Hurricane Season Again

[DVC Sadie]

How is everyone preparing for the upcoming hurricane season? We have so many displaced families and so many people still in tents so I was wondering how others are planning. We lost our home and was lucky enough to be able to find a mobile home to live in but with the hurricane season around the corner we are preparing ourselves by having a generator, gas, water, food, flashlights, batteries etc...

I have to admit if another hurricane like Katrina hits us again we will be moving out of the area. I don't think I could go through this again.

 

[ducklite]

I never touched the 20 gallons of gas in my garage from last year. I'll begin keeping the two cars full in the next few months.

I need to go grocery shopping later today, I'll begin to stock up on canned goods--I've been trying to use things to "rotate" stock. We've still got plenty of tarps/tape/gloves/wood slats/etc., so we don't need anything there.

I need to get a couple bags of chow for the ferrets, fortunately one of the things they eat is IAMS kitten, which I should be able to get from any animal rescue organisation of we were displaced.

The thing I most need to do is get back in the habit of filling all scripts as soon as possible for the insurance to pay--you can usually end up with an extra couple of weeks of meds after a few months by doing it this way.

Anne

 

[DVC Sadie]

I never touched the 20 gallons of gas in my garage from last year. I'll begin keeping the two cars full in the next few months.

I need to go grocery shopping later today, I'll begin to stock up on canned goods--I've been trying to use things to "rotate" stock. We've still got plenty of tarps/tape/gloves/wood slats/etc., so we don't need anything there.

I need to get a couple bags of chow for the ferrets, fortunately one of the things they eat is IAMS kitten, which I should be able to get from any animal rescue organisation of we were displaced.

The thing I most need to do is get back in the habit of filling all scripts as soon as possible for the insurance to pay--you can usually end up with an extra couple of weeks of meds after a few months by doing it this way.

Anne

Thanks for reminding me of my prescriptions. I do need to get 3 months worth filled, just in case. I also need to buy all of our dogs medication. We already bought 100 pds. of dog food but we rotate continually.

 

[Stephieann]

when does it offically start?

 

[DVC Sadie]

when does it offically start?

Stephieann, hurricane season starts June 1st. and we are worried here on the coast. The Gulf of Mexico's waters are already 10 degrees hotter than last year which doesn't bode well for us for this year.

 

[snappy]

We had a mild winter this year, I am sure that factors into what will happen hurricane wise this year.

My DD and I participated in a service project with our church youth groups this weekend. We took some families from the large trailer park area in Baker where many evacuees are living on a hike and a picnic in Tuneca Hills. I was astounded how many trailers were in use there, how close together they were situated, and how depressing it looked with no green space. I am sure those trailers will afford little protection if even a cat 1 hits. Even though we are a bit north of New Orleans, we still got strong winds for Katrina and Rita.
I sure hope all the evacuees are helped to move to a safer location if we get hit again this year.

I hope the trip helped them a little. They were so appreciative, and it was such a minor thing we did. It was heartwrenching to experience. It really touched our teens who volunteered.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Stephieann, hurricane season starts June 1st. and we are worried here on the coast. The Gulf of Mexico's waters are already 10 degrees hotter than last year which doesn't bode well for us for this year.

Wow I did not hear this. Also a mobile home can be demolished in only a Cat 1 wind. There are straps that are bolted in concrete that do help, but only if the home stays together. So if you are in one and a storm is coming please get to a safer location.

For me all of the temp housing from last years storms has me really worried about peoples safety.

 

[Stephieann]

Wow I did not hear this. Also a mobile home can be demolished in only a Cat 1 wind. There are straps that are bolted in concrete that do help, but only if the home stays together. So if you are in one and a storm is coming please get to a safer location.

For me all of the temp housing from last years storms has me really worried about peoples safety.

maybe they can be more prepared and have more buses to shuttle people out. i mean they know were most of them are housed...just take a charter bus to the different temp housing areas. i am sure most of them will be more than glad to load up and go!!!

 

[DVC Sadie]

We will not be waiting for buses to come get us if a hurricane is on it's way. We will be the funny looking people in a huge conversion van pulling a trailer with all of our supplies. Think Beverly Hillbillies on steroids. Even though I'm laughing you better believe that we will be staying at a rest area somewhere for a couple of days.
One of the reasons why so many people died or still missing is because they wouldn't leave without their pets. Our 3 large dogs will be with us safe and sound I hope.

