President Joe Biden and Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswel spoke with Lee County Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass Thursday to discuss response to the hurricane and ways the administration can support the county in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.

The administration said it would assist in meeting immediate needs for search and rescue efforts, power restoration, helping to address challenges faced by local hospitals and problems presented by damage to roads and bridges, according to a statement from the White House.

-ABC News' Justin Gomez

The Sanibel Causeway, which connects Sanibel Island to mainland Florida, and the Matlacha Pass Bridge, which connects Pine Island to the mainland in Cape Coral, are not passable and will require structural rebuilds due to the storm, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday.

Officials have received reports of damages to other bridges. A team of 100 engineers is on site to do bridge inspections.

"I anticipate there will likely be other bridges that have suffered damage, but once bridges are inspected and determined to be safe, they will be reopened as soon as possible," DeSantis said.

Tampa International Airport announced it will resume commercial operations on Friday at 10 a.m. after shutting down due to Hurricane Ian.

Although an inspection of the airfield and facilities determined the airport did not sustain any serious damage during the storm, reopening Friday will give the airport and its partners, including the Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Security Administration and airlines, time to take necessary steps to resume business safely, the airport said in a statement.

This includes bringing back aircraft and staff that had been removed ahead of the storm.

The airport had suspended operations at 5 p.m. on Tuesday ahead of Ian's landfall.

-ABC News' Amanda Maile

U.S. Coast Guard air crews rescued seven people in four separate rescue missions Wednesday night, Petty Officer Ayla Hudson told ABC News.

The rescues occurred in the Fort Myers and Tampa areas, Hudson said. The Coast Guard's search and rescue missions are still ongoing.

-ABC News' Victoria Arancio

Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell warned Tuesday, "Floridians are going to experience the impacts from the storm for a very long time."

"Our biggest concern as we wait for this storm to make landfall is storm surge," Criswell said. "In 2018, when Hurricane Michael impacted the Florida Panhandle, there were five recorded fatalities as a result of storm surge. So therefore, if people are told to evacuate by their local officials, please listen to them. The decision you choose to make may mean the difference between life and death."

President Joe Biden on Tuesday urged residents to "evacuate when ordered."

Biden said he spoke to the mayors of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater Tuesday morning and told them to "contact me directly" for "whatever they need."

Criswell said a search and rescue coordination group has been activated, including members from FEMA's urban search and rescue teams, the Coast Guard, the Department of Defense and the Department of the Interior.

The Red Cross has established 29 shelters and is prepared to open 60 more shelters if needed, she said.

Criswell stressed, "To those who may be watching at home, get ready and do not underestimate the potential that the storm can bring."