'You're Your Own First Responder': Fort Myers Man Survives Hurricane Ian On Dinghy

Fort Myers Beach resident Robert Long details what it was like riding out Hurricane Ian on a dinghy. #hurricaneian #foxweather #weather

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[N.C.S.Network]

Sometimes it's good to talk to people after a situation like that there 1st responder to make u feel better hearts go out to u and you Family for to get back on your feet

[janetharned]

Robert is a very incredible man and incredible how he survived!! God bless him every day. Truly an amazing, resourceful, very brave man. A true survivor!!! Bravo, Robert!!!

[amandanegrete]

I’ve been an emergency disaster relief responder since 2015.

I was called to deploy to PR one day prior to Ian hitting Lee County.

My Dad had serious surgery and I can’t leave him alone for 10 days.

ANYONE needing help, elderly or disabled community members…hit me up.

I’ll saw the hell out of any downed trees and clear debris.

Please let me know if ANYONE is in need of a hand.

All I ask is that you buy me a Gatorade lol.

[frey]

"One man had to make split-second decisions".... Because he didn't make the correct decision ahead of time. He seemed surprised about the storm surge and thought the eye was the main problem. It was almost like, he didn't watch any coverage of Ian before it hit. He compared it to Charley and that's why it took him by surprise. Amazing.
I was born and raised here. I've seen the destruction these things can cause. Smart people learn from other people's mistakes instead of looking how they fared with a hurricane that actually made landfall 30 miles away. Ian was different from the other storms, but we were still given plenty of information for days. I'm glad he lived and learned, but I know there will be people like him, who will do the same thing he did when they get hit by a hurricane.

[ladybug]

Well everyone thought it was going to Tampa! I'm glad the man is alive to talk about it.

[bywaterbeatsproduction]

I was telling some lady to evacuate ahead of the storm and she acted as if it was no big deal. I haven't heard a thing from her since a day bf the storm hit. 😒

[Celtic_Amy]

Barrier islands are already low lying areas and would be flood prone. Then you get 150 MPH winds and 15 foot storm surge and it was deadly. Glad he made it through the storm, but these areas were sup[posed to evacuate. There's always a first for everything and it seems this hurricane was the worst this area had seen. Even if in 10-20 years an event of this magnitude hasn't occurred doesn't mean it won't be deadly.

[davidmotyka]

In a hurricane people need to leave until it’s over.

[hizzlemobizzle]

Why didn't you leave? Well ah thought I was special and staying on the beach during a monster storm seems like the right thing ta do.

[lynetteray]

Everyone I have spoken with in Florida (this is my first year here) have told me: Ian was the worst Hurricane they've ever seen. (So understand hurricanes from now on will be equal or more in intensity. It's called 'global warming' and we are all victims of it from now on.)

[squidtrader]

A lot of the deaths could have been avoided if people had evacuated other than those who did not have family or vehicle to evacuate or were disabled.