Florida people ????

[CPM]

I'm so scared about the path of this storm.
What are all your plans? I'm not sure which direction to go and when.
What are your thoughts! Quick!!

 

[Pin Wizard]

Prayers for you and everyone in its path! <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/17/17_1_10.gif' alt='Prayer' border=0></a> <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/17/17_1_10.gif' alt='Prayer' border=0></a> <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/17/17_1_10.gif' alt='Prayer' border=0></a> <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/17/17_1_10.gif' alt='Prayer' border=0></a>

 

[Maray]

But I wanted to let you know I will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.
I wish I could give you some advice.

From the latest I saw It seems Ivan is cutting such a wide possible path, I wouldn't begin to be able to suggest where you should go.
What are the local officials saying?
Are you near a shelter?
It seemed like it won't make direct landfall on FL. til Mon?
Is that correct?
If that's true you have time yet to decide.

Sending you hugs,wish I could do more.
Hugs, Marilyn

Go Away Ivan!

 

[bsnyder]

You probably won't like what I have to say. It's the same thing all the emergency management folks say.

Find the safest place that's closest to your house. Go tens of miles, not hundreds of miles.

That means finding somewhere that's well out of the worst potential storm surge for your area. And the shelter should be well built, preferably to post-Andrew building codes.

Do you have a friend, a co-worker, a relative that lives somewhere nearby, but who's house meets those qualifications?

Because the idea of getting on the road, with the idea of avoiding this storm entirely, is probably not very smart. The NHC really doesn't have a good handle on the possible landfall area. It could be anywhere in the cone, and right now, the cone is basically the whole state.

Edited to add, if you don't have anywhere safe that's close to home, please consider the public shelters. They're not very comfortable, but comfort should not be the main concern.

 

[bsnyder]

Landfall will probably be late Monday night. But everyone needs to get their plan together now, and preferably not base it on where the storm is currently, or where it could possibly go, because that will change somewhat over the next few days.

 

[John VN]

DW just left for DD's and I will be following shortly.

John

 

[chyam]

Originally posted by CPM
I'm so scared about the path of this storm.
What are all your plans? I'm not sure which direction to go and when.
What are your thoughts! Quick!!

Hi Cheryl..
I am Cheryl too. and I know exactly how you feel, this storm looks like it is drifting a little more west and still heading north, that was my original plan to book out of here and head maybe to Orlando but I don't really think it is much safer there, the roads are a mess and getting worse. Tampa was supposed to be a direct hit but it looks better and better each report that it will head north of here, the only problem is the outer bands will create a storm surge unless it moves quite a bit more west. I have been a mess for a month, and people just do not understand that you just really do not know where to go, everyone has advice........people in mobile homes and people right on the shore defineately need to get out. I think I will be riding this one out, I have not experienced any flooding with any of the storms so far and I was only without power for 2 1/2 hours while many of my coworkers are still without. All my neighbors are staying also, we are in a zone b flood zone but as I have said we have not flooded and did not during previous storms in earlier years.
You yourself need to make a decision that you feel comfortable with, I think although the media does a great job they also build up a lot of anxiety and I try to watch it but not full time. I have not had a good nights sleep in a month! So we all need to pray that this does in deed fizzle out......I don't think I answered your question but wanted to let you know I know how you feel.

 

[Straycat]

I'm over on the east coast in Melbourne. Just got my power back yesterday after six long days without and now I am sick with boilwateritis...
Ima stay home again for this one and pray it goes elsewhere, and I hope those of you that it is coming close to run, and run soon, because hurricanes are nothing to take lightly. And the aftermath isnt fun either.

 

[ThAnswr]

Originally posted by bsnyder
You probably won't like what I have to say. It's the same thing all the emergency management folks say.

Find the safest place that's closest to your house. Go tens of miles, not hundreds of miles.

That means finding somewhere that's well out of the worst potential storm surge for your area. And the shelter should be well built, preferably to post-Andrew building codes.

Do you have a friend, a co-worker, a relative that lives somewhere nearby, but who's house meets those qualifications?

Because the idea of getting on the road, with the idea of avoiding this storm entirely, is probably not very smart. The NHC really doesn't have a good handle on the possible landfall area. It could be anywhere in the cone, and right now, the cone is basically the whole state.

Edited to add, if you don't have anywhere safe that's close to home, please consider the public shelters. They're not very comfortable, but comfort should not be the main concern.

Here we go again, Bet.

My house is the shelter for friends and family. We're the only ones in the neighborhood that have an intact house with an intact roof. My biggest worry is we'll be pushing our luck with Ivan.

We just got power last week and our cable back last Tuesday. And not a moment too soon as the "Robinson Crusoe" lifestyle was starting to get old.

This area still looks like a war zone. Eight of our schools were so damaged, they can't be used, and at least half of those 8 are being considered for demolition.

Btw, our insurance adjuster still hasn't come out to take a look at the place. He was supposed to come tomorrow, but he cancelled because of Ivan.

