Cape Coral braces for potential gas shortage

CAPE CORAL, Fla.– The city of Cape Coral is bracing for a gas shortage as many people begin to panic buy gasoline.

This stems from fear of a fuel shortage in some parts of the country which could increase the demand in Southwest Florida communities as well.

The Colonial Gas Pipeline was hacked and shut down. Additionally, there is a shortage of certified tanker drivers in the country which could cause a delay in gas being transported.

The city of Cape Coral is preparing for the worst and filling up its tankers to store emergency fuel.

“It’s a big operation and fuel is at the center of all the things we do,” said Fire Chief Ryan Lamb.

Hundreds of city owned vehicles consume tens of thousands of gallons of gas each month.

“A shortage in other areas could lead to more of a demand in the area,” said Chief Lamb.

The city plans to cut back on its fuel use in addition to keeping storage tanks full. This way, in the event of a shortage, emergency vehicles would remain on the road.

“We’d like to be able to operate a week or two on reserve fuels,” Lamb said.

Cape Coral alone uses 61,000 gallons of gasoline that’s the equivalent to more than four swimming pools filled with gas monthly.

The post Cape Coral braces for potential gas shortage appeared first on NBC2 News.

NBC2 Fort Myers