<p>If Florida ever has a category 5 hurricane drift just offshore in the Gulf of Mexico off the SW coast of Fl from Naples area along to Tampa Bay there is no way millions of people will be able to evacuate. A 10-14 foot tidal surge would put the whole area under water…I-75 would be completely flooded. Thousands of people could die. Same thing could happen on east coast of Florida peninsula. When hurricanes approach Florida the storms can end up going anywhere in the state and people say trying to drive up from south Florida trying to avoid an approaching storm could end up getting clobbered sitting in their cars on the overcrowded Fl Turnpike near Orlando when the storm ends up changing course. The best planning isn’t always enough when a natural disaster like a tornado or hurricane comes calling!</p>
<p>I have lived in Oklahoma my entire life. I’ve lived within 5 miles of the area hit for most of the last 35 years.</p>
<p>Moore has survived four tornadoes in the last 15 years. No one remembers the October, 1998 tornado, and few can name the May 8, 2003 tornado. Both of these took almost identical paths to the May 3, 1999 tornado. The reason the death toll is so low in this tornado is not because it is less severe, it’s a combination of things. First, awareness here is higher. We’ve seen it before, so we know it can happen. Second, the media competes here to give the best weather coverage–which local network you watch is often determined by which meteoroligist/storm chaser/helicopter pilot you like the best. We were warned of this high risk days in advance. I was personally able to convince my elderly mother to come to my house because we have a shelter. Third, because of the previous tornadoes Moore probably has a higher number of storm shelters per-capita than any of the other communities around the area. They have had to rebuild a couple of times already and when you have the memory of a tornado fresh in your mind you’re more likely to allocate funds when rebuilding to a shelter rather than granite for your kitchen.</p>
<p>Moore will survive, and they will rebuild. They’ve had experience, and I was amazed in 1999 how quickly they cleaned up and moved forward.</p>
<p>Many have asked why we would want to live in tornado alley. I can tell you from a personal standpoint that I’ve visited many parts of the country, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather live. We accept tornadoes as a risk, but the positives of living here outweigh the negative. I’ve lived here 50 plus years and to be honest I’d never seen a tornado in person until a year ago. I actually have experienced three earthquakes here before I ever saw my first tornado, so from my perspective the risk seems pretty low.</p>
<p>The reason more people don’t have storm shelters or basements is mostly related to money. Most of the population here isn’t wealthy, and shelters cost money. And, once you put one it, it’s a constant battle to keep water out of it because the water table here is so high.</p>
<p>I guess it’s natural for those in other areas of the country to question why we want to live here. I will say that I’ve had similar thoughts when I see a waterfront house that’s collapsed from erosion and storm surge during a hurricane, or a hillside home destroyed in a mudslide when the rains come as they always do. It’s all a matter of perspective, I guess.</p>
<p>I find it utterly disgusting that people believe that Oklahomans do not deserve help in this difficult time. Regardless of political affiliation, we are all Americans and Americans should stick together and help each other when in need. But that’s alright, Oklahoma will rebuild and be better than before. We’ve done it many times. If you have never been through a tornado or lived in tornado alley, you really have no idea what it’s like. People don’t have shelters because it’s expensive. Only 1 person in my extended family (60+) has a storm shelter. I’ve lived in Oklahoma my entire life and cannot imagine living any other place. I’m not just going to pick up and move because my family cannot afford a storm shelter. Should no one live on the coasts because there’s a chance of hurricanes? That’s just ridiculous.</p>
<p>Here in NJ we believe Oklahomans deserve help.</p>
<p>Thank you, tom1944. </p>
<p>I am in no way saying that everybody or even a majority of people believe such a thing, but I find it appalling that even a few do.</p>
<p>I think the vast majority of the country absolutely believes that OK needs and should have help. As Tom said, we in New Jersey are particularly adamant about that. Without getting specific or veering to banned topics, I’ll just say that there seems to be a strain of political point of view that questions disaster aid. And I’m always sorry to see that, because disaster relief shouldn’t be politicized!</p>
<p>I fervently hope that you all in OK don’t have that happen to you.</p>