I can't believe we're doing this again. This is surreal.

 

[CPM]

Thanks for all your good thoughts. The latest track shows Miami looking clear. I think I'm going to try & make my way over there tonight. I have to wait for my hubby to get *back* from Miami first. He had to work the Dolphin game. He'll have to stay in Ft. Myers during the storm due to work. This is the part I hate the most, being alone with the kids during this.
UGH! Is all I can say @@
Good luck and hugs to everyone else dealing with this again.

 

[CPM]

Originally posted by ThAnswr
Here we go again, Bet..

This area still looks like a war zone. Eight of our schools were so damaged, they can't be used, and at least half of those 8 are being considered for demolition.
I can't believe we're doing this again. This is surreal.

I hear ya! Are you in PG or PC? Are you staying? We were only out of power a week, I can't imagine what you went through!!

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Originally posted by CPM
I'm so scared about the path of this storm.
What are all your plans? I'm not sure which direction to go and when.
What are your thoughts! Quick!!

It seems that here in the western part of the panhandle, is the safe area. We've gotten a lot of travelers from south FL here as Charley and Frances just missed this part of the panhandle completely. Looks as though Ivan may do the same. Also looks like Ivan isn't hitting anywhere near south FL anyway, but unfortunately if it stays out in those Gulf waters it could get stronger. We still look to be in fairly good shape, better than we did for Frances anyway.
Try not to worry too much, it's not gonna do you any good anyway. But if you feel you have to leave, head towards the northwestern part of the panhandle...I'll be lookin' for ya!

 

[diznygirl]

Since we are Central, we will be staying put. We rode out the first two with no problems. Thank God for a newly constructed home - it meets all the new codes put in place after Andrew.

I have a unique perspective being originally from earthquake country. There you learn to live with something you can't control, so I'm not wigging out about the hurricanes. You prepare the best you can - seal, tape, board, shop, gas up - and then wait. It's the waiting that gets to me. Frances closed the schools on Friday, and we had a 2 pm curfew, but the storm really didn't get bad until 2 am.

If you are on the coast, I would definitely find a safe place to ride it out. If you don't like being alone, maybe you have a neighbor who would like some company. That's what we did here in our town - neighbor helping neighbor.

Prepare, but don't panic. Nothing has happened yet, and the storm may just go into the gulf and just give us a bunch of rain.

Think happy thoughts!

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I'm in Melbourne. I was one of the lucky ones, I had power back Monday night. We are staying put (DH will have to work regardless). Bet has good advice that I took and was very thankful for.

Thanks Bet!

 

[bsnyder]

Glad everything's okay over there, Miss Jasmine.

We lost power for 5 days with Frances, and yes, it gets old very, very quickly.

Right now I am just so grateful to my brother-in-law. He's such a handy, resourceful person and in a situation like this, it's invaluable. (I adore my husband, but handy and resourceful are not adjectives that describe him very well! )

BIL managed to find us a brand new generator. We split the cost and if we lose power (they live a block away so if we lose it, they lose it too) then they will stay with us and we'll pool all our resources. Having the generator to run a refrigerator is the key to dealing without electricity for a long period of time.

Next problem to tackle - no A/C, particular at night while you're trying to get some sleep.

Well, BIL just called from Lowe's. He's buying a window unit that will fit in our master bedroom. We can move some mattresses to the floor in there, and all be able to sleep with at least a little cooling air.

Now we need to find gas cans. And stock up on gas. Hubby is making phone calls now, to marine supply and auto supply stores. Home Depot and Lowes are sold out.

 

[John VN]

Tiggerlover91

Don't mean to burst your bubble, but the current projections are now covering the panhandle and then some. Just don't know.

The farther west, the better for us but the worse for you.

Used to be "Pull a U-ee" as in U turn, now it's "Pull a Charley" as far as Hurricanes are concerned.

John

 

[bsnyder]

Well, no gas cans to be found anywhere...but I had a brainstorm, and realized we don't need them. We have a boat that has a full 80 gallon tank, so my husband is off to buy a siphoning hose. And get our allotment of sandbags (10) from the county.

 

[Big V]

I'm keeping you guys in my prayers!
Scott

 

[KristiKelly]

Just know that you are all in our thoughts & prayers. Please stay safe!!!

 

[ThAnswr]

Originally posted by CPM
I hear ya! Are you in PG or PC? Are you staying? We were only out of power a week, I can't imagine what you went through!!

I'm in PG and we're staying. We're not in evacuation area, but our friends and family who are in an evacuation area are going to come here. We still have an intact roof (metal) and our house is intact.

My husband boarded some of the windows today. If there's one good thing that could be said about Charley, it's that Charley left fewer trees that could hit our house.

It was a real doozy here without power. You don't realize how hot it is in Florida until you have no AC. And, of course, the sliding doors don't have screens.......don't even get me started about the bugs.

Anyway, stay safe and dry.