There is something that I just don't understand...Wilma related

[Alicnwondrln]

i agree with you OP
my DH mother lives down in wpb with her lazy sons age 29 19 and 13 they didnt go to the store and buy anything
yesterday she caled freaking out they have food and yesterday one of the kids had to wait for water
i was like why didnt you get that before the storm?
they are so lazy ! you knew for a week the storm was coming its your fault you dont have anything
they drive me nuts

 

[MrsNick]

I'd be curious to know of the people who were prepared and not prepared, how many are parents?

I'd be willing to bet (or maybe I'm just optomistic) that people who have children to look after are more likely to be prepared than people who don't. Or maybe parents are likelier to have more life experience than non-parents? I can't imagine having the responsibility of a child and not making sure that they were safe.

All I know is after 9/11, I may not hae 72 hours worth of all supplies in my home at all times, but I always have some sort of stockpile. I even have a small stockpile in my office at work.

If I know we're going to be hit with a Nor'Easter in the wintertime, I always make extra preparations. If nothing happens, well then that's great! I don't feel silly at all, I just feel glad that we had better than expected conditions. If things do get bad, I'm truly glad to have prepared.

My personal feeling is, I never want to be in the position of relying on the government if I can help it. I feel that I can do a better job for myself than someone who doesn't know me. If I needed help from the government, it would be because I was completely at the end of my rope (read desperate).

AlicinWonderland, I guess you just answered my question about parents being more prepared.

 

[sodaseller]

Except for the elderly and the ill and the VERY poor, I think it can be chalked up to denial and ignorance.

During the hurricanes in September 2004, we did not even get hurricane force winds within 50 miles of here (we had gusts up to 70, and sustained winds around 50 miles/hour). DH and I lost a total of about 20 trees on our little acre of woods. We were very lucky nothing came through our roof--many people had trees come crashing through. Our electricity was out for 3 days, and many people in our city were without electricity for a week or more.

People think it's "only" a Cat 1 or 2 and don't realize what this means in terms of destruction. I do wish the Weather Channel wouldn't interview and feature those dumb people who always drawl something like, "We-e-l-l-l, we've never left for any other hurricane and we've been just fine so I'm sure we'll be just fine for this one." It really sends the wrong message.

The Weather Channel also ostensibly shows wethercasters standing out in 110 MPH wind, saying dumb things like "It's so windy, I can hardly stand up!" and showing store signs blowing off, and other minor things. First of all, NOBODY would be standing up in hurricane force winds. That's absurd. I had to walk my dog during the non-hurricanes last year, and almost got knocked over by the non-hurricane force gusts.

At 110 MPH winds, you are NOT standing up and there are NOT just a few signs blowing around. Trees are crashing into houses and cars, boats are being thrown out of the water, roofs are peeling off. The Weather Channel doesn't show you that stuff because they can't be outside and shooting footage in that kind of storm. Instead, they stand in a shelter and make a big deal about a sign blowing around or some garbage blowing down the street, as if THAT is the sum of the destructive force of a hurricane. Yeah, it really burns me.

My mom, dad, sister, and husband lived in Miami when Andrew hit. They absolutely would NOT evacuate. My parents were lucky and were in an area that barely got hit. My sister and her husband were on the edge of where Andrew hit, and spent the entire storm in terror and were without electricity for literally weeks.

I knew from watching TV that Andrew was going to be a devastating storm--but they were all way, way into their denial: "You're such a nervous person! I'm sure everything will be just fine," etc., etc., to listen to me. I don't understand how people can refuse to face what is happening around them.

You are absolutely correct. I grew up in Tampa and have never lived out of Florida. Before last year, I thought a Cat 1 or 2 storm to be no big deal. But we too absorbed two glancing blows last year from what were then tropical storms (Frances and Jeanne after they crossed the state). After seeing what they did, anyone that thinks a Cat 1 is no big deal is as misinformed as I was then.

