FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:    John Wilson, David Saniter or Booch DeMarchi, Lee County Emergency Management
                (941) 477-3600

FORT MYERS, Fla. (September 13, 2001) – The Lee County Emergency Operations Center held a 2 p.m. conference call today with local fire districts, cities and emergency operations agencies to discuss Tropical Storm Gabrielle. Below is a summary of the conference call:

• Local conference calls will continue to be held daily at 2 p.m. to discuss the threat of, and response to, the storm.

• The weather service indicates a track for landfill north of Tampa in the Cedar Key area. However, the county’s weather consultant indicates there could be a more southerly track for landfall near Tampa. If this happens, our area could get significantly more rainfall and higher tides.

• Heaviest rainfall is expected between noon Friday and noon Saturday. Depending on the track of the storm rainfall could be anywhere from 3-to-6 inches with isolated areas getting up to 5-to-10 inches. Depending on the track, high tides could run 1-to-3 feet above normal.

• The fire departments are being asked to continue to monitor potential flooding – especially in regards to emergency access – in their areas and report conditions to the EOC.

• The fire departments reported isolated flooding in the following areas today: Bayshore (Popash Creek and Seminole Campground), South Trail (Briafcliff Road), San Carlos (Gator Road/Alico Road/U.S. 41 area), Alva (Tuckahoe Road).

• The EOC will continue to monitor the situation.

• Lee County remains under a flood watch.

• At Tuesday’s Board of County Commissioners meeting, the Board gave Chairman Doug St. Cerny the power to declare a State of Local Emergency if or when conditions warrant it.

Another update will be released Friday morning unless conditions change.