Stronger than a hurricane!

By Ryan Keller

As Southwest Floridians, we’ve seen storms of all shapes and sizes roll through our skies and over our beautiful beaches. From Hurricane Ian to Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, we’ve had enough close-up experiences to keep hurricane preparedness top of mind as the 2025 hurricane season gets underway.

Residential communities and businesses that have endured multiple storms take great pride in being prepared. At Gulf Coast Village in Cape Coral, for example, the life plan community has weathered 36 years of Florida’s fiercest storms, yet not once has it been forced to evacuate residents. The same goes for The Preserve in Fort Myers; neither community has ever evacuated residents or had to worry about flooding.

Building strong, storm-ready senior communities is important because the safety of residents who call the communities “home” is a priority – in regular times and during weather emergencies. Leadership teams at Gulf Coast Village and The Preserve follow a proven hurricane preparedness plan, managing every detail with care, professionalism and compassion. That commitment to safety gives peace of mind to residents and their loved ones. They rest assured knowing there is a formal plan in place – the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP), which covers risk assessment, policies and procedures, communications, training and testing. Leadership reviews the CEMP annually to assess protocols, update strategies and needs, and stock up on emergency supplies like generator fuel, medications, food, water and other items required for post-storm operations.

Team members continue working as storms approach. Before and during Hurricane Milton, for example, residents at Gulf Coast Village heard daily overhead communication announcements and updates. Maintenance teams proactively shut down elevators to prevent damage if there was a power surge. Residents who rely on elevators or have difficulty on stairs were in their units before winds grew strong enough to knock out power. Resident checks continued throughout the afternoon and evening, as is standard protocol.

The home health team contacted all clients who did not currently live at The Preserve or Gulf Coast Village campuses, ensuring they had proper supplies and that their homes were secured. Staff kept a running list of who was sheltering in place and who was evacuating, and to where.

“I have lived here for Irma, Ian and Milton, and I sincerely believe that there is no safer place in Cape Coral to be than Gulf Coast Village,” said Margaret D., a resident of Gulf Coast Village. “During the hurricanes, the staff went above and beyond anyone’s expectations to take care of all of the residents. I can’t say enough about how well-protected we are!”

With the physical safety of residents under control, Gulf Coast Village and The Preserve strived to ease stress levels of residents during Milton by keeping their spirits high through engaging activities like morning exercise, “The Hits of Motown” and word games over a fresh cup of coffee. Afternoon activities included card games and a root beer float social, followed by a marathon game of bingo. For residents who do best with one-on-one engagement, an activities assistant conducted room visits with residents. Meanwhile, independent living residents kept themselves busy by playing Wii Bowling and enjoyed their weekly “Wednesday After Dinner Social” prior to Milton’s landfall. They enjoyed “Hurricane Happy Hour” on the day of the storm, which featured special cocktails. Pastor Cheryl Leftwich was celebrated with a birthday party as the storm approached.

Hearing testimonies directly from residents reassures leadership that proactive safety measures are doing their job – keeping residents safe and secure. Independent living resident Millie H. passionately shared, “My house flooded during Ian, and that’s why I moved to Gulf Coast Village! I felt very comfortable here during Milton – so much better than my previous experience.”

As the 2025 hurricane season fires up, we all hope Southwest Florida stays out of the forecast cone. If a storm comes our way, though, we’ll be ready – a plan is already in place.

About the author

Ryan Keller is the vice president of senior living operations for Volunteers of America National Services, the sponsoring organization of Gulf Coast Village and The Preserve. To learn more about Gulf Coast Village, call 239-510-8712 or visit GulfCoastVillage.org. To learn more about The Preserve, call 239-722-6167 or visit ThePreserveVOA.org.