How are we all doing with Irene

[donna723]

Lisa, as far as the storm goes, Star should be OK. Where she lives in SC is only about an hours drive from where my daughter lives only Star is further inland. They got the fringes of it yesterday but it's past them now. The main part of the storm didn't hit them in South Carolina. My daughter said they had some wind and rain in Charleston but it wasn't the worst they've seen and they're all fine.

 

[keista]

Well I am 40 miles west of Seaside Heights NJ. Rain heavy at times no high winds yet.

We are in a mobile home and are hoping for the best! The 2 ponds in the park are on the rise. It is supposed to get much worse over night. I hope not though I have to be at work by 8:30 tomorrow morning!

Stay safe everyone!

Dee

Are you crazy? Is your employer crazy?????

Well, I really can't say much because I did have to go into work during Gloria. The small mall that the store was in was open for "the stores that wanted to be open" So our company, with a home office in a state far, far away, decided we would be open. The manager showed up 2 hours late because buses weren't running and she was having a hard time finding cab drivers crazy enough to be out. We were the only store open for business. then the paower went out, but the mall had a generator and was giving us half power. Home Office instructed us to close the doors to business, but we could process stock in the back room with the door open for light. We were never so happy with the mall manager when he came by to finally kick us out because he was completely shutting down. THAT the Home Office allowed us to leave for. Poor manager had a hard time getting home. For me it was a 15 minute walk.

 

[LittleDudesMom]

We have sustained winds of 30-40 MPH an gusts up to 60. We are blocked in by a downed tree at one end of the street and on the next block a falling tree downed a power line. Our hot tub cover blew off about 30 min ago and we have towels stuffed around our back door because the rain is blowing in (old house issues!!). difficult child will make a ton of money tomorrow cleaning debris! But so far, we still have power - oh geeze, just flickered.....

 

[hearts and roses]

I'm annoyed. My H is not taking this seriously. He will not batten down the hatches (I did it half way, but then my knee was killing me, so I left some things that he cado). He keeps mocking me and saying it's not going to do anything. He didn't secure the storage bin and pool ladder on the pool deck and he will not secure the grill or two seated bench. I'm so annoyed. I also am going to laugh my ***** off if anything flies into the pool or if his grill gets blown away. I can't understand why some people do not err on the side of caution.

 

[bigdmomof3]

@ Keista...I wish I was kidding but I have to be there. I work for AAA. So unless the roads are flooded or roads are blocked due to downed trees and wires ...I am expected to be there. Not that anyone should be going out or needing road service. But I have learned that people are willing to risk their lives and those of the people who need to go out and rescue them after making bad decisions.

 

[TerryJ2]

H&R, your husband reminds me of a tornado that hit St. Paul about 10 yrs ago. The woman's husband refused to go into the basement, preferring to stand in front of the sliding glass doors upstairs to watch. KABOOM! Tree comes down, windows smashed to smithereens, husband knocked to ground, cut and bruised ...
wife picks up phone to call ...
the radio station.
Yup. She was peeved.
They played her LIVE on the radio, making fun of her husband.
Just thought I'd throw that your way, for future reference. Always keep your wits about you. And the # of the local radio station.

 

[DammitJanet]

Hey Dee...wish you didnt have to go in but I obviously know you do. Its only gonna get worse for those of you north of me. Sorry to say but....I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!

Now laugh at me for being a mother hen! I mean sheesh..it is still doing damage in NC while it is starting to do damage in PA! I can only imagine how many idiots are going to be on the roads thinking they can drive in this thing.

Oh Jo..most of us down here have learned that tape doesnt do a thing in hurricanes. Only 3/4 inch plywood does. People used to tape windows up 30 years ago but we learned after Hugo especially that it just didnt work. And especially dont do the cracking of the windows. That will just suck the hurricane into your house.

Honestly, this is the largest and slowest storm I have ever seen that has held together. It is worse than Katrina because it is taking so much longer to move on. If I remember correctly it only took Katrina about a day to get all the way from the gulf to Canada. Its going to take this sucker from the earliest time when FL was feeling the gusts on Thursday evening to at least late Sunday night if not Monday morning.

Already over a million people without power. More to come no doubt.

