Survivors of Wilma - Check in here!

[Aurora63]

Hi. I live in Delray Beach, south of West Palm. We got our power back early Thursay morning...I was very surprised! It seems that most of the area still does not have power, but it is coming back slowly. I'll tell you, it has been a tiring week. Wilma was much worse than anyone thought. Will post more about it later.

Check in as you can, everyone who's out there!

 

[Disney845]

Doing just fine in IR county. We lost power on Monday (during the storm) at 11:30am and it was back on again by 2pm!!!!! Wow I wasn't expecting that, not after last year when we were without for more than 10 days! No real damage to speak of, just some soffits.

 

[Mom2Ashli]

Hi. I live in Delray Beach, south of West Palm. We got our power back early Thursay morning...I was very surprised! It seems that most of the area still does not have power, but it is coming back slowly. I'll tell you, it has been a tiring week. Wilma was much worse than anyone thought. Will post more about it later.

Check in as you can, everyone who's out there!

My SIL lives in Delray Beach and we talked to her last night and she still didn't have power.

 

[Aurora63]

My SIL lives in Delray Beach and we talked to her last night and she still didn't have power.

Not surprised at all. Our friends who live a little west of us (we're near I-95) still don't have it either. There is a fire department down the street from us, I am thinking we must be on the same grid as they are.

There is no major damage to buildings here, but trees are down everywhere. One big tree fell on a car downstairs, pretty much destroyed it (one of the neighbors, not mine). Our buildings have tiles on the roof, they were flying off during the storm. Afterwards, there were broken pieces all over the place.

Also, traffic signals are slowly coming back, but in a lot of places, they were completely blown down. They'll be laying there on the corner. Strange sight.

And of course many signs for businesses got blown out.

All in all, this has been a crazy week. I am so thankful to have power now. But things are still wacky outside. Staying indoors as much as possible.

Hope everyone else is safe.

 

[AdventurerKat]

Hi. I live in Delray Beach, south of West Palm. We got our power back early Thursay morning...I was very surprised! It seems that most of the area still does not have power, but it is coming back slowly. I'll tell you, it has been a tiring week. Wilma was much worse than anyone thought. Will post more about it later.

Check in as you can, everyone who's out there!

Aurora63, I am glad to see that you and that beatiful cat of yours are o.k.

 

[Aurora63]

Aurora63, I am glad to see that you and that beatiful cat of yours are o.k.

Thanks. She was so oblivious th the whole thing. The sliding glass doors were rattling (couldn't board up, we're on the third floor) and she's just lying there. Then she sees me coming and runs to the kitchen to beg for food! I'm sure she was upset with me for not letting her out of the bathroom for an hour.

 

[AdventurerKat]

My cat Misha's only issue was that his favorite drinking spot, the bathtub, was filled with water so he couldn't jump in and have me turn on the faucet for him. The kitten, Bella Rose, was mad because we shut the doors to the bedrooms when we had the tornado warning because thats where she likes to roost, on the window sill. Every time one of the bedroom doors would open, she was there like a rocket, trying to run in. You can't reason with a cat about a tornado warning. It was hard enough doing it with the kids.

It sounds like Honey took it in stride and that's good.

 

[luvwinnie]

My DH is on his way to W. Palm to help out his brother who has no water, elec, cash, etc.

 

[Tuffcookie]

I have been filling in for a co-worker at work. Peg and 3 of her sisters flew to Cancun last Tuesday (Oct 18th), right before Hurricane Wilma struck! The next day Cancun was evacuating!!!
They have been in their resort all this time, unable to leave. At one point they were up to their ankles in water! Earlier this week they did not have food or water! Yesterday the hotel was telling everyone they were going to shut down and everyone would be put out on the street! Then someone from the US Embassy got in contact with the hotel and told them they were not to put anyone out on the street and they would be held responsible for any US citizens. I can't imagine what my friend is going thru!
There was a ray of hope this morning. One of her daughters, who lives in NC, called. She said her mom and sisters are standing in a 4 block long line to get a boarding pass. Hopefully this nightmare will end soon. Poor Peg, lost her husband to cancer in May and her sisters had arranged this trip to take her mind off her troubles!

TC

 

[Talking Hands]

Got electricity back Wednesday evening, phone lines back about an hour ago. Biggest worry was ice to keep my insulin cold. Lost everything in the freezer and refrigerator. Silver lining is I have the cleanest freezer and fridge in a long time. Cleaned from top to bottom. Daughter's job opened back up today. Traffic lights are a mess. Half out and the others messed up.
In our area we had a bunch of electric poles break on Eureka Dr. Trees and fences are gone all over the place. Our house made it with minimal damage. Eaves need repainting but other than that nothing.

 

[Beth76]

I was in Playa del Carmen when Wilma hit us. Or more accurately SAT on us for a few days. We were lucky that our resort had a convention center that we evacuted to. We had food, water, electricity and plumbing (most of the time). It was very very scary and I wondered if we would actually make it out alive. It didn't help that the thing lasted so long either. We were very lucky to make it out on Thursday at 1am. But, we had to take a bus to Merida and there were thousands of people camped out in front of the airport. I can't imagine what the people are thinking that are still there. Commercial flights don't even start until tommorrow. I hope everyone can make it out safely and quickly. It's a horrible situation to be in.

