FloodBreak Protects Everglades City School with Passive Automatic Flood Gates

Client

Collier County Public Schools

Location

Everglades City, FL

Installation Date

2019

Product

FloodBreak Floodgates

Saves from FLooding

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In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Collier County Public Schools installed a perimeter flood wall and 5 FloodBreak passive flood barriers to prevent flood devastation from future storm events. Five years later, the school was protected from Hurricane Ian.

Background

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.

Solution

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.  

  • Automatic Activation: The gates will deploy automatically without human intervention or power. 
  • 24/7 Protection: Always ready, whether during school hours, weekends, or holidays. 
  • Low Maintenance: Durable construction minimizes upkeep compared to traditional sandbags or other active measures.
  • Cost Savings: Minimizes long-term operating costs by eliminating readiness training, audits and deployment labor.
  • Community Resilience: Keeps essential education facilities operational in the aftermath of severe storms. 

 

 

Results

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. 

See all of our work in action.