Broward sends help to rebuild Lee County Schools damaged by Hurricane Ian
MIAMI – It's still unclear when students in hurricane-ravaged Lee County will be able to return to school.
In fact, some don't even have a school to return to at this point.
But thanks to volunteers from Broward County Public Schools, work is underway to repair and rebuild.
"I appreciate you volunteering and stepping up to the plate and helping one of our sister districts," Broward Schools Superintendent Dr. Vickie Cartwright told the group of employees gathered before dawn Thursday at the BCPS Physical Plant Operations Division Offices.
This group made up of 20 electricians, plumbers, carpenters and others hit the road in 13 work vehicles, bound for Southwest Florida.
"This crew is going to work alongside their team members in Lee County in order to ensure the schools are ready and safe for students to come back in to the school community," Dr. Cartwright said.
Initial assessments indicated roughly half of the schools in Lee County, where Ian made landfall, were damaged.
At least three are so bad, students will need to be relocated as the district rebuilds.
"Schools are critically important to whatever communities they serve," Dr. Cartwright said. "Not only setting up them up for success but during a time like this, allowing parents and guardians to take care of some of the needs they have at their own sites."
Collier County, where Naples is located, reopened schools on Thursday.
This is the second group of BCPS employees to make the trip.
Over the weekend, Broward Schools custodians and cafeteria staff volunteered their time at shelters still packed with people whose homes are uninhabitable.
And it's not just manpower that's needed.
"Today we're sending a lot of diapers and emergency food boxes," said Feeding South Florida President and CEO Paco Velez.
In addition to meals, Velez said they sent over their generator to power the Harry Chapin Food Bank in Fort Myers.
"This one is a pretty major disaster so we anticipate staying around and helping out for 6 to 9 months, maybe longer," Velez added.