A couple of retirees, quebec is awaiting the passage of Irma in Florida

SCREEN CAPTURE / TVA NEWS / QMI AGENCY

QMI agency

Sunday, 10 September 2017, 06:41

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Sunday, 10 September 2017, 06:41

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FORT MYERS, Florida – A retired couple left Gatineau in the week to get on the west coast of Florida in order to protect their residence in Fort Myers. They are preparing, on Sunday morning, to brave the hurricane Irma.

“We followed things to Gatineau, when it was known that the trajectory of Irma went to the west side, we did not hesitate, we took the road to protect the house,” said Diane Forget the antenna of LCN Sunday morning.

Arrived Thursday in Fort Myers with her husband, the couple has taken the time to protect their residence, and wait now the passage of the hurricane.

Early Sunday morning, Diane Forget detailed the calm that prevailed on the outside: “The winds are stronger than yesterday evening, but it still winds normal. It hardly ever rains, it is very humid and the air is particular.”

While Irma had to pass on the east coast, its path is still deviated and the hurricane should pass about Fort Myers: “This is the first time that we are going to experience a hurricane. With the house where it is, it feels still safe. It is a property built in 2006 with the building standards for hurricanes and storms. All the windows are completely covered. It has water and food provision for more than one week, and when the electricity is going to drop, we’re generating”.

“The unknown makes us anxious. That night we woke up several times, not because of the noise, but because we paid attention to everything that is going on outside,” says the retiree.

The couple don’t regret having come and having made the decision to stay instead of going back to Quebec: “The roads are very busy, they were afraid to be caught outside on the roads. You know people who have the road Thursday and it has not circulated almost not. We chose to stay here you feel still safe.”

A Quebec feared for his home in Fort Myers

For his part, Denis Boivin observed, powerless, the arrival of Irma in Florida. He confided his fears to see his residence, located in Fort Myers, devastated by the hurricane.

“I’m in Quebec, but there are my home and friends there with whom we are in constant communication,” he explained.

“We fear for friends, fear of losing our homes. I’ve talked to Americans who live on site, they tell me that they have never seen it in their lives. It is so big that it is scary”.

For him, the people of Fort Myers were not quite prepared for the arrival of Irma: “The majority did not believe that it was going to hit the industry. They have started to panic yesterday [Saturday].”

His house, located at the edge of a river in Fort Myers, may not hold. “It is a mobile home like many in the west. We do the hide not, if there are winds of 250 km/h, you can forget it. If the houses are not destroyed by the winds, they will be taken up by the waters.”

“I’m worried, this is really not funny, I’m glad not to be there. What are the savings of a life, it is our retirement,” added the Quebec.

Even if he believes it will be impossible to rebuild or resettle on the spot, Denis Boivin wants to go to Fort Myers after the hurricane to find his friends, to see the extent of the damage and help. “As 90 % of Canadians here, I am insured for theft and vandalism, but not for the hurricanes. I have a friend who called her insurance on Friday and they have bluntly answered “we will have too many claims, we are going to declare bankruptcy.”