 

[vital]

Come on up to Jackson! I'm sure your dogs will get along with my dogs and cat! Oh, I forgot, you have a boxer and we all know how boxers "love" cats . Seriously, the fairgrounds here would be a great place to stay with a Rv and animals. They turned the livestock area into a holding/staging place for animals that had travelled with their owners and couldn't stay at the hotels. It was a good plan. Always check about Jackson shelters as I heard some will allow animals this year in leiu of Katrina and the stories of ppl not leaving b/c of animals. I think it's a great idea. Some horse farms even open stalls for evacuees with large animals. Really heartwarming to see on TV.

 

[DVC Sadie]

Thanks for the offer vital. We will look into Jackson if another hurricane comes our way. Last year we could not find one hotel from here to Atlanta that would allow us to stay with our 3 dogs so we did what any self respecting dog owner would do. We camped out with a lot of other folks at the Alabama-Florida rest area.

Mickeyfan2,we will definately be leaving if a hurricane comes this way.

 

[Talking Hands]

We're already stocking up on supplies. Will ask my doc for an extra scripts of my meds. So I can have a months back-up.
Plenty of cats food and will get dog food when the dog arrives.
If we have to evacuate we have a friend we can stay with in Orlando. Or depending on where the storm seems to be heading we can head for my FIL in DeFuniak Springs or Jim aunt in Jacksonville.

 

[MrsKreamer]

maybe they can be more prepared and have more buses to shuttle people out. i mean they know were most of them are housed...just take a charter bus to the different temp housing areas. i am sure most of them will be more than glad to load up and go!!!

They had buses last time and people still stayed. Hopefully this year people will be smarter.

 

[tink38]

Thanks for the offer vital. We will look into Jackson if another hurricane comes our way. Last year we could not find one hotel from here to Atlanta that would allow us to stay with our 3 dogs so we did what any self respecting dog owner would do. We camped out with a lot of other folks at the Alabama-Florida rest area.

Mickeyfan2,we will definately be leaving if a hurricane comes this way.

DVCSadie, let me tell you a story, please.

When it was apparent that Katrina would hit VERY close to New Orleans, we were instructed to leave THE STATE by DH's VP of the IT dept. (I know - very complicated) We hoped to go to Disney. It did not happen. It took us 9 hours to get to Alabama. The weather was really bad by then, so we turned north. We wound up in Montgomery. In a Fleabag Motel.

By the way - we had three dogs, too. And my dogs are not subtle. They are all up in the window saying, "Hi! look at us! We are obnoxious! We will poop in your rooms! We bark Loud! Can we come in?" Nope. They can't just lay down and be quiet. They don't know how to do that.

When my BIL told me that my house would be under 15ft of water in 24 hours (after the levee broke) I tried to break out the Bible. Nothing there but graffiti. Oh, joy. And numbers carved on the headboard. But there was free breakfast every morning. Oh, yeah.

My house was fine, by the way. We sold it for a tidy profit and have relocated jobs, school and home here in MS. I sure do miss my french bread, though.

Anyway, if anyone from the DIS EVER needs a place of refuge from the hurricanes, PLEASE let me know! We'll be moving in April 28th and we have plenty of room, so don't hesitate to ask! We are here for you as our cousins were here for 17 family members during Katrina!

 

[DVC Sadie]

Wow Monique, Thanks for both your story and your kind offer.

We left the day before Katrina hit and we had no idea it would be this bad. Having lived in New Orleans during hurricane Betsy in 1965 and surviving hurricane Camille in 1969 we thought our house would be safe.

We always evacuate just in case but we were not prepared for what we saw both on the way home and once we got home. On the way home my dh had to get out of the car and move large pieces of trees off of the interstate. We drove very slowly on I-10 for fear we would run out of road somewhere which was smart since part of the highway was cockeyed in spots. Once we arrived in our neighborhood we had to walk because of all the debris and whole houses lifted off of there foundations and placed in the middle of the streets. Our home was totally gutted by 29 foot surge plus 4 feet of waves on top of the surge. Our roof was still there and we felt grateful. Crazy huh?

I hope that other Katrina survivors and other parts of the country have a peaceful season this year.