 

[hearts and roses]

Now difficult child just left the house, she's going to meet boyfriend and driving home to his mom' s house around midnight. Terry, I'm a certified emergency responder, hopefully I can put that to use should the need arise. I even looked into volunteering tomorrow but could find no info on the ARC site! H is just stubborn and I'm sure no matter how bad it is, he will downplay it. Ugh. The reports coming in so far are a bit horrifying. Janet, you're right, it's a big slow moving storm, which is very much scarier than a quick in and out storm. Not saying it will do more or less damage, but it is frightening. I'll close the windows-why do they tell us to keep them cracked?!

 

[TerryJ2]

Oh, the cracked/open windows thing is old, old, old. It was thought to equalize the pressure. People who have done it found that it merely invites wind and rain to ruin the livingroom. Supposedly, you have to open an entire door. Like anyone is going to do that.

 

[DammitJanet]

They dont, watch the weather channel and FEMA

 

[keista]

Well, ppl are STOOPID. A friend just posted this flyer on FB. REALLY????? Yeah, good luck with that promo!

 

[hearts and roses]

They dont, watch the weather channel and FEMA

That's what I've been watching, that and the national hurricane center. My neighbor was the one with the cracked window advice-I should've known! Lololol!

 

[DammitJanet]

LOL....People think that cracking a window will make the pressure not build. Doesnt work. Would just suck things out.

Oh looks like maybe a tornado in DE!

 

[Star*]

We are fine--------traffic was AWFUL......

PLEASE if you are going to loose power? ------Have candles and matches ready. Flashlights too.

ALSO - FILL your tubs and any buckets you can get with water for flushing your toilets....or taking a bath. If the water goes? Trust me ------it's not fun trying to find places that will let you potty and shower if you have NO money for hotels. Put as much drinking water up as you can.

Make sure if you are in a flood prone area - that ALL of your valuable paperwork - is UP or mobile. Taxes, Birth certificates, Bank records, credit card numbers, Email and passwords, pictures.......baby shot records.....

Food that is in REFRIGERATORS????? If power goes out? Your food may not keep. Get stuff that is MOBILE /Canned.........Pnut butter jelly - bread........Soup.

Medications.....prescriptions BOTTLES - a chance of clothes for three days - extra shoes, bleach.......


I have been through Hugo/Andrew and many others........I can tell you from experience the flooding is the worst. I had 18" catfish in my dining room. We had boards on the window but it did little to help the flooding and we were boated out. -------The things we could NOT get after were - water, bleach, laundry detergent, cleaners.......trash bags. gloves, batteries, flashlights, candles, matches. tarps.........and food.

Be safe....We're praying for you all.



Have a kit ready with all this stuff if the water gets too high - so you aren't doing these things at the last minute......

 

[DDD]

Janet, I guess you are not among the million NC people who lost power! That's terrific.

I've been through alot of hurricanes, obviously, but the size of this one combined with the slow move makes it surreal to even watch on tv. Honestly I am surprised by how many people decide to "stay with the house"? WTH! Somewhere I heard that sixty senior citizens have all decided to ignore the evacuation order and stay together in their condo near the shore. Since everyone alive now watched the horrors of Katrina unfold it's hard to believe that they would ignore mandatory evacuation orders.

Also saw a couple of difficult child teens playing along the water's edge behind a reporter. Teenagers just don't get it but senior citizens?? geez!

Hoping all our CD family is safe and sound...and staying in the darn house, lol. DDD

 

[tiredmommy]

Janet~ You just scared the living daylights out of me! I just checked the radar @ my cousin's area is just getting heavy rain right now.

 

[Star*]

D3 -

People figure if the news media is there - it's safe. Gives a VERY false sense of security. I bet they don't know how the media would GET OUT when /if they needed to - because they sure aren't going to be sitting on top of a house with a sign that says HELP - they'll be in a helicpoter filming the idiots that stayed ----DUH.

 

[DammitJanet]

I felt so bad hearing about one elderly man in NYC who was asking one of the reporters how he was supposed to evacuate his place with his walker. He was honestly confused. They got him help.

Death toll is rising. Man has drowned in NJ.

Star...also, the news people have those vehicles that are storm chaser things. And they are really experienced at this stuff. People who dont do this all the time dont know when its safe and when it isnt.