CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. – Local 10 News spent the day with the Florida Army National Guard Monday as its soldiers delivered help to Hurricane Ian victims in the hard-hit Port Charlotte area.
The Rotonda area, west of Port Charlotte, was particularly affected by the storm.
22-year-old Tiana Drossel, a soldier for five years, was one of 5,000 Army National Guard members helping in southwest Florida.
A Rotonda resident named Carrol, who lives with her cat, Jasper, said she was grateful for the help.
She had no power and was running low on supplies.
“This is wonderful, because, well, we got water back on but we can’t drink it,” she said.
The cleanup process was far from over, and the sight of the National Guard was a relief for those stuck without power.
The water and MRE’s the soldiers handed out came from a nearby distribution site where people can come to pick up water, ice and food.
“(The victims are) basically saying their life has been uprooted (by) the storm,” Lt. Jeffrey Tyson said.
Officials with the National Guard said it’s fully stocked up on supplies and its soldiers were also in southwest Florida to safeguard property and assist first responders.