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- Gulf States Disaster -
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Wednesday, August 31, 2005
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Wow, what a mess. We in Florida are so fortunate that storm did not take it's original path, as there is a very good chance Florida would be a "once was" state! Now don't get me wrong, I'm very sad for the people in LA, MS and AL.
I remember back when the 4 hurricanes hit here in Florida last year and how devistating I thought it was. It was. I know it was worse for others than it was for me, but here's this Michigan girl who wanted to see a hurricane. I wanted to know first hand how the wind blows, the feeling, the excitement, the nervousness, the sights of people and businesses boarding up windows. I mean, what's the worst that could happen? A little water in the house is no big deal! HUH! Right. I remember being at home and seeing water seeping through the ceiling of our "office/playroom". First it was one leak. Then another, then another. Pretty soon there were so many leaks that the 5 gallon buckets filled so fast I had to dump one and the other would be full, on and on. I did what I could- covered the computer monitor, computer office files and waited. I watched in disbelief that it was raining in my house! I called Chris, who was working that night and he said to salvage what I could, otherwise that's what insurance is for. We had no power, so that wasn't a big concern. I turned the power box off and left for the night to go to Chris & Robin's--they had power still. The boys were with my grandma and thought it was pretty cool since they got to eat peanut butter and crackers for every meal! :-)
Once I got home from Chris and Robin's that morning I walked to the back of the house to assess the damage. I called Melissa on my cell phone to joke (since that was all there was left to do) that it was raining in my house when all of the sudden my ceiling collapsed. It looked like someone took a big bucket of water and just dumped it over the room then disaster. We had soggy isnsulation, nails, boards--you name it, all over the floor. Water was seeping through the walls into the bathroom, boy's room, our room, kitchen and laundry room. It was a MESS! But--within a week or so our power was restored, debris was cleaned up, roofs were tarped and insurance claims were filed. Our county was back on it's feet and ready to go. All in all our "devistation" in this county lasted maybe 2-3 weeks. And the only thing that actually ended up hitting us were tropical storms!
So, looking at what could happen, in comparison to what did happen, would probably wipe out or eliminate Florida as we know it. Just as it's doing to New Orleans, Gulfport, Biloxi and other cities.
People ask me when we get these storms if I'd rather be in Michigan (you know, because Michigan doesn't ever get storms!). I don't think they realize that we do in fact get storms up there too and though most are not of this magnitude, they don't realize how easily they could be. The areas I'm from in Michigan have never seen a "major" tornado. The forecasters compared this storm to an F-3 tornado. Michigan hasn't seen that. But what about blizzards? What about them? We got a few. Was there major destruction? No. Was there significant loss of life? No. Was there significant loss of property? No. Most of the problems we got from blizzards were power outages for a few days and flooding when it melted. Flooding not even closely comparible to what's happening in the south.But CAN it happen? Absolutely! We've just been extremely fortunate in Michigan that we've been "missed". So...no I wouldn't rather be in Michigan. I'm happy and thankful I'm at where I'm at, because someday, sometime it's bound to happen where ever you live...you just hope it doesn't happen in your time!
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4 Comments:
Of course I disagree :) Even with blizzards, tornados and floods, I feel lucky that I'm not asked to evacuate my home. I can seek shelter inside of my walls or in the basement. The blizzard winds aren't going to knock my house over. The waters from the lakes aren't going to have a sea surge and float my house away. It isn't going to rain so hard that water seeps through the roof. Yeah, we still have crappy weather stuff hit us and kill people...but I can't imagine having to evacuate knowing your entire house in under water. Now...yeah...a tornado...those winds are obviously a little different. But still, I don't have to leave my home and travel inland to escape the storm. I take refuge in my home and pray for the best. Hurricanes...whoa. The water damage, wind damage...you just aren't going to get it as devastating here.
I'm not dissing living in FL. Like you said, you didn't get it as bad as it could have been. I also wish I were there November through March. I guess the persistent, imminent threat of a hurricane would drive me batty after awhile. I've only been under one tornado watch so far this year. Nothing happened. I'm probably going to be spited for that statement.
Again, I'm not necessarily dissing on FL but being in the path of one of those things if you live in the south...how do you escape? Where is your shelter? Inland. By the way, who builds a city below sea level?
Still, I feel pretty safe from hurricanes, tsunamis, and earthquakes. What's a blizzard here and there and the occasional tornado watch?
It's crazy. Sometimes I think someone is trying to get rid of us or bring us down. The ante keeps being upped. "Oh, so...you felt really bad about the Tsunami? Here...have Katrina. Oh, you feel safe living in the Midwest? Here, take a F20 tornado."
~Holly
I guess it is all in what you get used. I have lived in Florida for almost all of my life. I was born in Maryland and lived there til I was about 11 before we moved back home (my family is from Florida for generations).Hurricanes are just a part of life, their devestation is very sad and my heart goes out to everyone dealing with the Katrina. But the thought of living out west with earthquakes in the midwest with tornadoes - not that scares me. At least with a hurrican you have days notice to prepare or evacuate. Those other things - they come at you out the blue with no warning. On second your sitting on your couch, next second your in Oz. If you think about it, it is very funny, when I talk to people who live up north and I'm amazed at what they do in preparation for living with cold temperatures - things I never even think about, like locks on car doors freezing up, batteries going dead in cars, snow tires, chains, not being able to get out of your driveway until you shovel and walking on a frozen pond/lake. Well now that is just a suicide mission. You are absolutely going to fall through and be trapped beneath the ice - I see it on TV all the time.
It is amazing what people can get used to. There is nothing more frightening than the unfamiliar.
All and all, I love Florida - it is my home, there is no other place like it and I can't even imagine living anywhere else.
Yes, Anonymous, but we can stay inside when its cold! And I've never seen a tornado! And we do have warning...though not as much as you do for a hurricane...but all we need warning for is to go into the basement or jump in a ditch. Tornados fasinate me. Do I ever want to be in the direct path? Noooo...because they scare me at the same time. Of course, damage from a tornado is a lot more contained than a hurricane. The path is much more narrow. Weather folks are getting much better at accurately knowing exactly where they will hit and when.
Excellent points and really my whole point behind my post was actually how bad I feel for those people. I can't imagine being shipped to Texas! We have American refugees. It blows my mind. This has never, ever, ever happened before on our soil. Refugees in the states. People have been homeless and relocated to other cities, but this is a massive number of people now homeless without anywhere to go except to the Astrodome...in other state. Could something like that happen here in Michigan? Don't know but I pray it doesn't.
You're right that it really just depends on what you are used to. I guess I just feel a little guilty going about my normal life when my friend goes through a hurricane and now thousands of people have had their lives washed away. Again, I don't mean to give the impression that the midwest is better than the south. Pluses and minuses all the way around.
Peace out from the Mitten,
~HB
HA! Peace out from the mitten! That was kinda funny!
Look how long it's been since NO has seen a hurricane--I mean a REAL hurricane. 1969! That's a long time! Same with Florida, they had Andrew in the 90's but before that it was in the 1920's that they had a bad hurricane! Nobody can ever predict when these are going to happen, other than the "season" and it's bound to someday. Just like up in Michigan. We had tornado season up there, just like winter--but it's been years & years since any major disaster. Unfortunately, like I said in the post, it's bound to happen...you just hope it's not anytime soon!
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