Hurricane Francis

[Granbonny]

They just said on T.V it will be the largest one ever to hit America (in size) Don't know what the winds, ect. will do...Storm surge? I saw a film on one that hit the Gulfport , Miss area years back and it washed away a 3 story motel a mile away. Georgia should be getting heavy rains by Sunday and Monday.Guess we'll rent movies and stay indoors. Ann, they did just say it could cross Fla and hit the other side..A double-whammy. Bonnie

 

[hanali]

Gulfport MS

Gulfport MS

There was a hurricane party going on on the 3rd floor of that motel in Gulfport at the time the storm hit. Only one person survived to tell the story.
I was living in Jackson MS then and knew a few people that either lost friends or family members in that one. The Biloxi/Gulfport area was forever changed...huge live oaks that used to border the highway were blown or washed away. There are still foundations of houses that were destroyed. Beautiful old houses...not just beach houses or condos...houses that had been there for a hundred years.
It still makes me sad to drive down there.

 

[Granbonny]

Hanali

Hanali

I think it was a woman who survived and she lost her hubby..Survived by holding on to a piece of wood?...Now, there are all those million dollar Casinos..Jutting way out in the Ocean. Can you imagine another Hurricane like that one hitting Gulfport All that money floating in the water. Bonnie

 

[hensylee]

Hey, Bonnie - there's another one of us southern belles - Hanali

Bryan - are you forgetting about the panhandle? Most folks don't even realize there's a section of Florida that's west of all the rest. We could be in line for this storm if it should cross the state peninsula, get into the gulf, regain strength and then come right to my door. We are hoping that doesn't happen and probably won't, but they are not telling us that it won't - or telling us that it will.

As I said last year and the year before - the only thing predictable thing about a hurricane is that it is unpredictable.

 

[Harrybaby666]

Lorrrrrrrrrdddddddddyyyyyy!!!!!

Lorrrrrrrrrdddddddddyyyyyy!!!!!

Everyone on here from Alabama, to Florida to SC, TN and everyone else I missed: I am wishing you who are possibly affected all the safety and care possible..I will be thinking of ya and hoping everyone comes out of it unscathed...Take Care, Harrybaby666 (And I Stress EEEEKKK!!!!)

 

[hensylee]

We're about to enter the peak of the hurricane season. Any day now, you're going to turn on the TV and see a weather person pointing to some radar blob out in the Gulf of Mexico and making two basic meteorological points:

(1) There is no need to panic.
(2) We could all be killed.

Yes, hurricane season is an exciting time to be in Florida. If you're new to the area, you're probably wondering what you need to do to prepare for the possibility that we'll get hit by "the big one." Based on our experiences, we recommend that you follow this simple three-step hurricane preparedness plan:

STEP 1.
Buy enough food and bottled water to last your family for at least three days
STEP 2.
Put these supplies into your car.

STEP 3.
Drive to Nebraska and remain there until Halloween. Unfortunately, statistics show that most people will not follow this sensible plan. Most people will foolishly stay here in Florida.

We'll start with one of the most important hurricane preparedness items:

HOMEOWNERS' INSURANCE:
If you own a home, you must have hurricane insurance. Fortunately, this insurance is cheap and easy to get, as long as your home meets two basic requirements:

(1) It is reasonably well-built, and
(2) It is located in Nebraska.

Unfortunately, if your home is located in Florida, or any other area that might actually be hit by a hurricane, most insurance companies would prefer not to sell you hurricane insurance, because then they might be required to pay YOU money, and that is certainly not why they got into the insurance business in the first place. So you'll have to scrounge around for an insurance company, which will charge you an annual premium roughly equal to the replacement value of your house. At any moment, this company can drop you like used dental floss. Since Hurricane George, I have had an estimated 27 different home-insurance companies. This week, I'm covered by the Bob and Big Stan Insurance Company, under a policy which states that, in addition to my premium, Bob and Big Stan are entitled, on demand, to my kidneys.

SHUTTERS:
Your house should have hurricane shutters on all the windows, all the doors, and -- if it's a major hurricane -- all the toilets. There are several types of shutters, with advantages and disadvantages:

Plywood shutters: The advantage is that, because you make them yourself, they're cheap. The disadvantage is that, because you make them yourself, they will fall off.

Sheet-metal shutters: The advantage is that these work well, once you get them all up. The disadvantage is that once you get them all up, your hands will be useless bleeding stumps, and it will be December.

Roll-down shutters: The advantages are that they're very easy to use, and will definitely protect your house. The disadvantage is that you will have to sell your house to pay for them.

Hurricane-proof windows: These are the newest wrinkle in hurricane protection: They look like ordinary windows, but they can withstand hurricane winds! You can be sure of this, because the salesman says so. He
lives in Nebraska.

