His Seizure is painful, (and) severe. [Hud 11:101-102]

فَتِلْكَ بُيُوتُهُمْ خَاوِيَةً بِمَا ظَلَمُوا ۗ إِنَّ فِي ذَ‌ٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ
These are their houses in utter ruin, for they did wrong (polytheism). Verily, in this is indeed an Ayah (Sign) for people who know. [An-Naml 27:52]

وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاءَ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَاطِلًا ۚ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ۚ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنَ النَّارِ
And We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them with falsehood! That is the consideration of those who disbelieve! Then woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire! [Sad 38:27]

وَخَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ وَلِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
And Allah has created the heavens and the earth with truth, in order that each Nafs (self, soul, person) may be recompensed for that which it has earned, and they will not be wronged. [Al-Jaathiyah 45:22]

كَذَ‌ٰلِكَ الْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ
Such is the punishment (in this life), but verily, the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they but knew. [Al-Qalam 68:33]

[Dan]

So because some people don't heed the warnings to evacuate they wait 24 hours and endanger the whole city.
That sounds like incompetence and a violation of their oath to their office

[gabevachon]

Margaret attempt to pin something....anything....on DeSantis by asking about early warning timeline. The Gov is holding his own just fine, cupcake.