(2 Oct 2022) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ++QUALITY AS INCOMING++ ASSOCIATED PRESS Pine Island, Florida - 1 October 2022 HEADLINE: Pine Island residents recount horror during Ian 1. Medics walking down road 2. Helicopter in flight 3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sean McCaffrey, Pine Island resident: "We were very much concerned about the storm. you know, I should have left. I shouldn't have stayed. if I had to do it again, I wouldn't have stayed, for sure." ++WHITE FLASH++ 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Joe Conforti, Pine Island resident: "When the storm started, it was pretty rough. the winds picked up.  But the problem really was when the water started to come over and the Gulf met the canals and the water was at least eight to 10 feet high for sure. And there was four foot waves in the streets and the water just kept pounding the house, and we watched boats, houses, we watched everything just go flying by. We've lost so much at this point, we appreciate you guys being here" ++WHITE FLASH++ 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Clare St-Leger, Pine Island resident: "We had nine people in the house. Yeah, a family. The parents were non-English-speaking. Twin girls, eight years old and their teenage brother and two, three neighbors, and three cats. For most of the time, we were all kind of doing our own thing, just listening to the winds, which were horrible for hours." 6. Various of medics with caged animals ANNOTATION: Paramedics and volunteers went door to door on devastated Pine Island, evacuating residents who rode out flooded homes and howling winds. STORYLINE: 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. "The 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. "We've lost so much at this point." Some residents shed tears as Medic Corps volunteers knocked on 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 "I 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. =========================================================== Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: [email protected] Subscribe for more Breaking News: http://smarturl.it/AssociatedPress Website: https://apnews.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP Facebook: https://facebook.com/APNews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ ​ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/f6b815f3e8be417bb6524a062e4b0023