Helen Koch, a dog breeder, is evacuated with some of her 17 dogs on a helicopter for mediccorps.org, who arrived with two helicopters, paramedics and volunteers, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Pine Island, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. The only bridge to the island is heavily damaged so it can only be reached by boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
PINE ISLAND, Fla. (AP) - Paramedics and volunteers with a group that rescues people after natural disasters went door to door Saturday on Florida's devastated Pine Island, offering to evacuate residents who spoke of the terror of riding out Hurricane Ian in flooded homes and howling winds.
The largest barrier island off Florida's Gulf Coast, Pine Island has been largely cut off from the outside world. Ian heavily damaged the only bridge to the island, leaving it only reachable by boat or air. For many, the volunteers from the non-profit Medic Corps were the first people they have seen from outside the island in days.
Residents described the horror of being trapped in their homes as water kept rising. Joe Conforti became emotional as he recounted what happened, saying the water rose at least 8 to 10 feet (2.4-3 meters), and there were 4-foot (1.2-meter) waves in the streets.
'œThe water just kept pounding the house and we watched, boats, houses - we watched everything just go flying by,' he said, as he fought back tears. 'œWe've lost so much at this point.'
Conforti said if it wasn't for his wife, Dawn Conforti, he wouldn't have made it. He said: 'œI started to lose sensibility, because when the water's at your door and it's splashing on the door and you're seeing how fast it's moving, there's no way you're going to survive that.'
He said his wife had them get on top of a table to keep from getting swept away by the water. The next day, he said, they brought food to an older gentleman who lived on the next block, and they made sure to get him off the island on the first available boat.
'œHe lost everything,' Joe Conforti said of the man. 'œHe said that if we didn't bring him the food, he was going to take his life that night because it was so bad.'
Some residents shed tears as Medic Corps volunteers came to their doors and asked if they wanted to be evacuated on Saturday. Some declined the offer for now and asked for another day to pack their belongings. But others were anxious to get away immediately.
Helen Koch blew her husband a kiss and mouthed the words 'œI love you' as she sat inside the Medic Corps helicopter that lifted her and seven of the couple's 17 dogs to safety from the decimated island. The dogs were in cages, strapped to the outside of the helicopter as it took off.
Her husband, Paul Koch, stayed behind with the other dogs, and planned to leave the isolated island on a second trip. He told The Associated Press that days earlier, he didn't think they would make it, as the major hurricane raged and the house began taking on water.
Pine Island has long been known for its quiet, small-town atmosphere and mangrove trees. It's a popular destination for fishing, kayaking and canoeing. Now, bleak scenes of destruction are everywhere in this shattered paradise.
Houses have been reduced to splinters and boats have been tossed onto roadways. The island has no power, and no running water '“ save for a few hours on Friday when one resident said they were able to take a shower. A community of mobile homes was destroyed.
The Medic Corps volunteers went to one house to search for a woman who was known to have stayed behind during the storm and has had no contact with her friends since. Inside the woman's house, heavy furniture had been toppled over and her belongings were tossed about. There was no sign of the woman, raising fears she had been sucked out of her home by the storm surge.
Linda Hanshaw said the tight-knit island community is amazing and 'œeveryone I know who hasn't left is trying to leave.'
But that wasn't true for everyone. Kathleen Russell was trying to persuade her elderly husband to leave, but he didn't want to budge just yet. The couple kept declining offers to evacuate. The couple said they were not ready, but might be willing to leave on Sunday.
Claire St. Leger said she had nine people in her house, including neighbors, as the storm came in.
'œI thought for sure we were all dying,' she said. 'œI just sat in an inside room with pillows, I crossed myself so many times, I thought for sure we were dying. Water kept rising.'
Medic Corps is a nonprofit group of pilots, paramedics, doctors, a former Navy SEAL and other volunteers that responds to natural disasters and gets people to safety. According to the organization's website, it began in 2013 in response to Super Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines and in 2017 it began deploying aircraft and responders to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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Forliti reported from Minneapolis.