Last Saturday we were at a party. I didn’t want to go because Tampa was still in the cone at 5pm Saturday and I was going to need all Sunday to get up my shutters and prepare my and my elderly mother's house and maybe get everyone out of mine depending on what it looked like. My attitide showed, as I did not want to engage in libations anticipating that task. My fellow party goers were nonplussed, saying that even it hit Tampa, it would only be a Cat 1 or 2. Crazy. Lucky for me, we were about out by the 11pm update and totally out on the 5am update. But even then the cone extended just south, and even a near miss can be catastrophic. In fact, that's when you need your shutters up most. Shutters won't really do much against a Cat 4 direct hit, but anything less generates a lot of flying debris that your house could survive but your windows won't

 

[sodaseller]

I'd be curious to know of the people who were prepared and not prepared, how many are parents?

I'd be willing to bet (or maybe I'm just optomistic) that people who have children to look after are more likely to be prepared than people who don't. Or maybe parents are likelier to have more life experience than non-parents? I can't imagine having the responsibility of a child and not making sure that they were safe.

All I know is after 9/11, I may not hae 72 hours worth of all supplies in my home at all times, but I always have some sort of stockpile. I even have a small stockpile in my office at work.

If I know we're going to be hit with a Nor'Easter in the wintertime, I always make extra preparations. If nothing happens, well then that's great! I don't feel silly at all, I just feel glad that we had better than expected conditions. If things do get bad, I'm truly glad to have prepared.

My personal feeling is, I never want to be in the position of relying on the government if I can help it. I feel that I can do a better job for myself than someone who doesn't know me. If I needed help from the government, it would be because I was completely at the end of my rope (read desperate).

Last year my then DD8 was rather excited about Charley, which we evacuated for before it turned. She thought the people in SW Florida were lucky, because school would be cancelled. That caused me to make sure she saw what happened, which turned her from flippant to terrified and traumatized that we will get the same. She is as steadfast as we are now in getting ready

 

[AdventurerKat]

I had this discussion with my boss today. I am not a Bush fan, either one of them, but I tell ya, people had plenty of time to prepare and they should have. He was right on with that comment, whether it ticked some people off or not.

 

[Mom2Ashli]

You are absolutely correct. I grew up in Tampa and have never lived out of Florida. Before last year, I thought a Cat 1 or 2 storm to be no big deal. But we too absorbed two glancing blows last year from what were then tropical storms (Frances and Jeanne after they crossed the state). After seeing what they did, anyone that thinks a Cat 1 is no big deal is as misinformed as I was then.

Last Saturday we were at a party. I didn’t want to go because Tampa was still in the cone at 5pm Saturday and I was going to need all Sunday to get up my shutters and prepare my and my elderly mother's house and maybe get everyone out of mine depending on what it looked like. My attitide showed, as I did not want to engage in libations anticipating that task. My fellow party goers were nonplussed, saying that even it hit Tampa, it would only be a Cat 1 or 2. Crazy. Lucky for me, we were about out by the 11pm update and totally out on the 5am update. But even then the cone extended just south, and even a near miss can be catastrophic. In fact, that's when you need your shutters up most. Shutters won't really do much against a Cat 4 direct hit, but anything less generates a lot of flying debris that your house could survive but your windows won't

I also live in the Tampa Bay Area. We were getting prepared no matter what size the storm was going to be. It still had a lot of time in the Gulf to re-gain strength (as it did) and I wanted to be ready for it. I had already planned to fill up the tub and the washing machine to have extra water to give my animals and be able to wash up and fill the toilet to flush. We had bottled drinking water and food. Gas Grill tanks filled and generator ready to start.

We had a small storm come thru a couple of months ago and we were without power for 15 hours. You never know what is going to happen and when.

