It’s been more than a week since Hurricane Irma hit the state. Florida Power & Light is still working to restore electricity to people’s homes.
In a neighborhood off of Summerlin Road in Fort Myers, there are downed trees. Generator motors are on. The neighborhood has been without power since Irma impacted Southwest Florida.
Christine Santana said she prayed for power all day Monday. She's been stuck in her home with a newborn and a four-year-old.
"It's been a living hell," said Santana. "It's hard enough trying to keep them busy with the heat and the baby being uncomfortable."
Santana said she used the last $600 in her bank account to buy a generator and she's spent almost $40 a day on gas to refill it.
It seemed her prayers were answered Tuesday, as utility trucks drove down her street to replace a transformer after a tree damaged it.
Linemen were in a backyard among downed palm trees, surrounded by a broken fence. One worker was on a utility pole, using a saw to cut lines and restringing the wires that run through the backyards on Santana's block.
FPL President and CEO Eric Silagy was watching the utility workers as he spoke to reporters. He said most of FPL's customers have power. Now, he said, it's just house-to-house combat.
"These men and women are working in some pretty harsh conditions, including dog bites and bee stings," said Silagy. "And we're going to keep them safe, but we're going to get your power on."
Silagy said there are about 27,000 people working across the state--triple FPL's workforce. Some are working 16 hour days to get people electricity again.
The FPL CEO said most customers should have power back by the end of this week, but it may be a little longer for people in flooded areas.
