No we do not have a 2nd floor. We do not have any way to board either. People here generally don’t board (?) though I have seen a few. I don’t think we will flood here beyond normal flooding like you’d see in heavy rain. Gainesville is an elevated area believe it or not.
On the bright side, we have lots of food and water, and gas in all the vehicles. We are going to make a run for the east coast 2 hours away, later this morning, hoping that we make it before the storm winds further north. It’s not supposed to get really rough up here until tonight.
I’m calmer after getting some stuff done. We just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other and have faith.
My ex has his family in St Petes. His father and wife refuses to leave their apartment on the water. They are on the second floor and the building is made of cement. His health is not great. If the bridges are cut off, I don’t know what they are going to do. His aunt and husband moved into a hotel “inland,” but only few streets from the water. It is not good.
We’ve been out of electricity since early morning. May be weeks before things get straightened out. A neighbor with a big generator-think $20000- will bring coffee over sometime. Otherwise just wind and rain
I’m in S Florida now and it’s coming through. It sounds terrible outside, but we still have power. Tornado warnings keep buzzing our phones. We’re very grateful that it moved and our prayers are with others in its direct path.
@SouthFloridaMom9 : dont try to move please. It’s too risky being on the road right now. @oldfort : been reading that for older people, it’s better to stay put than try to evacuate because evacuation increases risk to more fragile populations (and risks of death), as long as the current shelter (house) is well-built.
A journalist went into a large closet with his/her children.
Why do they have the tiniest female reporter in South Beach doing reporting on NBC? She looks like she could barely stand up. I don’t think I need to see a human being blown side to side to know it is windy. I hope they will bring those reporters in soon.
My aunt and her crew of people and animals from Tampa found a place to stay in Montgomery Alabama. They were initially following another family who were driving 2 cars. One of that family’s cars got hit and totaled (I THINk the guy insisted on taking his “precious car” so nothing happened to it in the hurricane). Last they were together everyone was Ok.
I agree with the the need to take those reporters off the streets! I’ve already turned the channel because it’s too stressful to watch them. Apparently viewers are expressing concern because TWC took time to show how they get out of the elements between shots, and another channel took time to explain how the producers are making sure the reporters are safe.
Just give me the info. Stop showing me someone standing in the wind.
I have friends in Gainesville, too. Assumed they would be “safe”, as well as family in Orlando since they are inland. Stay put @SouthFloridaMom9, and you’ll be safer from flying debris and flooded streets. Don’t worry about not having a second floor. It’s only as good as its roof.
My thoughts are also with a friend in Naples, who is a nurse and was told to stay at the hospital she works at.
I can’t be sure, but it looks like she has now tracked a little further to the west and is now headed for Tallahassee. I also saw the map of projected power outages and it stretches into Tennessee and NC.
My sister who lives in SW St.Pete very near the water waited and tried to leave yesterday at 2:00pm they where driving a Prius but still needed gas. They made it as far as Gainesville but could not find gas and were very worried they would be stranded in the middle of no where, so they turned around! Thankfully they found a hotel in Brooksville which is further inland and much safer than their house.
@bookworm—local residents with full-house generators ran into trouble after Sandy (or one of the other storms that left coastal CT without power for more than a week ins some areas). The propane delivery trucks were not able to reach houses due to downed utility poles blocking the roads, and the generator stopped operating. Canadian power crews drove down to replace the utility poles and restore electricity, but it took a while.
I’m sorry, but think the reporters are out there for their Wolf Blitzer moment. At a point, we don’t need them out there talking in front of cameras (and it’s a crew with them.)
Thoughts are with all of you going through this. SFmom, jprtaco, bookworm and anyone else, and families.
The reporters and mets out in the storm are having fun. They love this stuff and have a bunch of equipment with them (trucks, supplies, etc.).
It looks like Irma never fully recovered from the Cuba interaction. It has elongated north-south (we’re getting Irma-related gusts over 30 mph here in north GA already). The eye appears to be east of the official track by 20 miles right now, so landfall may end up being just west of Everglades (the town) instead of up north near Venice/Tampa.
My 81 year old aunt in Boynton Beach lost power last night. She is alone, in the dark, house closed up like a tin can with those hurricane shutters . I will never forgive the relatives who evacuated to MD 3 days ago and just left her there.
