Florida bases prepare for Hurricane Frances

Florida bases prepare for Hurricane Frances


	SAN ANTONIO -- National Hurricane Center officials expect Hurricane Frances to reach Florida on Sept. 4. (U.S. Air Force graphic by Virgie Reyes)

9/1/2004 - SAN ANTONIO (AFPN) -- As forecasters predict Hurricane Frances will reach land near Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., on Sept. 4, bases have begun preparing for the storm Sept. 1.

At Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., the 482nd Fighter Wing commander ordered 16 F-16 Fighting Falcons to Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas.

Officials at the 45th Space Wing at Patrick are preparing for a potential evacuation order and shutting down operations there and at nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Sept. 2.

Crews began securing and battening down critical facilities including launch complexes Sept. 1, officials said.

Aircraft assigned to Patrick and Cape Canaveral have been sheltered in hangars or are scheduled be flown to other locations by Sept. 2, and three launch vehicles have been secured inside their mobile service towers. These structures are designed to withstand winds up to 125 mph, officials said.

All non-mission essential military and civilian people are directed not to report for duty Sept. 2. Most facilities on base will not be open with the exception of the base exchange and commissary, which will be open 9 a.m. to noon.

The 45th SW commander said he expects to announce an evacuation order for all base people by Sept. 2.

Other bases in the region are monitoring the projected path.

Air Force Personnel Center officials are ready to offer assistance through the personnel readiness center at Randolph AFB, Texas. The readiness center staff acts as a central point of contact for people who have been ordered to evacuate by their commander.

People should only call the readiness center to report a change in their “safe haven” information or to learn about updates at their home stations such as when it is safe to return, said Master Sgt. Eric Barnes, noncommissioned officer in charge of the deployed operations section at the personnel center.

Sergeant Barnes is urging people to follow the menu options for particular bases to find out the latest information. Information is available 24 hours a day, and changes will be updated as they occur, Sergeant Barnes said.

People can reach the readiness center toll free at (800) 435-9941.

1 posted on 09/01/2004 5:03:27 PM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl

To: Joe Brower; Jammz; dandelion; Right_Handed_Writer; steveo; HerrKobes; Cannoneer No. 4; TEXOKIE; ...

Prayers for our northern neighbors from SW Florida.

2 posted on 09/01/2004 5:05:35 PM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl

To: Ragtime Cowgirl

Melbourne to Daytona has NEVER taken a direct hit.

3 posted on 09/01/2004 5:05:59 PM PDT by bikepacker67 (Sandy wasn't stuffing his socks, he was stuffing A sock.)

To: bikepacker67

Melbourne to Daytona has NEVER taken a direct hit.

Part of the reason for locating the Space Center there.

4 posted on 09/01/2004 5:08:45 PM PDT by fso301

To: Ragtime Cowgirl

Frances is being upgraded to a CAT 5.

5 posted on 09/01/2004 5:08:45 PM PDT by Happy2BMe (JOHN KERRY is as much like the WORKING MAN as WHOOPIE GOLDBERG is to GEORGE W. BUSH! - Vote BUSH!)

major track changes upcoming.....look out carolinas.

6 posted on 09/01/2004 5:09:03 PM PDT by dennis1x

"Frances is being upgraded to a CAT 5"

lol....based on what? just making stuff up or can you link something?

7 posted on 09/01/2004 5:09:42 PM PDT by dennis1x

"major track changes upcoming.....look out carolinas."

Where are you getting this info? I just read the 8 PM edt update- still on track for Melbourne/Vero Beach landfall.

8 posted on 09/01/2004 5:15:05 PM PDT by SE Mom

And the mobile service towers are only designed for 125 mph. Let's hope the structural engineers were being conservative with their calculations.

9 posted on 09/01/2004 5:15:37 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (Even if the government took all your earnings, you wouldn't be, in its eyes, a slave.)

latest model runs...and the latest NHC discussion hinted at it......

the gfdl model has a carolina landfall now...inside of 72 hours the gfdl model is very reliable.

10 posted on 09/01/2004 5:18:19 PM PDT by dennis1x

To: Blood of Tyrants

If it does hit in the Melbourne area, CC should be safe - nearly 30 miles north.

It'll be in the 90-110 windspeed that far away

11 posted on 09/01/2004 5:19:22 PM PDT by bikepacker67 (Sandy wasn't stuffing his socks, he was stuffing A sock.)

To: Blood of Tyrants; Ragtime Cowgirl; devolve; Geist Krieger

Frances headed for Florida - upgraded to CAT 5 - ping.

12 posted on 09/01/2004 5:21:37 PM PDT by Happy2BMe (JOHN KERRY is as much like the WORKING MAN as WHOOPIE GOLDBERG is to GEORGE W. BUSH! - Vote BUSH!)

also...latest models have fairly significant weakening occuring after 48 hours.....from 140 to 115 from 0 hour to 72 hr.....increasing sheer should help keeping this from being really really bad...

13 posted on 09/01/2004 5:21:57 PM PDT by dennis1x

To: William Creel

lol...my paycheck unfortunately disagrees with you..

16 posted on 09/01/2004 5:23:37 PM PDT by dennis1x

To: William Creel

You're not a meteorologist.

Maybe he stayed at a Holiday Inn last night.

17 posted on 09/01/2004 5:24:34 PM PDT by bikepacker67 (Sandy wasn't stuffing his socks, he was stuffing A sock.)

To: William Creel

But, he may have stayed at Holiday Express recently.

18 posted on 09/01/2004 5:24:37 PM PDT by fuquadukie (If you can't hang with the big dogs, then don't jump off the porch.)

however im not a tropical meteorologists but i can read data and analyze models..

19 posted on 09/01/2004 5:24:43 PM PDT by dennis1x

To: Ragtime Cowgirl

I wonder why they are flying them all the way to Texas?

Eglin is much closer and still well out of the way of the expected path, and even if it did change and head that way, it would be down to a small storm by the time it traveled that far inland.

20 posted on 09/01/2004 5:25:05 PM PDT by yarddog

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