CORRECTS FIRST NAME TO PAUL, INSTEAD OF TOM - Members of mediccorps.org, who arrived with two helicopters, paramedics and volunteers, help evacuate Paul Koch and some of his dogs, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Pine Island, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. The only bridge to the island is heavily damaged so it can only be reached by boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
The bridge leading from Fort Myers to Pine Island, Fla., is heavily damaged in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Due to the damage, the island can only be reached by boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
The bridge leading from Fort Myers to Pine Island, Fla., is seen heavily damaged in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Pine Island, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Due to the damage, the island can only be reached by boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
CORRECTS FIRST NAME TO BRIA, INSTEAD OF MARIA - Members of mediccorps.org help evacuate Bria Acerbo in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Pine Island, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. The group arrived on the island with two helicopters, paramedics and volunteers, as the only bridge to the island is heavily damaged so the only access is by boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
Helen Koch, a dog breeder, blows a kiss to her husband as she is evacuated with some of her 17 dogs on a helicopter for mediccorps.org, who arrived with two helicopters, paramedics and volunteers, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Pine Island, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. The only bridge to the island is heavily damaged so it can only be reached by boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
Jean Rose helps her father, Ed Leaffer, evacuate in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Pine Island, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. The only bridge to the island is heavily damaged so it can only be reached by boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
Members of mediccorps.org, which arrived on Pine Island, Fla., with two helicopters, paramedics and volunteers, searches for residents who want to evacuate in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. The only bridge to the island is heavily damaged so it can only be reached by boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
Alia Kerr, a member of mediccorps.org, which arrived on Pine Island, Fla., with two helicopters, paramedics and volunteers, searches for residents who want to evacuate in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. The only bridge to the island is heavily damaged so it can only be reached by boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
The bridge leading from Fort Myers to Pine Island, Fla., is seen heavily damaged in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Pine Island, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Due to the damage, the island can only be reached by boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
Kathleen Russell, who did not evacuate and survived with her husband as Hurricane Ian bore down on Florida, sits inside her home that was heavily damaged by flooding on Pine Island, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. The only bridge to the island is heavily damaged so it can only be reached by boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
Amanda Webster, a resident of Pine Island who evacuated and since returned to retrieve belongings, sits and waits for a boat to take her off the island, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Pine Island, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. The only bridge to the island is heavily damaged so it can only be reached by boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
Members of mediccorps.org search a home in Pine Island, Fla., whose resident was known to have stayed behind when Hurricane Ian bore down on Florida but has not been heard from since, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Paramedics and volunteers with mediccorps.org arrived on the island with two helicopters as the only bridge to get there was heavily damaged so access is limited to boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
Members of mediccorps.org search a home in Pine Island, Fla., whose resident was known to have stayed behind when Hurricane Ian bore down on Florida but has not been heard from since, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Paramedics and volunteers with mediccorps.org arrived on the island with two helicopters as the only bridge to get there was heavily damaged so access is limited to boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
Members of mediccorps.org search a home in Pine Island, Fla., whose resident was known to have stayed behind when Hurricane Ian bore down on Florida but has not been heard from since, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Paramedics and volunteers with mediccorps.org arrived on the island with two helicopters as the only bridge to get there was heavily damaged so access is limited to boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
Kathleen Russell, who did not evacuate and survived with her husband as Hurricane Ian bore down on Florida, walks outside her home that was heavily damaged by flooding on Pine Island, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. The only bridge to the island is heavily damaged so it can only be reached by boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
CORRECTS FIRST NAME TO PAUL, INSTEAD OF TOM - Dogs are strapped onto an external cargo platform of a helicopter as owner Paul Koch is evacuated by helicopter by members of mediccorps.org, who arrived with two helicopters, paramedics and volunteers, help evacuate residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Pine Island, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. The only bridge to the island is heavily damaged so it can only be reached by boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
The bridge leading from Fort Myers to Pine Island, Fla., is seen heavily damaged in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Pine Island, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Due to the damage, the island can only be reached by boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press
Members of mediccorps.org, who arrived with two helicopters, paramedics and volunteers, help evacuate residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Pine Island, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. The only bridge to the island is heavily damaged so it can only be reached by boat or air. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Associated Press