Hurricane Proofing Your Property:

As the hurricane approaches, check your yard for movable objects like barbecue grills, planters, patio furniture, visiting relatives, etc..
You should, as a precaution, throw these items into your swimming pool (if you don't have a swimming pool, you should have one built immediately).
Otherwise, the hurricane winds will turn these objects into deadly missiles.

EVACUATION ROUTE:
If you live in a low-lying area, you should have an evacuation route planned out. (To determine whether you live in a low-lying area, look at your driver's
license; if it says "Florida," you live in a low-lying area).

The purpose of having an evacuation route is to avoid being trapped in your home when a major storm hits. Instead, you will be trapped in a gigantic traffic jam several miles from your home, along with two hundred
thousand other evacuees. So, as a bonus, you will not be lonely.

HURRICANE SUPPLIES:
If you don't evacuate, you will need a mess of supplies. Do not buy them now! Florida tradition requires that you wait until the last possible minute, then go to the supermarket and get into vicious fights with strangers over who gets the last can of SPAM.

In addition to food and water, you will need the following supplies: 23 flashlights At least $167 worth of batteries that turn out, when the power goes off, to be the wrong size for the flashlights.

Bleach. (No, I don't know what the bleach is for. NOBODY knows what the bleach is for, but it's traditional, so GET some!)

A 55-gallon drum of underarm deodorant.

A big knife that you can strap to your leg. (This will be useless in a hurricane, but it looks cool.)

A large quantity of raw chicken, to placate the alligators. (Ask anybody who went through a hurricane; after the hurricane, there WILL be irate alligators.)

$35,000 in cash or diamonds so that, after the hurricane passes, you can buy a generator from a man with no discernible teeth.

Of course these are just basic precautions. As the hurricane draws near, it is vitally important that you keep abreast of the situation by turning on your television and watching TV reporters in rain slickers stand right next to the ocean and tell you over and over how vitally important it is for everybody to stay away from the ocean.

 

[tobagotwo]

Heh, heh! What a hoot, Ann! That one should go to the internet and be shipped around the world a few times! I left your post halfway through to find the necessary, and I'm not even on diuretics!

Heh...I'm still chuckling...

Too bad so much of it is based in fact.

I'm not sure about your plan, though. In August, there are still plenty of tornadoes in Nebraska, I think. There's probably a thunderstorm surcharge there. Hurricane insurance was removed from the rest of the homeowner's insurance even up here, but it's not an expensive rider for us, like it is for you folks. Maybe at the shore, or in low-lying areas.

Looks like this one may rain itself out right in Bonny's front yard. Wonder what they're charging for the mountainslide insurance rider these days? I hope you're anchored to the rock, Bonny.

National Hurricane Prediction website: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/


Best wishes,

 

[Raverlaw]

Or-

You all could just move to California. We don't have hurricanes or tornadoes, it rarely snows and, in my neck of the woods, hardly ever even freezes!

We do have the occasional earthquake, but since they come with NO warning, you don't have to worry about being prepared for one.

 

[tobagotwo]

Frances, just bumping her nose on Florida:

 

[tobagotwo]

Current predictions for Frances:

 

[catwoman]

One of my cat clubs is having a show this weekend in the Dallas-Fort Worth TX area. One of our judges canceled this week -- lives 3 miles from ocean on Atlantic Coast of FL, was preparing to evacuate w/ her husband and (a few older) cats to their daughter's home another 7-10 miles further inland.

The president of our association, Pam DelaBar, has been working in FL the last 2-3 weeks after the last hurricane, helping with animal rescue. Pam has worked with animal rescue following disasters for a number of years.

Ann:

The bleach is to disinfect water ... Bleach will kill almost all nasty stuff, just a tiny bit needed. Regular disinfectant strength is 1 oz to 32 oz water. Have seen it as 1:16 (whew!!!!!!!!). I think you could use a drop or so for drinking water use.

 

[tobagotwo]

OK. We now have a good reason to buy water in a bottle. Bleach...ugh.

They also have reusable water cannisters that have ceramic filters that can filter out everything, right down to giardia (tiny protozoan) and cryptosporidium.

Best wishes,

 

[Granbonny]

Busy working on our Ark all day.. Now, to line up the animals..2 by 2.. Going to be hard catching Zeke, my bear.. but all I have to do is hold up some hostas and the deer will follow me. Bonnie

 

[hensylee]

Busy working on our Ark all day.. Now, to line up the animals..2 by 2.. Going to be hard catching Zeke, my bear.. but all I have to do is hold up some hostas and the deer will follow me. Bonnie

Bonnie - read 'preparing' below.