 

[Talking Hands]

I know the first few years after Andrew when people were still in tents and mobile homes we prayed we would not get hit by any storms. We couldn't have handled it emotionally or physically. God was good and we dodged the storms for a few years before getting hit again.

 

[Lisa Simpson]

By the way - we had three dogs, too. And my dogs are not subtle. They are all up in the window saying, "Hi! look at us! We are obnoxious! We will poop in your rooms! We bark Loud! Can we come in?" Nope. They can't just lay down and be quiet. They don't know how to do that.

Just wanted to tell you that this part of your post made me ...I think I know some dogs like that!

 

[yecats]

Hi DVC Sadie,

I am not looking forward to any Hurricane season after Katrina. My entire family use to live in St. Bernard Parish (70,000 people lost their homes in here) and we all lost everything as well (dad, mom, cousins, grandparents, etc.). I returned home one month after Katrina to survey the damage to my home as it took the entire month to drain the water out of my parish. Funny thing is, like you, my roof was entirely entact (not one PAPER shingle was missing). In fact when you stand outside my house from the street, it looked like nothing happened to it at all (ha, ha). My neighbors homes were built on the ground so they had 5 feet of water. My house was built 3 feet off the ground and only had 2 feet of water in it. We could've saved my home if it didn't take the levee board a month to pump the water out of the parish. However, the mold had taken over once you managed to get in the house (all the doors were blocked by the funiture which had floated against them) and the smell of it is disgusting (you could smell the mold a good 5 to 6 feet before entering the home). Then some people on my street had oil in their home from the local refinery which really makes the area even prettier as black gunk was left behind. Now we have the big debates about how toxic the neighbor really is (EPA vs. other testing organizations).

Personally, I have moved 4 times in the past 7 months, have lost my job and am just getting my health back in order. I think at this point I want to move away from N.O. and may join the throngs of people now relocated to Baton Rouge. I know that I can't take another Hurricane. My mom and grandmother lost everything in Betsy and now Katrina and we have all had it. It truly scares me that we were in the mid 80's at the beginning of March so we all know that this summer is going to be hot as hell with the Gulf waters heating up. I truly don't know how Floridians do it every year ( I would be crying and depressed all the time). I am tired of running from every Hurricane that looks like it may hit (we also slept at a FL rest stop on our way from fleeing Katrina as it took us 17 hours to drive from LA to GA - a normal 7 hour trip).

4 days prior to Katrina I had surgery and was recovering at home. I left my home Sunday morning just before Katrina with my 4 dogs and cat. The night before I had called Days Inn as I know that a lot of their independent owners allow animals in the room and I was able to get the last hotel room on the GA/FL line (Thank you Lord). So in the future, if you need to run with your dogs, call Days Inn 1-800 # and they will help you out. As you also now have a travel trailer, I would also encourage you to order State Camping books from LA, MS, AL, FL and GA's tourism offices for possible future runs. I hate to say it but the last few hurrican threats have caused so many problems that it is hell. Now I find the minute a hurricane looks to be heading to the gulf, you can't find a room anywhere in upper MS, LA or AL. I know personally from various neighbors in my area that their employers would reserve entire hotels to relocate their entire families North the minute a Hurricane is in between Cuba and the Keys (this explains why I could never find a hotel available in LA and MS 2 to 3 days before the threat of one would hit us) so it is probably best that you now have a travel trailer as it gives you more options. Best of luck to you and your family.

 

[DVC Sadie]

Yecats, My heart goes out to both you and your entire family. I hope you find a permanent place to live soon and find some peace. After walking around and talking to people in our area and all they want is a hurricane free year to help them get on with their lives.

Thank you for the 1-800# for Days Inn and hopefully we won't need it this year. I go from worried to calm and back again. Take care of yourself and please post again when you decide where you want to move.

 

[MouseDogMom]

I know it's a long way, but any of you are welcome in NC if you have to evacuate with or without pets. Our hearts go out to all of you still struggling to get the pieces back together. I was in Moss Point, MS in November and will live forever with the images I saw that week, yet was amazed by how strong and optimistic so many of the people were. Good luck this season - hope the hurricanes stay at sea or find another target (although personally I have to hope they stay away from the NC coast since they inevitably find their way inland to Raleigh).