NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. — Life is a little cramped for Sheilagh Tuttle in North Fort Myers.
After Hurricane Ian slammed into Southwest Florida, Tuttle’s former home was flooded and filled with mold.
Tuttle, her husband and two dogs were forced to find a new place to live.
After months of living in hotels, they were finally able to move into a state-provided travel trailer in March.
“My furry kids have a roof over their head. My husband has a roof over his head. I do,” said Tuttle.
As Tuttle and her husband try to get back on their feet there’s a new challenge.
Thursday marks the first day of Hurricane season.
“I was a little worried, with Hurricane season beginning, that (the state) was going to shorten the amount of time we were allowed to stay,” said Tuttle. “But they’re not. So, I’m happy about that.”
She will be required to keep an eye on evacuations.
According to numbers obtained by Fox 4 Investigates, there are 585 households who were provided travel trailers from a state-run program.
FEMA provided another 466 to Florida families.
Both agencies require residents living in travel trailers to evacuate during peak hurricane season when directed by state or local government.
“This is to protect occupants and their properties, and to minimize harm to and within floodplains,” FEMA states on its website.
But Tuttle hopes it doesn’t come to that.
After months of uncertainty, she’s hoping to save enough money to buy a permanent home sometime this summer.
There’s one important caveat, Tuttle says wherever she buys it won’t be “near the water!”
