Southwest FL is no stranger to hurricanes and the flooding produced by storm surge. In 2017, Hurricane Irma pummeled Everglades City School pushing 3’ water into school buildings and causing nearly $1 million in damages.
Collier County Public Schools worked with FEMA to renovate the campus and protect the school from future flooding. They designed a perimeter floodwall with 5 FloodBreak passive floodgates integrated into the system at critical entryways. The FloodBreak gates were selected based on proven performance in real world floods and the passive operation which protects the school 24/7 while remaining hidden during dry times to allow people and equipment to come and go.
In September 2022, Hurricane Ian, a powerful Category 4 storm, made landfall in Southwest Florida. The Everglades City School flood protection system was put to the test. The floodwall and FloodBreak flood barriers shielded the school from catastrophic flood damage and proved the importance of flood mitigation. Everglades City School joins the growing list of coastal communities who understand the value of proactive flood resiliency.
