Hurricane Ike - Heads-up for Texas and LA in post #60

[Laurabearz]

Thanks for the update Jim... Ike is not nearly done. My hearts go out to all those effected by it.

 

[Deb & Bill]

It looks like once it hits land, it will work its way up to me. DRAT!! Someone mail me a few sandbags, please.

 

[Chuck S]

I just hope it keeps tracking a little farther east. Yesterday it was predicted to be over my house at 2pm on Saturday with hurricane force winds. Now it is tracking East of us. Still fairly close, but less rain and somewhat lower winds. There is plenty of lightly populated area between here and Houston, where it would do less damage.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I just hope it keeps tracking a little farther east. Yesterday it was predicted to be over my house at 2pm on Saturday with hurricane force winds. Now it is tracking East of us. Still fairly close, but less rain and somewhat lower winds. There is plenty of lightly populated area between here and Houston, where it would do less damage.

Looks like you got your wish, Chuck. It's heading for me on Sat as a TS. It looks like its coming in right over Sugarland and west of Houston as a Cat 3.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'll be praying for you all who might be affected by it. "Been there, done that"-it's no fun! Stay safe, all.

 

[dgaston]

The folks I know in Rockport have evacuated to San Antonio and are at the Riverwalk this afternoon. Made me worry a little less about them. for everyone who has to deal with this. A long time ago I did my psychology internship in Galveston, and I know that a 17 ft sea wall isn't going to be a lot of help.

 

[BCV23]

My DH just flew out of IAH. He said the road North was crawling, lines to return cars were long, security was 3 to 4 times the normal wait time and even lines for sandwiches, etc.. were many times the norm.

Stay safe, Chuck, Deb & Bill and everyone else in the area.

 

[kimberh]

I'm praying for all our friends in the Gulf Coast. I am so sorry you all are having to go through this. Charleston feels your pain. Hurricane Hugo '89 Cat 4 landfall here. We feel your pain. We will be praying and watching to see what we can do to help when it is over. We always do.

 

[momtotreasure]

We're "hunkering down" here in Houston. My daughter is 16 and thinks we should be having a hurricane party. I'm enjoying the TV and air conditioning while we can!

25 years ago Hurricane Alicia came through and I lost power for 12 days. I don't think I could take it again!

I hope the folks along the coast have evacuated and will stay safe. So long as we don't get a tornado, we should be ok. Wish us luck!

 

[Deb & Bill]

We're "hunkering down" here in Houston. My daughter is 16 and thinks we should be having a hurricane party. I'm enjoying the TV and air conditioning while we can!

25 years ago Hurricane Alicia came through and I lost power for 12 days. I don't think I could take it again!

I hope the folks along the coast have evacuated and will stay safe. So long as we don't get a tornado, we should be ok. Wish us luck!

I lived in Houston (actually Humble) during Alicia and was without power only a day or two. I was having 30th birthday party for Bill and was able to tell everyone to come to our house because we had power and AC. A tree on the house, but electricity and air conditioning.

I'm hoping I'll just get the eye again on Friday night and Saturday like we did for Gustav. At least I'm not supporting a Fed Medical Shelter this time like last time. I still would just like a full weekend off without having to work. Just two days would be nice.

 

[Simba's Mom]

We're "hunkering down" here in Houston. My daughter is 16 and thinks we should be having a hurricane party. I'm enjoying the TV and air conditioning while we can!

25 years ago Hurricane Alicia came through and I lost power for 12 days. I don't think I could take it again!

I hope the folks along the coast have evacuated and will stay safe. So long as we don't get a tornado, we should be ok. Wish us luck!

Wow-12 days without power. I really sympathize with you. Someone said that when a hurricane is coming and you might lose power, turn the refrigerator and freezer down as cold as possible so that if you do lose power, the temperature has to go further for the food goes bad. Unfortunately, I just heard that tip, so I haven't tried it.

 

[Golden Rose]

Count us in as another family who in hunkering down in Houston, too. (We're not in an evacuation zone.) We've got family in Dallas and seriously considered paying them a sudden visit today, but the last time we evacuated to them we spent 16 hours on the road.

I'm mostly worried about losing power for long, but we have lots of family and friends in the area and we all hope that surely someone will have power and we can all camp at that house if need be.

