Would You Evacuate?

[JB111107]

I am not in Houston/Galveston but in Dallas. Let me tell you- there was MAJOR help out there. They had the warning the storm was coming and did everything concevable to get them out. I have very low sympathy.
My company has an office in Houston w/ a few hundred employees and we are trucking down food, water and ice and we are a data processing company.
Sorry- I would get out- no question about it.

Oh yeah, I'm well aware of all the help. DH's unit was the ones doing all the air medical evacs prior to the storm hitting, and some of his unit is down there now. It's always that small few that seem to weasel their way onto network news shows to make the lot of them look pathetic. I have little sympathy for the idiots that chose to stay behind then whine either. They had more than ample opportunity to go, either of their own accord, or via busses and such. Any trouble they have now is nobody else's fault but their own. Had they left they'd have been in a safe shelter with food, water, and medical attention.

Maybe it is just me, but if you choose to build your life in a geographical area that is prone to extreme weather such as a hurricane, you should be more than prepared at any time to provide yourself with food/water, etc. for several days. Even up here in DFW we keep at least a week's worth of water, MRE's and canned goods that do not require cooking on hand at all times. Sure came in handy this spring when we were suddenly without power for nearly 4 days from tornadoes in our area. There are risks no matter where you live, it is up to you to properly prepare for them.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

We would evacuate.......the people who break my heart are the nurses, doctors, EMTs, police, fire that have to stay and have to let their families go...

I said to DH over dinner tonight I could never forgive the people that stayed in town by choice and my loved one was called to "rescue" them after they decided they should have left in the first place......

 

[luvtogo12]

We evacuated several times. I don't have to be told twice, that is for sure. During Floyd, the evacuations came a little too late, the water rose quickly and I could not get my car out. A friend drove us to my parents house (DH was stranded at work). There were 5 of us in a 4 seater and I was holding the baby the whole way. It did not even cross my mind to get the car seat out of the car when I was evacuating.

I was a wreck but I knew we had to get some place safe. I would have walked 10 miles with my three kids if it meant safety for my children.

 

[4greatboys]

I can tell you why many people didn't evacuate this time and it was due to the HUGE fiasco of the Rita evacuation. My family was stuck on the freeway for a 24 hour period of time. There was NO gas, no food and cars were breaking down right and left. If the storm had not turned we would have all been stuck on the freeway during it.

Luckily after being on the freeway for 24 hours I had a friend, Cheri (Bumcat) who invited us to come to her house in Katy since we weren't able to get out of town. We were friends on the boards but had never met in person yet she opened her home to us. We will always be thankful for her and her family.

By the next day when the storm had turned we left her house and headed up I-45 to my aunts house. It looked like a 3rd world country.Broken down cars all over the side of the freeway. Families having to camp out there because their car was broken down or they had no gas. Still there was no food available either. All the stores were closed.

That said if I lived right on the water I would evacuate to atleast a little farther in land. But I can tell you everything that happened when we tried to leave for Rita had a huge effect on how people reacted this time.

 

[4cruisin]

We got evacuees from New Orleans (from Gustav), and the shelter here was equipped for animals. Officials said they had learned from Katrina how important it was to also provide for pets, or people wouldn't leave.

One family staying in the shelter here was interviewed for the news and said they left for Katrina but their dog perished This time, they were able to bring their dog (on the evacuation bus) and it was housed safely too.

The pets were kept in a facility across the street from the shelters. It was staffed 24/7 with volunteers from the Humane Society, so the animals were well-cared for, and never left alone. The owners could come and visit them whenever they liked.

I'm sure Birmingham isn't the only city that made provisions for pets in its shelters, so please don't think you have to stay because of your pets.

(I mean all pet owners, not just the poster I quoted)

I have to agree that I just can't grasp someone staying because they have nowhere to go. If someone doesn't have a friend or family member, (which...dang, that's REALLY sad!) and they can't afford a hotel, then THEY are who the shelters are for! Come on!

I'm glad that one of the lessons the offiicials learned was to allow pets to go and be well cared for also. I agree, there is no way I would leave my cat behind but I am fortunate enough that I wouldn't have to either.

I think what struck me as ridiculous was the guy that said he didn't have a vehicle big enough to evacuate 4 people? Hello, pile everyone in and go. I'd rather have someone sitting on each other's laps than making my kids go through a hurricane.

As far as the traffic issues and running out of gas etc, I wouldn't even wait for the evac order. If I thought a big enough hurricane was going to hit, I'd be long gone ahead of the rush. Call me a chicken or an alarmist, but my motto is "Be Prepared".

