stevevan Posted July 7, 2005 Share Posted July 7, 2005 In addition to the terrible events in London, the panhandle of Florida is once again under the gun from another hurricane! Many people are still struggling to recover after hurricane Ivan last year. The forcasters are all saying that this one is taking nearly the identical track that Ivan took just ten months ago. I'm afraid that Cindy was just a warm up for us. We'll see. It will definitely be an interesting weekend! Maybe TCH-Jim can get everyone in Key West to turn their blow dryers on and point them south! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisety Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 I was thinking of TCH-Jim being in the Keys and being evacuated. Keep safe! Lise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Rob Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 I feel for you guys and hope everything turns out well for all of you. Sometimes I am glad I live in a desert. We do not have much in the way of natural disasters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Thomas Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 Be safe everyone in the area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samrc Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 Looks like Dennis, now a cat 4 hurricane, is headed for Pensacola on the Florida panhandle. I am so afraid for folks up there. Even here in Central Floridia, many have not recovered from last year, still have tarped roofs. I'm sure it is the same in the the Pensacola area ea of Florida too. My prayers and good wishes for anyone in the path of this very strong, very organized storm! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevevan Posted July 8, 2005 Author Share Posted July 8, 2005 yeah...it's like there's a big bulls-eye over us! The good thing ab out this storm (if there IS such a thing) is that everyone has learned valuable lessons from Ivan, so there is MUCH preparation going on even this far out. If it hits, damage will be pretty bad, but people are more prepared than ever. My biggest fear is that what's left of the beaches will be wiped out even more. I'll keep everyone as up to date as I can. (I plan on riding it out a bit closer to home than I did for Ivan.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabreu Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 (edited) We live in the cone of death baby! (S. Floridian Term, don't know if it has made it out.) At this point, we have pretty much realized that we are screwed this year and bound to be hit. All the pros down here are saying that it's going to be noticably worse than last year, and boy are they right so far. Nelson My wife and I recently moved to an area closer to the beach, but it's a much safer place. It's built to take on hurricanes, steel reenforced cement walls, double clipped roof, safe room built in, generator, accordian shutters. We're not going anywhere for anything short of a 5. Now the neighborhoods around us, unfortunately are older and much less able to take it on. If it were just me, bring it on, but my concern lies with those less able to be prepared. Edited July 8, 2005 by nabreu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surefire Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 (edited) I'm on the fringe of the 'cone of death'. It seems like just a few months ago the plywood came down off the house. A couple of gripes I have that the rest of you Floridians might be able to relate to: Weather Channel inane 'Local on the 8's I almost put my foot through the screen of the tv on many occasions in 2004 watching the 'Weather' Channel, waiting to get some news about the hurricane du jour. The hurricane is heading towards us and you get this insipid Local on the 8's with comforting muzak and ridiculous text like: Forecast: Breezy with thunderstorms expected. Gee... you think? There's a friggin hurricane approaching, you jerk! Weathermen from out of town looking a little too excited and happy when a hurricane makes landfall... and a little down in the mouth when a hurricane misses I have some choice words about this one, but I don't want to offend anyone. Local weathermen and newscasters that know this is the only time we tune in to their station... it's SHOWTIME, BABY! With local news stations being harbingers of doom and gloom 365 days out of the year, it's no wonder that their ratings are so shoddy. Now, all of a sudden, the local populace has to tune in to find out what's going on, and the local news station gets the attention they feel they so richly deserve all year long. Oh, man... are they happy. Martha, look at the idiot anchorman standing out in the class 5 cyclone of death What is it about hurricanes that make weathermen want to grab the nearest cameraman and run out in the middle of a storm so we can watch them lean into the wind? Where's the flying debris when you need it? And now... back to football The last hurricane we got, I'm hunkered down with the wife because we just heard that an F4 tornado was spotted in the area. I'm listening to the AM station that is supposed to be carrying news about the hurricane, and they decide to cut back to their regularly scheduled football coverage. Are you kidding me? Edited July 8, 2005 by surefire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deverill Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 Guys, sorry I've been scarce around here. I spent this morning getting hurricane shutters up on my new house. Still have the balcony doors to finish before it gets so nasty. I feel more for the folks on the mainland though - so much pain last year and here it is again. I've decided to stay but it won't be fun when the power goes out... we have 150 miles of electric lines providing power from the mainland so it's almost sure to go out. All you guys stay safe