Keeping an eye on Captiva Drive during a storm
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With a name like Beach, you might not be surprised Mr. Beach Edwards has a long history with a certain beachfront road. Video by fox4now.com
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CAPTIVA, Fla. - With a name like Beach, you might not be surprised Mr. Beach Edwards has a long history with a certain beachfront road.
"Even back in the 70s when i saw it wash away, only half the road disappeared," said Edwards.
And no one here wants to see that again, which is why the Captiva Fire Department is checking on it as long as Issac lets them.
"If the winds allow us to leave the station, if they're under 40 knots, an individual from the station will come out to see how high the water is getting," said Lt. Bart Lally, with the Captiva Fire Department.
The county stacked up up big rocks to shore up the road just two months ago. That's when Tropical Storm Debbie threatened to take it out.
"Debbie was kind of a learning experience for us," added Lt. Lally. "It showed us where one of the weaknesses was."
And if the rocks don't hold, the fire department has a plan in case the road does wash out, leaving people on the tip of the island stranded.
"We're stationing that engine company at Tween Water in case this road does become impassable," said Lt. Lally. "That way we're still able to respond to the south end of the island and we're not boxed in."
But with Isaac looming, everything could change.
"If we lose the ability to get through this area right here, everyone loses their ability to get off from the north end of the island," said Lt. Lally.
The Tweens Water staging area will be open throughout the night and into tomorrow. But if winds exceed 45 miles per hour, the operation will be temporarily shut down.
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