When Hurricane Ian swept across Southwest Florida on Sept. 28, 2022 it brought with it devastation this region hadn’t seen for a very long time. Hurricane Irma in 2017 was severe, and in 2004 and 2005 we experienced a string of storms: Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne, and Wilma — Hurricane Charley being by far the most damaging.
But even Charley didn’t compare to what Hurricane Ian left in its wake. It was a devastating Category 4 storm and Southwest Florida took a direct hit, with record storm surges up to 18 ft, catastrophic flooding, and immense damage exceeding $100 billion dollars.
WGCU’s Documentary unit produced a film earlier this year called Rising: Surviving the Surge. It’s a gripping exploration of Hurricane Ian’s impact and what followed as survivors worked to rise from the wreckage. It includes dramatic storm footage, powerful stories of resilience, and insights from scientists, first responders, and community leaders. "Rising" is meant to be a wake-up call to the new reality of storm surge.
On Nov. 13 we screened the film at Florida Gulf Coast University’s Water School and brought together a panel of experts from the university who had different areas of expertise to get their take on the film and have a conversation about what Ian showed us, and whether we could learn any lessons and even put them into action going forward to make Southwest Florida more resilient in the face of major hurricanes.
Panelists:
Dr. Jeannine Richards, Assistant Professor of Ecology & Environmental Studies at FGCU
Dr. Johane Dikgang, Associate Professor of Environmental Economics at FGCU
Dr. Shelton Weeks, Lucas Professor of Real Estate and Economics & Finance at FGCU
Dr. Tom Felke, Professor of Social Works and Executive Director of the Shady Rest Institute on Positive Aging at FGCU
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