Hurricane Charlie

[+EraSeek]

I'm nowhere near you. I'm in Washington state. I'm amazed no one has posted this topic yet. Is everyone down there in Florida OK? Damage? Losses? How bad was it?

Being at the other end of the country I like to know how you're doing.

[+GeoBear18]

Us in Florida have been discussing it on Florida Caching.com until I'm assuming massive power losses disabled the site. We are keeping up to date on NEFGA forums now. We have heard from some of our cachers who lived in the path of the storm and they are alive. No other details right now. I know my family in Orlando are alive - but they have some damage to the house - deck, fence, garage door are gone. In Miami, Broward and Ft. Lauderdale we just had a few wind gusts - nothing to even bat an eye at.

 

For those of us who survived the worst of Andrew (like me) - this is very painful to watch because we know that the worst part is coming up after the storm.

 

Thanks for being concerned. If you feel motivated - please contact your local Red Cross, FEMA or other national charity to find out what you can do.

 

Keep all the victims in your prayers. Especially the children who have just lost their security.

[Neos2]

Glad that you are safe...Seems that there is an amazingly small amount of damage for so powerful a storm.

I live in Indiana, and am waiting to hear how my father and step-mother fared. They live in a trailer park in North Fort Myers...I haven't heard from them in several days now. Last I talked to them (last Tuesday), Dad was in the hospital with pneumonia (but he should be out by now). There is no answer at the hospital number, their home, or their cell phone, so I am assuming that telephone service is pretty limited. You can just bet that I am worried!

[+infosponge]

Hope everyone in harm's way stayed safe...we were prepared to be flooded out yesterday and then were glad to be spared but seeing the aftermath in other parts of the state is heartwrenching.

[+PilotMan]

I live a 10 miles north of Charleston, SC and all we got was a bit of rain and a little wind. Nothing to be afraid of. It's 3 o'clock now and the sun is out and it's hot as hell.

[+wimseyguy]

4 PM in Raleigh, NC. All we got was a few inches of rain. None of the wind that was projected arrived. Sun is out and it looks like it's done here.

[+EraSeek]

am waiting to hear how my father and step-mother fared. They live in a trailer park in North Fort Myers...I haven't heard from them in several days now.

Let us know who that turns out for you. I think I'd chose the hospital to a trailer park.

[Neos2]

Let us know who that turns out for you. I think I'd chose the hospital to a trailer park

 

Me too! They usually run for cover at the local Denny's (a designated storm shelter) but wiht him being so ill, I am hoping that he was still in the hospital. I will let you know. Thanks.

[dampeoples]

4 PM in Raleigh, NC. All we got was a few inches of rain. None of the wind that was projected arrived. Sun is out and it looks like it's done here.

Yeah! Just north of Raleigh here, and wishing I had a chainsaw still, I've still got some leaners from the ice storm a few years ago.

[+horsegeeks]

4 PM in Raleigh, NC. All we got was a few inches of rain. None of the wind that was projected arrived. Sun is out and it looks like it's done here.

Yeah! Just north of Raleigh here, and wishing I had a chainsaw still, I've still got some leaners from the ice storm a few years ago.

We just happened to see Wimseyguy out geocaching a couple of hours ago. Who in the world would be out caching just after a hurricane?

[dampeoples]

Well, him for one

I'd love to, my new job is kind of demanding. I did manage to spend a month or two searching before I started it

[+Cherokeecacher]

Mother Nature throws lemons. Geocachers make Lemonade Scroll down to The SuzyQs post.

[+Lehigh Mafia]

[quote=Let us know who that turns out for you. I think I'd chose the hospital to a trailer park.

If you have seen the news.. The hospital's down here didnt do very well.. We ended up closing one hospital completely due to the roof caving in.. At the hospital I work at we ended up losing 40+ rooms due to flooding.. The atruim's sun-roof blew off.. One of our sister hospitals roof was damaged, not sure yet on the other 3 hospitals in the area.. And this was just in Lee County..

[+EraSeek]

[quote name=Let us know who that turns out for you. I think I'd chose the hospital to a trailer park.

