City of Sanibel, businesses prepare for possible tropical storm conditions

Crews spent the day on Sanibel preparing for the possibility of impacts from Tropical Storm Isaias.

The city said getting ready for the storm involves being proactive, not reactive, and they’re ready to go.

Billy’s Bike Shop is also getting ready and safety is the number one priority.

“We’re going to go around the outside of the building, remove anything, flower pots, small decoration items that we have outside, take down the banner, bring in our sign. and then just anchor down anything large like the bike racks and bring in all the bicycles,” said manager Clare Harris.

She isn’t sure what the tropical storm will do to Southwest Florida, if anything at all, but she said it’s better to be safe than sorry.

“Just keeping the employees safe, making sure that we’re all communicating as to whether they need to come on the island.”

The city is also taking action by removing the shaded structures at playgrounds and topping off their fuel storage.

“We go through exercising, making sure all of the generators are topped off. We reduce the weirs of all the water issues from 2.5 feet to 2.3 so it allows more opportunity for rain and obviously whatever rainfall comes,” said Mayor Kevin Ruane.

If they need to shut down the island, you won’t need a hurricane pass this year; all you’ll need is a driver’s license to get back on.

Harris said the only thing they can do now is keep a close eye on the storm.

“It’s been an interesting year so we’ll always prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” she said.

Billy’s Bike Shop will make the call Friday on whether to board up its windows and if employees don’t do it on Friday and it becomes necessary over the weekend, Harris said it will be all hands on deck Saturday.