Hurricane Irma

[UMBS Go Blue]

Also, some folks might be semi-prepared with a modest amount of supplies at any given time, but when the prospect of a disaster hits, perhaps lots of people might go into major OMG hoarding mode as if it's going to be Noah's Ark.

I mean, I live in earthquake country in California and I have 3-4 spare jugs of water, some canned food, a dozen or two batteries that I cycle through, as well as a modest emergency kit, but you never know if that's ever going to be enough if something big happens.

 

[PRlady]

After 9-11 I kept, in the hatchback of my little car, a couple of gallons of water, sneakers and socks and jeans in case I was wearing high heels, a portable litter tray and a few cans of cat food and a few cans of human food as well. I guess I figured if the dirty bomb fell on DC I could grab Oscar and go. You decide if it was paranoid and delusional or well-prepared.

 

[tony]

Most people in Miami Beach are young and I feel like what I saw today shows that they think this is going to be a fun experience. Maybe not fun, but there's just such a casualness everywhere. Everyone still was going about their days (going to the beach even) like nothing's happening. It could also be mixed with the fact that plenty of people who booked way before me had their flights flat-out canceled and now they are essentially stuck. Many people in the high rise I live in are not leaving.

Anyways, I got to Fort Lauderdale very early and they were able to get me on a flight that started boarding as soon as I got through security. Going to Charlotte now with a small layover but I'll be home at the same time as originally scheduled. What a 24 hours.

If anything, this tests my patience level if I ever end up on The Amazing Race

 

[Debbie S]

Last weekend, when the models were suggesting Irma would make landfall in the Chesapeake Bay region, I suggested to my parents that we should get canned goods and manual can openers, plus new batteries for flashlights/lanterns. My father laughed it off, saying that they've been in their condo building for 11 years and have never lost power. We are on the 6th and 8th floors of our respective buildings, so I suppose we are safe from floods, but the winds... And I remember when Irene was coming (when I lived in a house), I shopped for basics but we really didn't know specifics until a couple days before, so no one really talked about preparedness. Luckily, I didn't lose power then, and the one time I did lose power was the derecho storm in June of 2012, when there was no warning. Luckily, I could escape the 100-degree temps at my parents' for 3 days until my power was restored.

I'm not sure I would evacuate if flooding were the only issue (i.e. storm surge but not a direct hit). If it were a direct hit, I'd primarily be concerned with wind damage.

 

[TOADS]

You don't want to be in a high rise if the winds exceed 100 mph. One window breaks and it is possible that the others will blow out right after. Now you are in a wind tunnel with all the contents of your room being sucked out. Now you run the risk of bodily injury from flying debris.

I would be very leery of remaining in any building over 3 or 4 stories if hurricane force are possible.

 

[Susan1]

Honestly I wonder how anyone living in Florida can be unprepared. It's a constant danger, so why are so many people scrambling at the last minute?

1. It's like the people in Ohio and other states who run out and buy shovels as soon as it starts to snow. They couldn't have all moved here from warm states since last winter. Did they throw away their shovels in the spring? It's not like they wear out. Maybe................some of them break? But it would be easier to replace one before November and the stores are empty.

2. When we are going to have a possible tornado (not just a watch, but something in the area already), I put my important papers, medication/toothpaste,etc., change of clothes and shoes in a bag under the bathroom counter. If the power MIGHT go out, I keep a flashlight with me. And I know where my emergency light and batteries are. If I had to leave with any warning, I'd grab all of those things and my photo albums. I got myself and my dog settled in the hall closet (blankets, pillows) when I had my broken leg and still had to use a walker during a tornado sirem!! (former girl scout!)

3. Every time I see people evacuate and all drive to shelters inland, north, etc., I wonder where they park their cars. ??

4. Stay safe everybody.

 

[Jenny]

Last night AMC (in Canada at least, not sure if in US as well but it's an American station) ran the movie Twister. I was a tad surprised - it's not a hurricane story but nonetheless a bunch of tornado chasers running around getting excited the more dangerous it got with virtually no reference to the loss of lives, homes and businesses seemed rather insensitive given that large part of the US is living through two major disasters right now.

 

[algonquin]

A neighbour had to cut short his family vacation to Florida. Of course, that is not as much of a hardship compared to those living in the area, but he posted on Facebook that Irma is his new four letter word.

 

[PRlady]

FWIW American Airlines just announced 12 more flights out of Miami: https://twitter.com/airlineflyer/status/905874268772331521

 

[olympic]

Good luck to Tony Wheeler and olympic. I'm amazed you're both so calm.