 

[4greatboys]

As far as the traffic issues and running out of gas etc, I wouldn't even wait for the evac order. If I thought a big enough hurricane was going to hit, I'd be long gone ahead of the rush. Call me a chicken or an alarmist, but my motto is "Be Prepared".

Many of the people caught up in that traffic did evacuate before the mandatory order. We had all just seen what happened with Katrina. Most people left Wednesday and Rita wasn't supposed to hit til Friday.

As for the gas it was scarce before the evac so it's not unusual people ran out.

 

[FoundMyPrince]

Yes, we would leave.

I've had to stop watching the coverage of the aftermath of the hurricane because I just get so mad watching people whine on the television about lack of water, power, and other services. It was a huge hurricane and folks were under a mandatory evacuation order to leave or face "certain death". How much clearer do things need to be? Before the hurricane hit, some folks were out partying and whooping it up because it was going to be fun! I heard a guy say that he needed to stay behind because he had a small grocery store that he needed to care for. Mind you it (his store/house) was flooded early on and he didn't have supplies for himself or the 15 others in his house because he had to make a buck. I cannot imagine 20,000 people thinking they are so immortal. I really thought after Katrina people would have learned something.

 

[4cruisin]

Many of the people caught up in that traffic did evacuate before the mandatory order. We had all just seen what happened with Katrina. Most people left Wednesday and Rita wasn't supposed to hit til Friday.

As for the gas it was scarce before the evac so it's not unusual people ran out.

4greatboys,
I did not mean to sound sarcastic. I am sorry that you are cleaning up the mess from Ike. My heart really breaks for people that have been affected by the storm.

I am saying for myself, I am a nut when it comes to disasters etc. My family still makes fun of me because right after 9/11 when it was recommended that we get plastic and duck tape for our windows, I went out and got enough plastic to cover 3/4's of the houses in my town, seriously.

My dh is still grumbling about the boxes of the stuff in the basement. Anyone need any plastic?

 

[SandraVB79]

I would leave even before they told me to.

And (and now I will get flamed) if the only way to leave means leaving pets behind, ys, I would do that. I would set them up with water/ food to get through as long as possible, but if that would be the only way to get out and save my children, I would do it.



DISCLAIMER: I don't have children nor a pet yet.

 

[4greatboys]

4greatboys,
I did not mean to sound sarcastic. I am sorry that you are cleaning up the mess from Ike. My heart really breaks for people that have been affected by the storm.

I am saying for myself, I am a nut when it comes to disasters etc. My family still makes fun of me because right after 9/11 when it was recommended that we get plastic and duck tape for our windows, I went out and got enough plastic to cover 3/4's of the houses in my town, seriously.

My dh is still grumbling about the boxes of the stuff in the basement. Anyone need any plastic?

I didn't think you were. A lot of people don't realize how bad it was down here for Rita. And that was everyone leaving like we should have and even before the mandatory evac's started. Just providing a little insight to what went on then and why some this time chose not to get into that kind of situation again. And that lots of citizens here don't just casually consider the situation. It was pretty much damned if you and damned if you don't.

I did see on the news the ones in the bar Those people were indeed idiots. Now if I lived on the island I definately would have atleast headed inland. Those high tidal surges do scare me.

 

[Amlee]

Yes, we would leave.

I've had to stop watching the coverage of the aftermath of the hurricane because I just get so mad watching people whine on the television about lack of water, power, and other services. It was a huge hurricane and folks were under a mandatory evacuation order to leave or face "certain death". How much clearer do things need to be? Before the hurricane hit, some folks were out partying and whooping it up because it was going to be fun! I heard a guy say that he needed to stay behind because he had a small grocery store that he needed to care for. Mind you it (his store/house) was flooded early on and he didn't have supplies for himself or the 15 others in his house because he had to make a buck. I cannot imagine 20,000 people thinking they are so immortal. I really thought after Katrina people would have learned something.

I just loved the guy who said he stayed so he could surf the waves after Ike came through. But now he has no food, water or a place to stay.

The reports didn't know what to say back to him. One of them looked at him like he was stupid. You could read it clearly in her eyes.

 

[kmebee]

I just loved the guy who said he stayed so he could surf the waves after Ike came through. But now he has no food, water or a place to stay.

The reports didn't know what to say back to him. One of them looked at him like he was stupid. You could read it clearly in her eyes.

I saw this guy too and thought the same thing I'm sure those reporters were thinking ...