 

[momof3disneyholics]

In all honesty, I went out on Wednesday night and bought my supplies. This was when they were forecasting the storm to hit us on Saturday. I remember then they changed it to Sunday, then to Monday. There were a few people actually doing the same thing. I knew I looked foolish pushing a cart full of water, but I have 3 kids to be responsible for so I wasn't taking any chances. Now, I have 15 gallons of water on my back porch, and a deep freezer full of ice. I don't care though, because I know I'd rather be safe than sorry.
I ignored the local forecast that said we weren't going to get much. I remembered how last year Charley turned and hit Punta Gorda (spelling?) and those people weren't prepared.
I can't believe how people just didn't go out and buy some simple things like water. Like other posters said, you can make your own ice with ziploc bags, and water is only around 70 cents a gallon at Walmart. It has always just made me so mad when people don't help themselves and then blame the government.

 

[chyam]

I also live in the Tampa Bay Area. We were getting prepared no matter what size the storm was going to be. It still had a lot of time in the Gulf to re-gain strength (as it did) and I wanted to be ready for it. I had already planned to fill up the tub and the washing machine to have extra water to give my animals and be able to wash up and fill the toilet to flush. We had bottled drinking water and food. Gas Grill tanks filled and generator ready to start.

We had a small storm come thru a couple of months ago and we were without power for 15 hours. You never know what is going to happen and when.

Well apparently you and I have the same storm checklist! and I don't feel like an idiot that I did it all and will do it again, as we both learned from Charley it could have been us then, storms are fickle and go where and when they want to!

 

[Mom2Ashli]

Well apparently you and I have the same storm checklist! and I don't feel like an idiot that I did it all and will do it again, as we both learned from Charley it could have been us then, storms are fickle and go where and when they want to!

Exactly. My Mom ends up at my house and I have a DD6 to make sure she is safe. Plus my two dogs and two cats will need drinking water also. It is a lot of responsible and I want to make sure I am prepared to do so.

We did not panic but we were prepared. There was no reason not to be.

We also have gas in gas cans and we always top off our tanks. Just in case we need to leave we will be able to get there.

 

[leighe]

I'm honestly asking a question - not flaming, criticizing, or judging. Several people have mentioned that the news media made the storm seem like "only" a Category 1 or 2 so maybe people didn't think they needed to prepare as much. We were in WDW last week - Tuesday through Sunday - and we watched the weather channel and news every night. I am positive that the Orlando stations always talked about Wilma as a Cat 3 or 4 storm and were urging people to prepare in case it even got worse. Were the news stations in southern Fl saying something different?

 

[momof3disneyholics]

I'm honestly asking a question - not flaming, criticizing, or judging. Several people have mentioned that the news media made the storm seem like "only" a Category 1 or 2 so maybe people didn't think they needed to prepare as much. We were in WDW last week - Tuesday through Sunday - and we watched the weather channel and news every night. I am positive that the Orlando stations always talked about Wilma as a Cat 3 or 4 storm and were urging people to prepare in case it even got worse. Were the news stations in southern Fl saying something different?

I go down to Miami on business about once a month, I have to actually go down there next week, (later this month for pleasure ) and I am pretty sure that they have the Weather Channel down there.
I remember them saying how this was the most intense hurricane in history. That should have raise some flags right there!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I'm honestly asking a question - not flaming, criticizing, or judging. Several people have mentioned that the news media made the storm seem like "only" a Category 1 or 2 so maybe people didn't think they needed to prepare as much. We were in WDW last week - Tuesday through Sunday - and we watched the weather channel and news every night. I am positive that the Orlando stations always talked about Wilma as a Cat 3 or 4 storm and were urging people to prepare in case it even got worse. Were the news stations in southern Fl saying something different?

Not remembering my timeline exactly--but it was going to hit as a 1, then a 2, then a 3....

And even with those strike predictions--south florida aka west palm and miami areas...it was expected to weaken to a 1 or a 2.