<p>I certainly feel that we need to help the people in Oklahoma and I imagine that the people in Oklahoma wanted to help the people that were hurt by Sandy. Politicians need to realize that we are all in this country together and need to help each other out. No place is immune from natural diasters- they happen everywhere.</p>
<p>Quite frankly, looking at the photos and realizing that a mile-wide storm with 200+ mph winds went straight through a populated area, I think it’s an absolute miracle that only 24 people are dead. The warnings that gave people time to get to their storm shelter or leave the area saved hundreds of lives. How anyone walked out of either of those elementary schools or all of those houses is completely beyond me - and yet they did, many physically unharmed. Amazing. Thank you meteorologists! I will stop complaining when you miss on your estimate of how many inches of snow I’m getting.</p>
<p>“I find it utterly disgusting that people believe that Oklahomans do not deserve help in this difficult time.”</p>
<p>Your own Senator is insisting that any aid be offset with cuts from somewhere else in the budget - specifically SS and Medicare (naturally.) He is also one of the Senators, along with your other Senator, who votes to cut FEMA every chance he gets. I have to believe that the Senators Oklahoman’s elect reflect the majority of Oklahoman’s positions - at least until they need federal disaster aid.</p>
<p>And now to further complicate the cleanup efforts, flooding has hit Norman (10 minutes south of Moore). I’m not sure if Moore is flooded.</p>
<p>The sound effects of the tornado from inside Briarwood elementary school. Absolutely gave me head to toe chills.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/bestoftv/2013/05/24/ac-exclusive-tornado-inside-briarwood-classroom.cnn.htm[/url]”>http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/bestoftv/2013/05/24/ac-exclusive-tornado-inside-briarwood-classroom.cnn.htm</a></p>
<p>I think they should take the money out of money to be spent in OK but not out of social welfare programs. Take it out of highway money, agricultural money, oil & gas, whatever but if their philosophy is as clear as their Congressional representatives have said lately in public, then hold them to it. I don’t want poor people to pay for the refusal of OK politicians to require better built homes and shelters and I certainly don’t want to let them use this as an excuse to take money out of poor children’s mouths.</p>
<p>Here’s an amazing video of the Oklahoma tornado taken by a couple of stormchasers. I can’t even imagine what it was like for them…
[The</a> first 10 minutes of the Moore EF5 Tornado (5/20/2013) - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Looks like OK can do approx. $150 million out of the OK rainy day reserve. Does NJ have a rainy day reserve?</p>
<p>I looked it up. NJ’s Rainy Day Fund at fiscal year end 2011 was $648 million. Its down to $100 million or less currently.</p>
<p>$45M is a drop in the bucket out of what is being estimated as 2 Billion $'s worth of damage. No state can afford to to rebuild after these huge disasters without the help of the federal government.</p>
<p>07DAD- for every dollar in taxes NJ sends the US we get back 61 cents for every dollar Oklahoma sends they get back $1.36. If we traded places NJ could have lower taxes and a great rainy day fund.</p>
<p>emilybee gets at a real point: moral hazard. Remember, it became a hot topic when the financial crisis hit. And it has been a big point pushed by the GOP to avoid regulation that would, for example, require banks to pay into a fund for future bailouts. The GOP argument is that encourages bailouts.</p>
<p>If OK can count on being bailed out, then they have little incentive to require stricter building standards. That is pure moral hazard, with the added fillip that actual lives are at stake. Why change when the rest of us will pay you for not doing a better job? </p>
<p>And OK is one of the most conservative states so I assume they understand this argument.</p>
<p>Thanks for making that point, Tom.</p>
<p>I’m blue, but stuck in a red state. I did not vote him in, nor did those children in the elementary schools. Still think they don’t deserve help?</p>
<p>Who said they do not deserve help. We are just pointing out the hypocrisy of 2 US senators and a so called low tax state that is low tax because high tax state’s foot the bill for them.
Remind me when NJ and NJ were slammed by Sandy and Coburn and Inhof were voting no on funding did the citizens of Oklahoma take them to task?
I am no fan of the NJ governor on many issues but he called out his party on this funding and he came out strongly that Oklahomans should get their funding immediately. The vast majority of citizens in NY and NJ agree with him. How did Oklahoma poll when we needed help?</p>