 

[DisFlan]

I'm in the Ozarks and my Wunderground weather for Sunday says "Tropical Storm Ike." 6 to 8 inches of rain. Just what we need - more Ike and more rain. I'm glad I live on a big hill.

My sis and her family are hunkered down in Houston, stocked up, boarded up, retrofitted and ready to take it on. They're in an area (the Heights) that was told not to evacuate at this point. We've been on the phone going over her "to-do" and "done" lists. And making sure we can contact each other. She has food and water for an army, but the power will be the big question.

DisFlan

 

[kimberh]

Wow-12 days without power. I really sympathize with you. Someone said that when a hurricane is coming and you might lose power, turn the refrigerator and freezer down as cold as possible so that if you do lose power, the temperature has to go further for the food goes bad. Unfortunately, I just heard that tip, so I haven't tried it.

Get Dry Ice too. It may be too late for Ike, but for future reference, It helps if the power doesn't stay off too long.

I have had the news on All Day, I have been in Constant Prayer. This storm is so big!

 

[JimMIA]

25 years ago Hurricane Alicia came through and I lost power for 12 days. I don't think I could take it again!

Sometimes the power outages are the worst of the storm. We were very lucky with our last two storms - Katrina and Wilma. We were only out 4 days with Katrina and 3 with Wilma. But many thousands of people were without power for 3-4 weeks with Wilma. We have a couple of secret weapons in our neighborhood.

Further back, after Hurricane Andrew in 1992, most of the southern half of our county was without power for months.

I hope the folks along the coast have evacuated and will stay safe. So long as we don't get a tornado, we should be ok. Wish us luck!

Good luck. Like everyone else here, we have you in our thoughts and prayers.

 

[Golden Rose]

Just a quick update.

We're safe, but our house is still without power and took a tree to the roof. We have multiple leaks and branches in our attic, and we've been advised that the roof could collapse and we should avoid going into that part of the house until the tree is removed.

The problem is that we can't remove the tree. It is too big for my husband to move, we can't find a contractor yet to help, and it isn't a big enough emergency for the city to help with.

We're currently at a family friend's house who just got power back on this evening... and doesn't have any trees or leaks in their home. The important thing is that we're safe, as our the friends and family members we've been able to reach on the (rare occasions we've been able to get through on the) phone.

 

[Camping Cat]

Great news! I'm glad your family and friends are safe. I hope you get the tree taken care of before too much more damage happens.

 

[DisFlan]

My sis in Houston and her family made it through fairly well, thank heavens. I can only imagine how bad the lack of a/c there is (and everything else).

We got hit with Ike part deux last night here in the Ozarks. Nasty high winds, heavy rain and large limbs down. Power went off at 2 am. It's been off and on since about 7 am. Neighbors have roof damage and a number of roads are flooded. This is bad for what we normally get, but nothing like what SE Texas got - and is still suffering through.

I'm on laptop battery and dial up right now to check email and to make a quick run through the Dis. I'd forgotten how SLOW dial up is. And I'm really glad I ordered that extra battery!

Edited to add - FEMA just commandeered my sis's phone line, so I can't talk to her. (FEMA's there to help, right?) That was about all they had left - no power, ice etc. So they're going to a hotel in Waco.

DisFlan

 

[Deb & Bill]

...Edited to add - FEMA just commandeered my sis's phone line, so I can't talk to her. (FEMA's there to help, right?) That was about all they had left - no power, ice etc. So they're going to a hotel in Waco.

DisFlan

Welcome to the wonderful world of FEMA. During Gustav, they commandeered all the air assets prior to the storm hitting and the state was trying to fly patient out to northern parts of the state.

 

[DisFlan]

Deb - The live web feed from KHOU.com just announced that FEMA hasn't delivered the promised food for the first responders at the command headquarters that FEMA set up. The local congressman was on TV/radio asking people in Houston (you know - the town with no power or drinkable water?) to donate any food and water they can possibly spare for these guys (and gals) ASAP. There are more than 300 of them doing rescue work out of there, and they ate the last of their donated food at lunch. Sounds like the same old FEMA.

That congressman was PO'd.

DisFlan