I have pretty much come to the conclusion that everything about hurricane prep in south florida is all done in relation and direct comparison to Andrew. If it isn't a predicted 4 or a 5.....then it is a "little" hurricane. It is pretty sad.

Same thing happened on the Gulf Coast. Some people died b/c they had been through Camille and how could anything be as bad as Camille? They paid with their lives and their property. (Not all people were like this--but these were first hand reports/interviews with people making these statements).

 

[ducklite]

My feeling is that even a tropical storm needs to be watched. As I said in another post about a week ago--it doesn't mean that you need to go out and thump a bible on a street corner, but a bit of preparedness and common sense needs to prevail.

Anne

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I go down to Miami on business about once a month, I have to actually go down there next week, (later this month for pleasure ) and I am pretty sure that they have the Weather Channel down there.
I remember them saying how this was the most intense hurricane in history. That should have raise some flags right there!

Most instense prior to striking the Yucatan. At the time of it being it's most intense..it was predicted to only be a category 1 at landfall in Florida.

But a front that was to provide wind shear and weaken the hurricane--didn't come fast enough or dip south enough.

 

[Mom2Ashli]

I'm honestly asking a question - not flaming, criticizing, or judging. Several people have mentioned that the news media made the storm seem like "only" a Category 1 or 2 so maybe people didn't think they needed to prepare as much. We were in WDW last week - Tuesday through Sunday - and we watched the weather channel and news every night. I am positive that the Orlando stations always talked about Wilma as a Cat 3 or 4 storm and were urging people to prepare in case it even got worse. Were the news stations in southern Fl saying something different?

I think people focus on the Category size of the storm. In my book a Category 1 storm can still be trouble. It can still leave me without power for days. Just the winds from Charley passing by us last year took pieces of my fence down. Which could have been picked up by the wind and hit something else. And that was just a passing storm. You can never tell with Mother Nature. We were prepared for anything.

F.Y.I a
Category One Hurricane:
Winds 74-95 mph That is a lot of wind.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I go down to Miami on business about once a month, I have to actually go down there next week, (later this month for pleasure ) and I am pretty sure that they have the Weather Channel down there.
I remember them saying how this was the most intense hurricane in history. That should have raise some flags right there!

Well that intensity took place prior to the landfall in Mexico.

As for stations reporting a Cat. 3 or 4 that early in the week, no that wasn't the case. It wasn't until Saturday night into Sunday that forecasters realized there would not be as much shear in the Gulf, and that Wilma MAY (it was still MAY at that point) strenghthen. In fact it was either the NHC or the State EOC who said, figure it will be a Cat. 2 but go ahead and prepare for a Cat. 3. I believe this statement was made on Sunday. Yeah Wilma was out there for days on end taking her sweet little time, but there were some changes that took place 24 hours prior to her landfall that caught some people off guard.

Please don't take my statements to mean that I think Jeb or the state did anything wrong, I don't. I do believe people should be prepared. However, things happen, and I can't really sit in judgment of people who are going through a difficult time now.

I also think a panic mentality sets in and even if people do have supplies, they feel the need to get more. Last year I remember the long lines at the FEMA stations here after Frances and Jeanne just a day or two after the storms. These hurricanes wig some people out. Heck watch Invasion sometime.

 

[disneymom3]

WEll, I am glad to read this thread because I have been wondering about this same issue. There were plenty of parents standing in line for water and mad at the government that they had to wait in this long line. Well, they didn't have to wait in the line. It's not like they would have had to buy water even, just fill your milk jugs as you use them and wash them out.

I do not live in FL but I do live in a state where we get tornadoes and blizzards. We have an area in our basement which has a mattress, a rubbermaid bin of blankets, books for the kids, bottled water, a handcrank--chargeable radio and light and several flashlights. We also keep boxes of food and canned fruit and vegies on hand. About a month ago, we were in the middle of making dinner and the tornado sirens went off. No three days or a week of warning involved--nope, basically we get a "Hey, it touched down a few miles away." So, down we went. Luckily in our neighborhood we did not lose power, but had it happened we would have been ready.

