Bonita Springs hears hurricane-season preparedness briefing from city and county partners

Tony Backers, the city’s director of neighborhood services and emergency management, told the Bonita Springs City Council on June 17 that the city’s emergency management plan now centers on mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery and that staff maintain year-round readiness.

“Our emergency management plan is now well over a thousand pages,” Backers said, summarizing training, interagency exercises and the incident command structure the city uses. He told council the city scored 53 out of a possible 60 on the state’s disaster readiness assessment (FROC), a rating that can increase access to up-front public-assistance funding in a serious event.

The score and federal‑state procedures matter for reimbursements, Backers said: the state’s assessment and a post‑event questionnaire together can allow communities to receive a substantial portion of funding early in a large event. “If we do everything possible, we have the ability to get 73% of funding up front on a serious incident,” Backers said.

Why it matters: Backers and county partners stressed that forecasts can change and household action still determines outcomes. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s early seasonal outlook projects 8–14 named storms, 3–6 hurricanes and 1–3 major hurricanes; staff emphasized El Niño conditions reduce odds but do not eliminate risk.

Lee County Emergency Management, represented at the meeting by John Schultz (speaking for Director Abis), urged families to build emergency kits, know their evacuation zone, and be ready to act on evacuation orders. “Prepare early, stay informed, and be ready to act if needed,” Schultz said.

Public‑safety and utility partners summarized operational readiness. Deputy Chief Andrew Schmidt of the Bonita Springs Fire District said the district has updated encrypted radio systems, refined staging locations and expects delivery next month of a new high‑water vehicle capable of carrying 13 people. Commander Mark Berna of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office outlined coordination of shelters and the precinct’s pre‑, during‑ and post‑storm asset positioning.

Don Woodruff, director of operations for Bonita Springs Utilities, described hardening steps on the west side of the system, elevation of key generator and pump‑station control panels, and told council the utility manages approximately 360 lift stations across the district.

Council members asked how state and insurance metrics interact. Staff clarified the FROC score is a state reimbursement measure; the Community Rating System (CRS) for the National Flood Insurance Program is a separate process that also recognizes public outreach and preparedness work.

Next steps: City staff will continue interagency coordination, complete remaining due‑diligence activities tied to federal/state programs, and return with any required updates or recommended investments. The presentation was part of the city’s annual storm‑season outreach and counts toward required NFIP/CRS public‑outreach activities.