My niece and her husband saw the photos of Barbuda and Guadeloupe and decided that maybe they should evacuate after all. But.....



Her husband's employer is demanding that everyone stay and work today. She's packed the car and finished preparing the house so they can leave as soon as he is free, but I am afraid that traffic might be their undoing at this point.

It is my personality but when I'm surrounded by people freaking out, I tend to be the calm, rational one.

Just watched the news and Miami could get 2' of rain and a 10' storm surge. I keep telling myself that I am on the 4th floor and my car is on the 2nd. I have every window covered with strong metal shutters.

For me, one thing I panic from is the sound of the wind as it presses against the building. You can hear the walls expand and contract from the extreme pressure gradient associated with a hurricane.

 

[TOADS]

It is my personality but when I'm surrounded by people freaking out, I tend to be the calm, rational one.

Just watched the news and Miami could get 2' of rain and a 10' storm surge. I keep telling myself that I am on the 4th floor and my car is on the 2nd. I have every window covered with strong metal shutters.

For me, one thing I panic from is the sound of the wind as it presses against the building. You can hear the walls expand and contract from the extreme pressure gradient associated with a hurricane.

Sounds like you are well prepared. What is the construction of your building?

 

[BittyBug]

Everyone still was going about their days (going to the beach even)...

For a little levity, I first read this as, "Everyone still was going about their gays....." South Beach and all.

We are on the 6th and 8th floors of our respective buildings, so I suppose we are safe from floods, but the winds...

My MIL has a winter apartment in Hollywood and we were discussing how it might fare. She has hurricane windows and metal shutters, but unless all her neighbors also do and the roof holds, any opening elsewhere could still lead to water damage in her unit. It's one of the perils of being in a condo - you are at the mercy of the precautions of those above you.

 

[olympic]

Sounds like you are well prepared. What is the construction of your building?

Concrete, bunker like building. Floor to ceiling windows. Most of our neighbors have hi-impact windows or shutters

 

[TOADS]

You are fine!

There will be a lot of strange noises, especially shilling at the higher wind speeds.

Otherwise, relax.

Also the worst of it will be during daylight which makes it a lot less scary than the middle of the night.

 

[Jimena]

We were so lucky in PR. The northeast coast and the island of Culebra were hit pretty hard. But nowhere near the destruction in Barbuda and St. Martin. Those poor people.

We have no power and water quality is going to be an issue, as it usually is after a hurricane. And I just spent over 3 hours searching for bags of ice with no luck. Oh well. So I lose my food. Small price to pay for being mostly spared.

Good luck to all the Floridians. I have cousins in Orlando, a sister in Wellington and quite a few friends in Miami. They are all freaking out.

 

[TOADS]

Just looked at the point forecast for WDW. SustIned winds could hit 90 mph with gusts to 110 mph Sunday night.

Mickey better pull in his ears.

 

[susan6]

We were so lucky in PR. The northeast coast and the island of Culebra were hit pretty hard. But nowhere near the destruction in Barbuda and St. Martin. Those poor people.

It's great to hear Puerto Rico was spared the worst of it. A friend of mine has family in the Dominican Republic; the track looks like it's staying north of their island so hopefully they'll be OK too.

The track through FL keeps jumping around. One prediction has it hovering offshore, the next hour's prediction has it going up the center of the state....we probably won't know until Irma actually makes the hard right turn.

 

[quartz]

Thank you for checking in @Jimena. I have been hoping you were spared the brunt of it.

 

[tony]

Over two hours on the runway now. People are really starting to lose their patience because they are all losing their connecting flights and being told the next option is early AM after this particular flight was already delayed 3 hours (I got the last ticket at the last minute when I got to FLL). The reason we were given for the delay is that private planes get priority to take off and there needs to be a 400 mile distance between each plane that goes up.

I have a friend in Miami that has also been sitting on the runway for over an hour.

I can tell now that the urgency is starting to hit Miami Beach because from my social media, many people who planned to stay are now either at airports or figuring out a plan of action.

 

[tony]

We now have a maintenance issue with an engine (from it idling for so long or something) so no joke we were just told that we have to return to the gate and have the engine inspected. And get out of the line. It's just hilarious at this point but these people are about to riot.

 

[icie]

Honestly I wonder how anyone living in Florida can be unprepared. It's a constant danger, so why are so many people scrambling at the last minute? Shouldn't everyone have the basic supplies they need to board up and secure their homes, emergency supplies like batteries and flashlights etc, and especially during hurricane season, keep a supply of water, extra gas, food etc on hand?