 

[anewvance]

Still no power for me. I'm so happy dh charges my battery at work for me. We went to a FEMA site for some ice and water today and found a Winn Dixie that had some milk and eggs today... whooo hoo! Only problem is that gas is starting to become a problem... we have 1/4 tank and the lines are still 3 or so hours long. Hoping by Sunday there will be more choices.

No decision has been made about schools yet. My girls go to private school, but the public schools sound like it will still be a few days, maybe mid week. I called our school and they still don't have power and to check back.

It's getting hotter, not so cool anymore..... will just keep getting hotter. Here at my grandmothers they told us 2 more days but there is a downed really messed up LIVE line down the street in the neighborhood (part of their lines) that FPL didn't even know about.. so we'll see. My husband checked at home on his way here and we are still dark. Hopefully not much longer!

 

[TnTsParty]

I am in Delray Beach - still no power - won't have it for a while since my mango tree came down and crushed the shed and took the power off the house. Have an electriction coming Monday to fix it so that when FPL does make their way over here (was 9 days after Frances) we can get it back. Other than the minimal damage caused by the power being ripped off the wall and a few shingles missing the rest is just tree damage.

 

[sleigh]

We're in SW Broward and our power can back Wednesday afternoon, our phone a few hours later. I was surprised that it came back so quickly since there is alot of damage around us. I went out today to get gas since we are heading out of town tomorrow and I waited for an hour and a half.

 

[Pin Wizard]

I've heard from two friends now in Boca Raton. One was brief, the other...

"Fred stayed home with Betty and Barney Rubble, but Wilma beat us up...she walloped us.

Man.

Easily the nastiest hurricane I've been through. 115 miles per hour. "Expect a category 1" my butt. Wilma must have loved that warm shallow water in the Everglades as she passed over it.

Brother John and son Ryan were here. When the front side came through it took out one window, which John was bracing to keep the frame from giving in. Glass shattered, cutting John's head. So he's spurting blood, wind and rain are blanketing Ryan's room. After we patched up John with cotton and packing tape, we quickly boarded that up. We were able to walk out into the eye of the storm. Calm.

Then the second side slammed us from the west. I've never heard anything like it. Water, limbs and shingles flew horizontally. Water blew up through the vents in the soffets, soaking the things in the attic and dripping water down one wall. Few trees are left. Every home on the other side of the street lost their fence. Few have a screen enclosure left. Spent two days sawing and hauling off debris, taking it off neighbors' roofs. Shingles lying everywhere. We warmed food with propane and made instant coffee for neighbors for three days. After sunset, it was pitch black, letting us see stars at night we never knew existed. An hour after we scored 12 bags of ice Thursday to preserve what we had left (high-fiving each other as we came home), power was reconnected. Warm shower felt good. Got Internet and cable. Watched a movie. Dried all the towels. Millions are still without power. Gas lines are miles long, people searching for fuel for both for cars and generators.

Our home is nearly back to normal, although cell phone service is spotty and my office phone doesn't work.

God blessed us.

JB"

 

[pilikia97]

Another Wilma Cancun survivor here! Arrived in Cancun on the 15th (first time ever to the country!), were staying in one of the last hotels in the Zone to be evacuated by the Federales on Thursday night, spent the next 5 days in an elementary school in old old old downtown Cancun (no running water, no electricity, only blankets and pillows on the tile floor and yes we did get flooded up to our ankles one night but it could have been sooooo much worse!), sent back to our hotel on Monday afternoon (still no water, no electricity), got frustrated with the lack of communication and raw sewage everywhere so we took the autobus to Merida on our own (I love showers and flushing toilets and electric lights!).

We spent 2 days in Merida trying to get a flight home on our own as well. Gave up and had husband's workplace arrange it through Corporate Travel...Got home today on Mexicana Air (Yeah!).

 

[crzy4pooh]

Brevard County checking in... We lost power at 11am Monday, and got it back 11am Tuesday. Annoying, but I really feel for the South FL people!!! We were on I-95 today and saw at least three different large convoys of power trucks headed south. for power asap!!!

 

[Aurora63]

Anyone else?

 

[anewvance]

Power power sweet sweet power!!!! My husband got up this morning and went home for the heck of it and we had power. I packed my stuff as quick as I possibly could and he came and picked us up. I asked my grandparents if they wanted to come with us and they said no, they are hopeful they will get power any minute now.

It's amazing how you miss the good things in life! Now our problem is gas... can't go anywhere...

 

[Beth76]

Another Wilma Cancun survivor here! Arrived in Cancun on the 15th (first time ever to the country!), were staying in one of the last hotels in the Zone to be evacuated by the Federales on Thursday night, spent the next 5 days in an elementary school in old old old downtown Cancun (no running water, no electricity, only blankets and pillows on the tile floor and yes we did get flooded up to our ankles one night but it could have been sooooo much worse!), sent back to our hotel on Monday afternoon (still no water, no electricity), got frustrated with the lack of communication and raw sewage everywhere so we took the autobus to Merida on our own (I love showers and flushing toilets and electric lights!).

We spent 2 days in Merida trying to get a flight home on our own as well. Gave up and had husband's workplace arrange it through Corporate Travel...Got home today on Mexicana Air (Yeah!).

That must have been horrible. When we pulled up to the Merida airport and saw all the people camped out, I just got sick. My entire body was shaking. I was so afraid of being left at the curb. But, fortunately the funjet bus stayed with us until we got on our flight later that night. I was amazed at how well the airport was handling everyone though. They had tons of food and water. I bet you're glad to be home.