Will keep the mail service from completing their appointed rounds. That ends at the doorstep of a big, bad Hurricane named Ian, as Fort Myers Beach residents found out. David Walton is from Corporate Communications out of Orlando at the U.S. Postal Service. We asked him your questions. Here’s what he had to say…
BTR: Will the post office establish a location on Fort Myers Beach? Â Â
Walton: The Postal Service already has a location established on Fort Myers Beach. Operations are currently temporarily suspended, due to damage from Hurricane Ian. We are working hard to resume operations as soon as possible.
BTR: We understand you were leasing the building on the beach. Do you know if that building will be rebuilt and the post office will be back there?
Walton: We are working with the landlord toward resuming operations as soon as possible. Some questions can be directed to the property owner.
BTR: When will you restart service to homes?
Walton: The Postal Service delivers mail where we can safely do so. Due to debris, road conditions and other factors, the Postal Service has been unable to re-establish street deliveries in Fort Myers Beach at this time. In the interim, we are strongly encouraging customers to file a Change of Address (COA) request. COA requests may be filed at www.usps.com, the Postal Service’s website that is available to customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
BTR: If you do not have a start date, will you establish a location closer to the beach for residents to pick up their mail. Jetport Loop is quite far for them to drive.
Walton: At this time, the Postal Service continues to provide mail pickup service at the Fort Myers Processing & Distribution Center, 14080 Jetport Loop, Fort Myers, FL 33913. There are currently no plans to establish an alternate location at this time.
BTR: People are being told to go to Jetport Loop then being told they have no mail. What’s happening to their mail?
Walton: We apologize to any customer who may have been inconvenienced in this way. The Postal Service is utilizing all its resources to ensure customers can retrieve mail and packages; however, due to the volume of mail, we are advising customers that they must pick up items on a regular basis (preferably weekly at a minimum). One alternative is to file a Change of Address, as mentioned above, to allow their mail and packages to be sent to an alternate location, thus eliminating the need to travel to the Fort Myers facility.
BTR: With so many people on the beach dealing with insurance companies and other issues that they need the mail for to get their lives back together where does Fort Myers Beach fit on the priority scale?
Walton: The United States Postal Service is part of the fabric of this nation. After any natural disaster, our top priority is quickly reconnecting customers with their mail, including in Fort Myers Beach. We know how much our customers depend on their mail and the Postal Service is glad we were able to provide service in some areas in a matter of days, following Hurricane Ian. Unfortunately, swift restoration of service was not feasible in some areas, such as Fort Myers Beach, where the Post Office was badly damaged, vehicles were completely destroyed and neighborhoods left in shambles. We continue to focus on full resumption of all operations as soon as possible and we appreciate our customers’ patience.
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