If you are low income and are barely living paycheck to paycheck, these items are costly.

 

[skategal]

1. It's like the people in Ohio and other states who run out and buy shovels as soon as it starts to snow. They couldn't have all moved here from warm states since last winter. Did they throw away their shovels in the spring? It's not like they wear out. Maybe................some of them break?

Shovels break. We seem to break one every year. We are good at keeping them on hand.

Not so good about snow brushes and scrapers for the car windows.

That's what gloves are for, right?

Stay safe everyone....

 

[TOADS]

Over two hours on the runway now. People are really starting to lose their patience because they are all losing their connecting flights and being told the next option is early AM after this particular flight was already delayed 3 hours (I got the last ticket at the last minute when I got to FLL). The reason we were given for the delay is that private planes get priority to take off and there needs to be a 400 mile distance between each plane that goes up.

I have a friend in Miami that has also been sitting on the runway for over an hour.

I can tell now that the urgency is starting to hit Miami Beach because from my social media, many people who planned to stay are now either at airports or figuring out a plan of action.

Tony, the panic is because the latest point forecast for Miami (these are the forecasts that are generated from the models) are indicating sustained winds of 145 mph with gusts to 180 mph on Sunday along with a storm surge of 10-15 feet.

That would be a scene form The Day After Tomorrow.

 

[Susan1]

Misc. -

They had a story on CNN about the Miami Zoo. They are prepared. Then I was thinking, is there a zoo in Houston. I didn't hear anything about that. Maybe they were in a safe area.

And, they've been reporting all day about caps on plane ticket prices after someone published when they got price gouged - like 10X the cost!!

We're supposed to get remnants in Ohio on Tuesday. And I have to go to the dentist on Wednesday. They are saying they don't expect high winds or a lot of rain though. Ike was the one who knocked out my power for three days. Started with an I, in September. Geez!!! But we were having beautiful sunny days. Just terrible wind on Sunday. I was standing outside with the neighbors that afternoon after the power went out and a beach ball and another neighbor's driveway lights came rolling down the street. Sheesh.

I KNOW - that's nothing compared to Florida and Texas. Just creepy.

 

[TOADS]

The Houston zoo did fine during Harvey. There was some water but the animals were cared for around the clock in special barns and sheds. The zoo reopened at the end of August.

The Miami zoo had severe problems during Hurricane Andrew. In fact many of the exotic snakes like the pythons which are now in the Everglades may have come from the zoo when Andrew destroyed the reptile house.

I'm sure that this time there is something being done in light of Hurricane Irma.

 

[BaileyCatts]

My aunt lives in The Villages, FL. Is that an area that's be evacuated? It looks like its pretty middle of the state. Can't find her phone number anywhere.

 

[TOADS]

They won't evacuate The Villages. They will get some strong winds and rains but other than street flooding, there should be no life threatening issues.

 

[meggonzo]

Over two hours on the runway now. People are really starting to lose their patience because they are all losing their connecting flights and being told the next option is early AM after this particular flight was already delayed 3 hours (I got the last ticket at the last minute when I got to FLL). The reason we were given for the delay is that private planes get priority to take off and there needs to be a 400 mile distance between each plane that goes up.

I have a friend in Miami that has also been sitting on the runway for over an hour.

I can tell now that the urgency is starting to hit Miami Beach because from my social media, many people who planned to stay are now either at airports or figuring out a plan of action.

I hope you finally got to take off! I'd rather be somewhere safe and miss the connecting flight.

 

[Lacey]

edit

 

[Lacey]

We now have a maintenance issue with an engine (from it idling for so long or something) so no joke we were just told that we have to return to the gate and have the engine inspected. And get out of the line. It's just hilarious at this point but these people are about to riot.

Tony, don't airlines have rules now about staying on the ground in line, for instance, isn't there supposed to be a time limit? But it makes equal, logical sense to me that they might have to consider that you will need to go back in line where you left off. I would try to get a meeting with the other passengers and figure out a way to make the point jointly with the flight attendants. Of course, they might say hurricanes are not logical, they are emergencies, so the rules are out the window.

The only other thing to think about is that you are there, the airline is going to get you out. Might be tomorrow, but you are their responsibility now. They cannot quit on you. They cannot leave you there. The other point is, if you have to, go anywhere, even if it is Dallas, anywhere is better than where you are now.