I just don't get this attitude of being mad that someone else didn't take care of your responsiblities.

 

[DawnCt1]

WEll, I am glad to read this thread because I have been wondering about this same issue. There were plenty of parents standing in line for water and mad at the government that they had to wait in this long line. Well, they didn't have to wait in the line. It's not like they would have had to buy water even, just fill your milk jugs as you use them and wash them out.

I do not live in FL but I do live in a state where we get tornadoes and blizzards. We have an area in our basement which has a mattress, a rubbermaid bin of blankets, books for the kids, bottled water, a handcrank--chargeable radio and light and several flashlights. We also keep boxes of food and canned fruit and vegies on hand. About a month ago, we were in the middle of making dinner and the tornado sirens went off. No three days or a week of warning involved--nope, basically we get a "Hey, it touched down a few miles away." So, down we went. Luckily in our neighborhood we did not lose power, but had it happened we would have been ready.

I just don't get this attitude of being mad that someone else didn't take care of your responsiblities.

Well said. What hurricane doesn't take out the electricity, impact the gas pumps, obstruct roads? Its unbelievable to me that a family couldn't be prepared for 5 days on their own. Was it a surprise?

 

[froglady]

Maybe now people will understand that a Hurricane is a HURRICANE! The Categories may differentiate between those that will kill many and destroy large areas, and those that will kill few with minor damage, but they're ALL dangerous. Perhaps they should go back to calling them Tropical Cyclones. You must be prepared if you want to survive; God willing, you won't be in a life or death situation, but will probably have loss of power and disruption of services, unless you're lucky.

It looks like another TS is forming, which will probably become a hurricane. The weather channel says that it should turn away from the US, but I will still be watching it until it does. Not panicking, not thinking the worst, but just watching it.

 

[MizBlu]

Hmmm lets see we are told 72 hours of food and water. How many hours have now passed? I can totally see people being out of supplies at this point.

It's nice how once again we can all sit here in a confortable environment and throw the blame on people who are suffering.

I'll be perfectly honest, it wasn't until Sunday morning that I realized the **** was going to hit the fan with regard to Wilma. But I came that conclusion no thanks to the media, but because of my own research and understanding. I swear that most people had no idea it was going to hit this hard, especially those on the East coast. It was practically being downplayed and cast as a west coast problem. What wasn't really taken into account was the effect of the cold front just entering into Florida and its interaction with Wilma. This was a storm with the worst weather to the NORTH. The front also caused the eye to explode creating a much larger wind field, especially with regard to hurricane force winds. The winds were bad in ALL quandrants of this storm. There was no "dirty" side, it was ALL bad.

As for the not evacuating comments on this thread...The EOC states that if you have a house built to current hurricane standards, that you are not in a mandatory evacuation area, that you do not live in a low lying area, that you have your home PROPERLY protected, and you have supplies, you are better off in your home. You hide from wind, run from water. And when evacuation orders are issued, we are always cautioned not to go hundreds of miles, but to go to the nearest, safest place. Believe me anyone that DID evacuate, are now back home dealing with the issues before them. People barely wait for the storm to pass before they start heading back to see what has been done, even when they are cautioned about the conditions they are going back to. Could you really NOT go back to see what happened to your home? That's why I really felt for the NO Katrina victims, since they couldn't get back for a very long time to see what was left.

There but for the grace of God go you or I. Too many people are too busy pointing fingers to remember that anything can happen to anyone.

Btw, thanks for mentioning that "72 hours" as that is what people were told to have supplies for. Of course all the survivalists around here are prepared for the next nuclear attack, but I digress.

And if people had lots of advance notice of Wilma, so did the government services. There is no excuse for what's going on in South Florida. People were told, by the Jeb Bush crew, that Florida was prepared. Baloney.