If you have seen the news.. The hospital's down here didnt do very well.. We ended up closing one hospital completely due to the roof caving in.. At the hospital I work at we ended up losing 40+ rooms due to flooding.. The atruim's sun-roof blew off.. One of our sister hospitals roof was damaged' date=' not sure yet on the other 3 hospitals in the area.. And this was just in Lee County.. [/quote]

I'd heard they had 3 hospitals closed due to no power and some damage. You'd think they'd have enough sense to build hospitals pretty well bomb-proof down there! It should be the one place you could rely on to take just about anything.

[+EraSeek]

Hey, here's a handy tool to use in the future for your area:

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/Maps/Florida.shtml

Just click on the bouy # and get data.

[Neos2]

Updating as promised--Just heard from my father & stepmother, who are fine and only have damage to the exterior portions of their home. They fled to a hotel (near the Denny's--they love that Denny's!) and apparently had quite an adventure. The windows began bowing in on the hotel, and it leaked like a seive. The hotel lost telephone service, then power, and finally water. That's when they came home to find that they have no lanai now, only half a carport and no longer have a Florida room--but the main seciton of the trailer is fine.

Hope everyone else fared as well, if not better.

Thanks to all who offered help--especially Lehigh Mafia!

[dampeoples]

I'm glad everyone is fine.

The carport and sunroom missing, as well as the hotel and hospital being a wreck speak volumes for trailer manufacturing

[+Doc-Dean]

Took a pretty nasty hit but we came through. Its gonna be really ugly when all the details of destruction and fatailties are finally tallied.

 

Glad to hear that none of my caching friends were injured.

[+Doc-Dean]

I'd heard they had 3 hospitals closed due to no power and some damage. You'd think they'd have enough sense to build hospitals pretty well bomb-proof down there! It should be the one place you could rely on to take just about anything.

Well, how strong should we make them? Strong enough for a Category 5 hurricane or a F5 tornado? It would have to be a building no more than 10 feet tall all with reinforced steel and brick about a 2 feet thick and no windows or doors to be perfectly safe.

 

Reminder - The WTC was built to be bomb-proof.

 

You can pretty much rely on the fact that if the hospitals are being destroyed or damaged --- its very very bad!!!

[+GoofyButterfly]

Just finally getting some comp time for a bit this afternoon! Glad to hear everyone is ok. Of course, those that know us know that we live in Punta Gorda, and it is far from pretty here! Lots do do for months to come, but we will over-come! Thanks to all for your concern and well wishes, plus all the requests and emails to help us. The main thing that is getting us now is the dehydration, lack of power and water, and lack of communication. But if you could all see the thousands that have flooded into our area from police, fire, EMS, Electric, Red Cross, National Guard, etc, the place doesn't even look the same as it did on Saturday! We have been very, very lucky! Only a few reported deaths, and that is the most heart warming and amazing news thus far!

As far as changing codes on buildings and the like....well...as Doc Dean mentioned, what exactly would you think would survive the 180 mile per hour winds we had on Friday? Luckily BECAUSE the codes are so high here, there are many buidings that with stood Charllie better than others. As of today, they have most of the hospitals, EMS (Goofy's business just got electricity a few minutes ago) and essential services up and running to help the public. Simply amazing effort from all concerned! There will be many stories to tell for years about Charlie, including that this was the worst hurricane to hit landfall in the USA EVER, but luckly we are hear still to tell them, eh? the rest is all just material stuff! A warm hug to all of you out there effected and to those of you who are offering help to others!

[+GeoBear18]

Glad to hear from both Doc and Goofy. Get the word out that we will get you anything you need. My church is sending over work crew twice a week to help with tree removal, clean up of homes and to deliver baby supplies. The elementary kids at my church are collected new school supplies and stuffed animals for the children on the west coast.

 

Anything at all - we are only a mouse click or phone call away! You can get my cell on the Florida Caching site.

[CacheMonkeez]

Most of the damage in the Orlando area was due to downed trees. I had a large tree in my backyard fall on my roof and pool enclosure. My roof was slightly damaged and my pool enclosure was totalled. And I learned a painful lesson about my hurricane deductible. Doh! Oh, did I mention my wallet was a lot lighter?