From an Atlantan this morning:

Due to various time factors some of this info may be out of date but I hope
it may be helpful to some.

Motel & hotel space is difficult if not impossible to find in most parts of
Georgia. They are planning on closing some schools for classes in some
parts of Georgia, mostly in south Georgia. These schools are being setup
as shelters in what generally are considered reasonably safe
structures. Sleeping will probably be somewhat unusual but food and
medical supplies should be readily available. Interstate, national, state
and local roads should have signs directing you to these sites.

Interstate 16, in middle Georgia has been changed to one way West as they
don't want any traffic heading east to the coast.

The Atlanta area has dispatched 30 of our HERO units(Highway Emergency
Response Operator) to Florida Interstate highways and will follow the route
of the hurricane. These units are well named as they do an excellent job
of keeping the Interstate highways in the Atlanta area operating. They are
well equipped for flat tires, out of gas, up to large fatal accidents,
bridge damage, highway washouts etc. They do an excellent job.

As everybody must know the weather bureau, news sources etc are being very
cautious to warn people that a hurricane may change course at anytime and
don't rely on any information that you may have fairly recently
received. If you don't already have one, with fresh batteries, and can
still find one, get a good portable radio that also has the weather
channel. Radio Shack is a good source and I think you can get one for 10
to 20 dollars.

Home Depot headquarters is in the Atlanta area. The Atlanta stores have
been asking for volunteers to go to the Florida stores and truck loads of
all kinds of supplies that may be needed have been flowing to Florida.

Of course things can change but they are now saying the Atlanta area may
get hit by the down graded to tropical storm Frances Monday &
Tuesday. Even a tropical storm has high winds and maybe worse very heavy
rain storms. We need the rain but gully washers do more harm than good by
flooding. Atlanta is known as the Green city because of all of our trees
but strong winds and heavy rain causes many trees to fall, causing very
severe damage.

 

[Granbonny]

Catwoman

Catwoman

I justed watched the local Atlanta news...Interstate 75 runs out of Fla into Atlanta. the hotels are taking pets..Nice..but this poor elderly lady named Rosa, said when they were unloading her car. the cat ran away. She was crying..At end of news, they said, Rosa's cat had still not been found 1 couple had brought their 2 horses..staying in rest center..Trying to get word out of farms who will take large animals..Everyone in Georgia wants to help..Bonnie

 

[Bryan B]

Ann,

Didn't mean to leave ya'll in the panhandle out, you have had more than your share of unwelcome visitors. I guess my point was to make sure those in states other than FL not let their gaurd down. Imagine, I left Nashville for Raleigh yesterday and as of now I'm in the safer of the two locations (knock on wood). And not to pour salt on the wound, but has anyone taken a look at Ivan yet?

 

[Ross]

From my sister in law concerning my brother in law and family-

Update - Conversation w/ Clark Friday, 2:00 ish

Since hurricane Frances was downgraded to a cat 3 with 115 MPH winds (and probably for many other stubborn-brother-Weimer and logistical headache reasons - like lack of vacant hotels, diminishing gas supplies, fighting debris on the way back or who knows), Clark and his family (minus Ashley at Gainesville) have decided to ride out the storm at their home. (Ok, I'd have left days ago ... Brothers never stop being butt-heads..and I'm not there to know the details of the decision)

He said he called the builder to understand what the house can withstand ... and feels comfortable with what the builder told him. They have boarded up, helped friends board up, and have supplies and a generator for afterwards.
They have secured as much of the outside of the house as possible, moved things they packed in the truck back into the house, and have staked out places in their house that are safer and have a plan for when to go there. Of course they are very tired and are now waiting for the slower arrival. (Although at 13, Kelcey may be viewing this as the adventure of her life!)

That's it for now ... Clark said he'd call sometime "later" and after the worst passes - although they are getting some wind and spotty rain now, the strongest part isn't expected till Sat mid-late afternoon.

Later,
Sue

 

[KathyH]

Ann,
I read somewhere that the bleach is in case your water supply is contaminated, you put something like a drop in per gallon. Hopefully you would have enough bottled water to last. I hope everyone in FL is safe.
Kathy H

 

[EVELYN]

Hi Ann and all

Will be praying for you, Henslyee......hoping it doesn't go up into the pan handle. What about Bill Aldridge---isn't he down in fla, too??????

We're leaving Monday for Maine....all we need is the LI sound to be smooth and we're gone....looks like rain in Maine for Wed.

Will be thinking of ya'll down south.

Evelyn

 

[Emma]

Thinking of everyone near the huricanes over there! It's been on all our news over here too!

We are booked to come to Orlando Florida next year at the beginning of August - could be changing our minds now!

Emma
xxx