North Captiva's civic association is requesting help from FEMA to get the barrier island back to what it was after rebuilding from Ian.
Four days after Helene, North Captiva is dealing with so much devastation. Air conditioning units are submerged in water, and standing septic water fills the streets, with nowhere for the water to go. Plus, it smells.
"We're ready to get some power, that's for sure," said North Captiva resident Michael Melvin. "We're ready to take a clean shower. You forget how much you love power."
The only way you can get to the barrier island is by boat or private plane. Most residents drive golf carts, which are flooded.
Bill Saunder, Upper Captiva Fire Lieutenant, said their building got 30 inches of water, which he said they were not expecting. Water filled their trucks, too, making most of them unusable.
"It was very tough for the guy to manage to get out to try and help the residents," Saunder said.
"At this point, I think it's really imperative for our local, state and federal governments to help Upper Captiva to bring in a replacement engine, at the very least," said Duncan Rosen, chairman of the Upper Captiva Board of Fire Commissioners. "If someone has an issue, Upper Captiva is going to have a hard time responding."
The Lee County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit stepped in, bringing in buggies for those cleaning up the island and tents, coolers and waters for residents.
Even with the help, there's still a lot of work to be done.
Melvin said it's overwhelming, and they are just taking it one day at a time.