up there and I'll check in as possible too. Maybe it'll just dissipate - yeah right. It's a cat 4 which is very serious so everyone do what you have to. Jack, you are sure right! I was just watching the weather channel thinking the same things. Of course now they have that annoying "air horn" beeping nonsense when there's an alert - gee, you think we know there's a thunderstorm warning right now? I don't think you need to keep wanking at us about it. Besides, all they are saying is that there are no flights and one airline has an extra one and there are no rental cars left. Weather channel stinks -- I use the net when I can cuz of al the fluff, which is another thing... I know they have to pay the bills, but I really don't care about One-A-Day wank-wank-wank Zora's diet pills wank-wank-wank (that buzzer thing is getting to me), weathzak - the weather channel's version of muzak... Lessee - local on the 8's - rain and 80 in Key West - nearshore waters becoming very rough (you think?) - rainfall may reach one inch (no! Really?) wank-wank-wank Sat chance of rain 90% (In a hurricane? You don't say). Thanks Jack - you got me wound up now. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevevan Posted July 8, 2005 Author Share Posted July 8, 2005 I can also relate! P.S. I think Jim Cantore has a home in Pensacola, now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deverill Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 P.S. I think Jim Cantore has a home in Pensacola, now! That's why Dennis is heading straight there.... REVENGE on the annoying Weather Channel guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samrc Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 LOL I have not laughed that hard in a long time! Your depiction of the weather coverage is DEAD ON! ROFL Central Florida is not in the CONE this time. Yet our wizards are THRILLED to get on the air showing off all the new diagnostic equipment. They can do fancy tricks, show pretty colors, see white dots for every lightening strike and SWOOP in from this angle to that angle making everyone seasick while watching the weather... Sponsor tonight is Dramamine! And when all is said and done, the forecast still says breezy, 80% chance of rain and scattered thunderstorms... And I am SOOO tired of the lone wacko in a yellow slicker with arms out leaning into the wind. Same thing. Could show the same person every time and we would never know. Maybe they do. And since we are NOT in the path, our local tv crews are being sent to areas expected to be hit so we can hear first hand what we missed. Is that really necessary? Those areas will have enough problem trying to house the people that live there without added burden of news crews from every little podunk town taking up residence too. Isn't that why we have NATIONAL news shows? Good thoughts folks....Prayers and wishes as the storm passes through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deverill Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 True that, Samrc. I just walked thru the living room and the tv is on the Weather Channel (Doh!) and Cantori said "The silver lining is that the hurricane has stalled over land." Oh, so the official weather channel stance is that the fact that tens of thousands of Cubans, many of whom live in abject poverty, that can barely make homes, muchless strong ones or heaven forbid add hurricane shutters, getting slammed by a category 4 hurricane for hours on end is a silver lining? Puhlease! Someone monitor these soundbyte-notoriety hounding fools before the clip goes on the air! Sorry for the rant - again - but that really bothered me. The only connection I have with Cuba is that people live there - human beings - I have no family or friends there - but that's enough! How heartless can we appear?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Rob Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 How heartless can we appear?!? I will assume that you were asking a rhetorical question and do not really want an answer to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodygap Posted July 10, 2005 Share Posted July 10, 2005 Been thinking of our friends in Florida today. I sincerely hope all is well. Has anyone heard from Steve or Jim? Thoughts and prayers, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevevan Posted July 10, 2005 Author Share Posted July 10, 2005 Greetings all! I'm doing ok...stuck (?) just north or Orlando, FL. Rather uneventful drive down, no traffic problems at all! I found a live internet feed froma TV station in Mobile, AL, so I'm able to get live updates. So far, it's not looking too good for the area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Don Posted July 10, 2005 Share Posted July 10, 2005 Well glad you are ok. Hope it gets better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevevan Posted July 10, 2005 Author Share Posted July 10, 2005 Well, like most people who left the area, we're watching the news outlets and the Weather Channel (and laughing at the stupid stunts the reporters are doing!). If anyone is interested, one of the Mobile, AL television stations are streaming their broadcast. You can check out this station's broadcast and watch what's happening "live". On a sad note, there have already been two deaths attributed to Dennis. One person had a heart attack at a shelter, and another was a 3-year-old who fell out of a van during the evacuation. I'm hoping the storm moves more west, but right now it's making a beeline for landfall just east of Pensacola...right over my house. (If I still have one left!) On a postive note, I just called my house and my answering machine picked up! So we're still holding up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisety Posted July 10, 2005 Share Posted July 10, 2005 Steve, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Please keep us informed! Lise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevevan Posted July 10, 2005 Author Share Posted July 10, 2005 Dennis made landfall. As near as I can tell, the center came ashore just west of my house. My telephone answering machine picked up right up until the time that the eyewall came on shore, so we finally lost power at about 2:30 p.m. I've been searching the media outlets as well as monitoring an Amateur Radio network for any additional information. Thanks for the prayers folks. Now the "fun" begins! