<p>Anyone in the Philly area want to sell me a generator? Not one to be found within 50 miles in any store…</p>
<p>About to leave now. The entire county (Cape May NJ) is supposed to be out by 8 AM-- that alone is a million people on the road. Most of my neighbors are taking back roads instead of the Parkway, like 49, 50 and 55 but these get clogged quickly. I must say, I’m frazzled by this, and I’m not that type. The eye is supposed to pass just off shore. So many close calls and false alarms over the years…I fear a lot of people won’t take this seriously. My office is E of rt 9…they’re saying that’s the dividing line between flooding and not. Darn. The house is just west of 9. We’ll see. </p>
<p>lje and sjmom…btw I’m a Mainland Regional alumnus. My nephew is there now, and a member of the football team. This has been such an incredible tragedy…the community is in shock. My nephew is a pall bearer for one of the boys. He lost 4 of his best friends. Four funerals in 3 days, tough stuff. How do these families go on?</p>
<p>dougandbetsy-</p>
<p>your family evacuated from ocmd yet? think they’re in phase three now, its getting pretty serious…</p>
<p>Just curious: where do all of these people go?</p>
<p>My town is in emergency deployment mode with generators being moved into place where needed and the town middle-school getting prepped as an emergency shelter along with staffing prepped for multiple shifts. We’ve had ice storms, floods and storms in the past decade that have taught us a lot about what to do and not do and the planning after those is the best I’ve ever seen.</p>
<p>I am not in danger where I live, and my only brother and his family who could be in danger in NYC are currently on vacation out of the country (thankful! though they were scheduled to fly back home Sunday - likely NOT happening!) but…</p>
<p>much prayers and thoughts to all affected - be safe as you can!</p>
<p>
Ugh. No. They’re actually in Ocean Pines, which is not part of OC proper. So they say they’re staying until told to go. They’re actually providing shelter to friends who evacuated the island. </p>
<p>Good news is that Worcester County Emergency Ops will be meeting this morning to discuss further preparations. [Worcester</a> County - Viewing Article](<a href=“http://www.co.worcester.md.us/Articles/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=846]Worcester”>http://www.co.worcester.md.us/Articles/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=846) Third item on the agenda is mandatory evac of low-lying areas. I consider their waterfront lot low-lying, so Aunt and Uncle better be ready to go. </p>
<p>This kind of ignorance and stubborness really makes me :mad:.</p>
<p>2331clk- The Mainland tragedy has left the entire area numb, with grief and now enduring this natural disaster. The funeral services in the paper, the hundreds of kids in line to pay their respects and now this.
The tension is palpable.</p>
<p>They’ve suspended the collection of tolls on the GSP to help ease the traffic with those evacuating the Jersey shore.</p>
<p>DougBetsy, I hope your aunt and uncle stay safe. It’s difficult worrying about someone who is too stubborn to leave! I have a friend who has two sons who are refusing to leave Cape May and she is beside herself with worry. As I heard the Governor of Maryland say this morning, it’s stupid and selfish not to leave when you should.</p>
<p>
That is so true. Unless you are such a pariah that you have no loved ones, evacuate if you are asked to!
My nephew and his pregnant wife were vacationing with his in-laws in Cape May and they all decided to get out of Dodge yesterday to miss the crowds and the storm. I think that was wise.</p>
<p>The hospitals in my area are evacuating today and the MTA is planning to take down the entire transportation system late Saturday afternoon. I think my husband is being slightly delusional about preparedness. He feels that he will be able to grocery shop tomorrow morning. I don’t think he’s going to be able to get around because our roads are tough on a regular weekend.</p>
<p>Keep safe, z-mom. My actor friends in the city are anxious about their shows and what will happen. It’s rare for shows to be cancelled much in advance, for any reason but there is talk this time. The transportation issue is the big one. If the actors et al can’t get to the theatre, there can’t be a show! Good luck to all in NYC. My hope is that if you do lose power, it isn’t for long.</p>
<p>Casinos closed for third time in history of AC casinos. No tolls on Garden State Parkway in Cape May- yep, that says it all.</p>
<p>My heart goes out to all of you facing Irene. My son’s college has set up an emergency line too. He has lived thru Andrew, Wilma, etc., and says he has supplies.</p>
<p>The hardest problem is being out of electricity for days. I have a Coleman stove, to make coffee and soup–buy some instant coffee and fake milk. Lots of canned fruit and tuna. Get little packages of Mayonnaise. I’ve got 3 or 4 coolers, and a dozen ice packs. But when electricity out for days, everything in frig and freezer has to be tossed. Its probably too late to get a battery run TV (I checked Amazon a few days ago), but try to have a battery radio around. Lots of candles in glass. When you live in darkness for days (once for 2 weeks), its nice to huddle around candles and play cards. I have a Coleman lattern too.</p>
<p>Use cell phones sparingly–text, don’t call. Make sure you have bikes in good order. When we couldn’t drive (streets covered with debris), getting out on bikes was helpful. </p>
<p>The worm and I cleared out my master closet and put air mattress on floor. Even though my roof leaked and several walls and carpets had to be replaced, we felt safe in the closet. The hardest part was the noise–hearing things crash into houses. Telling stories and having games and food near closet was helpful.</p>
<p>I realize I could be scaring people, and the safe place may not be needed for a Level 3. We’ve had so many 3’s that I see them as inconvenient, the damage came with the Level 5’s. </p>
<p>On lighter side, we went to the beach last night. I have never seen so many surfers. They were having a blast.</p>
<p>AlwaysAMom, now my D in NYC is freaking about HER show. This Monday night is her concert in the city to celebrate the release of her first CD, a year in the making. She is worried that it will be impacted by the hurricane. I know it hits on Sunday and that Monday’s weather is OK but who knows what the aftermath will be, such as the subways.</p>
<p>From what I understand they are preparing to shut down New York Transit (subway & bus), which is obviously historic. This is from a news conference earlier today. I’ll try to find a source to link.</p>
<p>The transit system will be shut down late on Saturday and isn’t expected to be fully functioning until Monday afternoon at the earliest, in a best case scenario, and it could be days if lower Manhattan is under water.</p>
<p>blueiguana, yikes. That will do my daughter in for sure. Hope the subways reopen on Monday then.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1186541-travel-insurance-adventure-travel.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1186541-travel-insurance-adventure-travel.html</a></p>
<p>Who would have thought I’d get to use the travel insurance? Son is scheduled to fly into the hurricane Sunday, and will probably stay in Zurich till it passes. Travel insurance covers three days of delays including hotel and food and new ticket.</p>
<p>Two more days of travel adventure to survive.</p>
<p>CNN is reporting that the MTA will shut down as of noon tomorrow.</p>
<p>Went to the grocery store. Very quiet. Plenty of food, water, everything. No panic up here.</p>
<p>In NY…are cabs still going to be available?</p>
<p>Soozievt, I hope the weather somehow works out for your daughter.</p>