^^Matthew was weird! Same thing, we invited friends up here, but then SoFlo ended up being OK.
It just hit me that I’m going to see my parents in Atlanta next week and they might be affected by Irma at the time. I’m hoping it’s not so bad that I have to cancel my trip.
Regarding flood insurance, I think you can continue to offer it but after each claim you start escalating the price (until it reaches a free market level) while offering a buyout instead of rebuild. When people take the buyout you knock down the house and leave the land vacant.
Somewhere along the line people will decide it makes sense to take the buyout and move, and the wealthier folks will eventually be paying full private market rates for the insurance so they’ll no longer be taxpayer subsidized.
The irony is that National Flood Insurance program actually expanded construction in flood prone area! They can build now that they are insured.
If our goal is people paying full market price for flood insurance, then we should stop subsidizing it now.
In HI, many of the oceanfront homes are 7 or 8 figures at least; hotels and condos are also very close to the ocean and sea level or close to it. Flood insurance is VERY expensive and I believe many do NOT have it. Iniki was very hard for the island hit, though the rest of our state weathered it pretty well.
When we bought our home, it was NOT considered in the flood plain but the maps were re-drawn, especially after the tsunami in Japan and now our home is at the edge of the floodplain. The place we’re supposed to evacuate to is just one street from our house and not much more elevated. We instead chose to evacuate to outside H’s cousin’s house that is up a hill in our neighborhood, which seemed much safer than the “shelter.” Much of our state is in a flood plain, though most of our homes have NEVER been flooded.
When our state is in danger of weather or other emergency, folks stock up and hunker down to shelter in place. Price gouging is rare and prosecuted by our prosecutors. There was no looting publicized during any of our emergencies–folks pulled together and helped out.
Exactly, and title companies will write policies because there is the National Flood INsuance program.
The premiums are actually very low because of course the taxpayers are subsidizing it.
Sounds like evacuations are being called for in Florida. European Model is calling for a hit to the west coast of Florida, American model for the east coast of Florida.
@SouthFloridaMom9, can SIL or someone else that is down there drive everybody up so you don’t have to go down?
I’m in SFl. I got first cancellation today, as person nervous about getting supplies. Gas lines 20 minutes, but a not awful. Bank lines also long. No water to be found. Everyone is nervous and expecting a major storm. Schools are closing for Thursday and Friday, which seems too early to me. College classes also canceled.
With my male friend, went to the Broward Everglades on Sunday. They have done a lot of work to have a wide margin between canals and homes. They were releasing water into canals, expecting the lakes to fill to capacity. Yesterday, we went to Loxahotchee in Palm Beach Everglades. The Rangers there spoke of releasing water with Lake Okeechobee already.
Personally, I’m worried about being alone. My house has hurricane Windows & doors. I do not have a generator, as I’m nervous about using propane. I have 2 lanterns, lots of flashlights, but it expect to lose electricity for days. In prior hurricanes, my son was here. We’d play cards for hours and tell stories.
@bookworm, can you leave? Now?
At worst, maybe there is someone else you know who is alone or in a more dangerous place than you who wants to come over?
@bookworm Do you have friends nearby you can ride out the store with, invite some other single person over for a little hurricane “party”? Or make an escape somewhere else?
Jinx!
Barbuda is dead meat. The eye is expected to go right over it in a few hours. Latest max surface winds are 173 mph. About the only good news is that the storm is moving fairly fast.
Bookworm: be safe and please check in here when you are able. Take care. Good luck.
I have many friends in the British Virgin Islands. And even worse, they are on sailboats or own sailboats. They have been prepping for days and lots of chatter about the path of the storm.
Ya, I’ve invited several friends to come me stay with me. My g/f says, fly to Boston and stay with your son, but I’m a therapist. I need to be here. I’ve encouraged patients that are retired to leave. A flight to Chicago now costs $800 to leave in next few days. If I had a generator, I’d be more popular. But they are sold out.
I think at best, it will still be a level 3. The nursing home I used to work at took in the patients from the Keys. Florida is real good about nursing home patients. We also have busses to evacuate people from the islands.
My cousins and my bestie have generators, but neither have the hurricane proof Windows and doors. I think i will talk to my neighbors, though last time those on both sides of me had relatives farther north. Still, a good suggestion. I will be more pro active with other neighbors.
Gosh. I just got off hone with my bestie. She offered to house the aide that used to work for her mother;this aide now has a level 4 cancer. She needs oxygen. So, this aide and her entire family will be staying with my g/f, who is an MD. So of course I’m invited, but how uncomfortable. Frankly, I’ll feel better with my car in my garage, with its hurricane proof door, then sitting outside. My g/f deserves sainthood.
Southwest still has several flights to Chicago Midway from FLL at reasonable prices ($109, $166) on Friday and Saturday.
When something is hurricane proof, how big a hurricane can it withstand? Right now, if there was such a thing as a category six hurricane, Irma would be a cat 6.
I bought all Miami proof hurricane doors and windows, which I guess are level 5. I never heard of level 6
I just a passed on the flight info to patient with family in Chicago. Thanks, marilyn