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevevan Posted July 11, 2005 Author Share Posted July 11, 2005 Good ridence to bad rubbish! Dennis is heading north away from us. (Now the rest of you in the mid-central and mid-eastern states get to have some fun!) Just got off the phone with several members of our Community Emergency Response Team, and it seems that thanks to the speed of Dennis, things, while bad, were not near as bad as Ivan. According to my reports, the beach area, as expected, suffered significant damage. There was minor flooding along the sound. But for the good news, my sources tell me that there is minimal damage to most houses and very little flooding damage (compared to what we had during Ivan). Haven't heard anything definite about my own house yet, but based upon reports I've been getting, I feel a lot better than I did when the storm started moving on shore earlier today. I heard of only two fatalities thus far. It appears that everyone took the advice of authorities and left plenty early. So, it looks like we survived another one. Now to pick up the pieces. I'll be returning home tomorrow from Debary, FL (between Orlando and Daytona Beach) to assist in the recovery effort. I just hope that is our only one for this hurricane season. Thanks everyone for your prayers and well wishes. This is what I love about the TCH family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deverill Posted July 11, 2005 Share Posted July 11, 2005 Wow, finally I'm back online. Talk about withdrawals! First, I'm glad Steve that you are fine and hopefully your home will be too. You said your answering machine was still working and I thought how ironic it would be for someone checking on their home that way to return to just a concrete foundation and an answering machine. I'm glad we won't have to worry about that in your area! The storm did move quickly and was a bit off shore for us but we still had 100+ MPH wind gusts at times. The power went off at my place around 11AM Friday and just came back on Sunday at about 4PM. At least the wind was blowing and it was cool - after Georges it was dead-still and hot. At my place 17 miles NE of Key West proper we had 2 little trees break but that was really all the damage I've seen so far. In town there is a lot more debris and broken tree limbs but still no fallen trees or major structural damage that I saw. About the worst was a "construction wall" they build between worksites and the sidewalk to keep folks safe - about 30 feet of one of those was blown over. It was kinda scary though to be in an untested home (brand new) with all that gosh-aweful roaring going on. You know on the news ppl say "It sounded like a freight train." Phooey! It sounded like a hurricane - not a train! I hope everyone "up north" stays safe and returns to undamaged homes. Thanks to the family for the prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxturt Posted July 11, 2005 Share Posted July 11, 2005 Glad to hear you guys are ok! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisety Posted July 11, 2005 Share Posted July 11, 2005 Jim and Steve, so glad to hear that it doesn't sound like either of you sustained any major damage. Don't want to alarm you but by now I'll bet you've heard about Emily brewing out in the Atlantic. They say it's going to be a bad year for you guys. Let's hope you just went through the worst of it. Lise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samrc Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 Relieved to hear both families are fine and homes made it through. Let's hope Florida is spared any more major storms (said even as I look at a report about another tropical storm Emily projected to target south Florida) this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Bruce Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 Glad to hear you guys are well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevevan Posted July 13, 2005 Author Share Posted July 13, 2005 Well, I'm back on line also. I never tho't I'd say this, but I was having Internet withdrawls since I got home. The only damage I had was one tab from one shingle on the corner of the garage was gone. Other than that, while there were some had significant damage, the majority of the area escaped relatively unscathed. They are saying that happened because (1) Ivan took a lot of stuff out (trees, limbs, etc.) and (2) Dennis moved through very quickly. Unfortunatel, (and expected), our beach is nearly totally trashed. I have yet to see pictures of it myself, but from what I've been hearing over the ham radio link I've been working, it's pretty bad. But the entire area was well prepared as people evacuated 2 days before the effects even began to be felt. I hope we don't get any more storms here. I don't know how the mental state of some folks would hold up to another direct hurricane strike! Now I get to go back to work. Thanks again to the entire TCH family for keeping Jim and I in your thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Don Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 Glad that the damage was not too bad for our family down there. Steve, be careful on the roof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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