Posted on 08/28/2017 7:11:30 AM PDT by Steven Tyler
Well it's not over. That said, what do Big City Freepers recommend??? 1) Bug out and head for high ground and get stuck in traffic 2) Get cases of water/chlorine tablets and pull that inflatable fishing boat out of storage 3) something else?
Get out the fishing boat, three poles, and all the tackle you can carry. I don’t think the DNR is going to be enforcing size and creel limits for a few weeks.
LOL.
I was thinking of my Operations Management professor. An eccentric guy!
One day, he challenged everyone in class. It could have been an exercise in planning and organizing for contingencies.
“XYZ happens. You have 5 minutes to leave. You can take 7 items with you you. Which five items do you gather up and take?”
Good luck - situational awareness in all things. Should already have had supplies of water and canned goods stashed along with gas, first aid, etc. Don't forget to protect important papers either way.
The city’s behavior during the Rita evacuation was a deliberate clusterf***.
Mr. Mayor didn’t get out of bed or on the media until the highways had already been choked for 8 hours. 7am was get up and get to work time and that was when the city FINALLY began to get on the mic.
And then then dumbass mayor told people to keep getting on the highways. Even in rush hour there is a system to stop traffic from entering already overcrowded highways.
And then the small towns along the highway shut their towns off to visiting traffic seeking gasoline.
And the drivers stopped their cars on the highway to walk the dog, take a dump, and to walk to McDonald’s.
There was no presence from public safety officers.
The mayor, the judge, and the governor all got on the radio and lied when they said (A) that gasoline was heading down 290 to restock the gas stations along 290 and that after that happened (B) 290 would be opened up (contraflow) to expand the number of north bound lanes.
Lie upon lie upon lie.
Mayor White sucked. On numerous occasions as mayor and especially that day.
We’ve evacuated twice since I have lived on a barrier island, 20 years. Both times there was little to no damage at our home from either water or wind. The main reason for the no damage was simple, the storm made a last day jog away. I do not regret having left, not one bit.
When we decide to go, we leave a day ahead of the crowd. Bring papers, hard drives (we work from home), clothes for two weeks, extra gasoline, cash, and guns and ammo after boarding up against wind damage. We have a bunch of provisions and water at the house for return, if and when that happens because if there is a lot of damage, there will be no electric service perhaps for along while.
It is not enjoyable, we just try to make the best of it. Since my mom passed, it has become easier as I do not have to make plans for her making the last one not more difficult than going away for a long vacation.
Last and above all, I do not rely on the government to tell me when to go.
“I’m not going to evacuate until a politician
tells me to. So there !”.....
Back at you.....Since you’re staying, be sure to write your name and social security number on your forearm, it will make those who find you body a lot easier to record who you were.
Be prepared to sing for help....;-)
BLUF unless you are getting advice from an “old fart” neighbor take evacuation advice very carefully. Your advisors don’t know local traffic flow and don’t know the flood zones you’ll be driving through. Finally, if you are asking yourself this question no0w it is already too late.
Your hurricane prep BEGINS the day you start house shopping. Growing up in South Florida in the 1950s I learned that the real danger is the water - rain, run off, and storm surge. My current home is on one of the higher pieces of property - everything drains away from me.
Every summer, no later than May I get my “hurricane kit” out and make sure everything works and refresh my canned food supply. Then I drive my primary and back up escape routes 75 miles in-land.
Finally, I remember Hurricane Opal, Oct 1995, that went from a “standard” Cat II to a screaming Cat IV overnight. The only option there is start driving away as soon as you hear that its now a Car IV storm.
In fact, in the age of cell phones and the internet I believe the basic idea of a limited evacuation or staged evacuation effectively no longer exists ... unless you have police and military personnel on the scene with "shoot to kill" orders.
Rita was an extreme over-reaction to Katrina. Plus Rita was a moving target that kept changing course. Consequently almost the entire Texas coast was evacuated in the greatest cluster-frak in modern history.
OTOH, New Orleans clearly should have been evacuated before Katrina hit. Everyone knew it was coming and that most of New Orleans was below sea level.
Same thing with Harvey. For days ahead of time it was predicted that Harvey would park over the coast and dump 50 inches of rain on the Houston area. The Governor was absolutely correct in calling for people in low lying areas to evacuate. The Houston Democrat mayor is arguing that you could not evacuate all of Houston, but no one ever suggested that you do.
If you are in the direct path of an oncoming hurricane or if you are in an area that is prone to flooding and a hurricane is coming your way GET THE FRAK OUT OF THE WAY. If you are not in the direct path of the hurricane or in an area prone to flooding then stock up on reserves, board up your house, and ride it out.
Friday I called my office to check on workstaff and get a sense of things. I was told that they couldn’t tell me to come in but it sounded like there was disdain for me not coming in. And then the whole office site was closed by 11am. It would’ve taken me 2 hours round trip just to go to there and back (on a normal day).
I was doing storm prep and the closure time (my voluntary choice or office demand) is all covered out of my own PTO (vacation/sick leave hours).
The companies aren’t going to tell you “go” until it is too late.
On 9-11-2001 if I was working in the other WTC tower, I would’ve already been out of the building before it got hit. A major incident like that occurs next door, no work will get done, traffic will be impacted, and the building could well fall on yours (that was a designed goal in both WTC terrorist attacks).
I’ll take personal time if I have to, but when work isn’t going to get done (checking for updates) you might as well take the safest path.
you should have left last week...filled the car will lots of sensible clothes, your IDs passports, DR, copy of a current electric bill to prove your Houston address, deed to house, home and auto insurance, titles to cars, credit cards, money (you should have gone to the bank for some ready cash), cars filled up with gas...blankets, sleeping bags, tent, food, water, extra diapers, baby stuff, kids report cards and school records in case they have to go to a different school..
FReepers can add to this list...
head west and north as far as possible, to relatives, friends, helpful church, camp ground, cheap motel...
sooner or later all those displaced people have to go somewhere...after Katrina hundreds were flown into our area of TN...most just to continue to receive benefits from the government...
You might have to establish yourself and start from scratch in another state...how would you do that in just boxer shorts and a raincoat and no ID or shoes ???
Anyhoo stay safe and swim real fast theres alligators in that water...
So if city council knew it would be be bad with possible 50 inches of rain..but couldnt have people panic like Rita...so downplayed severity
Should they get blame for not telling residents reality
There are hotels with available space still available, even down by Hobby Airport and into the NASA area. Even Galveston has availability ...
So the first question is - where would you go? Family, friends, hotel? And how would you get there? In Houston, if part of your trip includes I45, I10, 99, 610 or Beltway 8 you may never get there.
What is the danger that you face? As many in Houston have noted, planning for bugging out looks way different today than it did last Friday.
Who is involved? Do you care for the elderly or infants? Pets? Goldfish will survive, at least until eaten. Otherwise you need to provide food and a place to eliminate said food upon usefulness.
Jobs? My neighbor is a fire chief. His world just can't be done via telecommuting. Me? Get me a phone line and/or an internet connection and I work from anywhere. Amarillo looks pretty good about now.
Finances? What a real mess for everyone involved. This will be a three to five year recovery, as locations from Corpus to San Antonio to Austin to New Orleans will be involved. Over 12,000,000 people and businesses involved.
And EVERYONE in Texas better get prepared for your next insurance bill.
That’s what I would be worried about too. Being stuck on a highway somewhere with a minimal amount of survival gear, water and food. Unless my home is completely flooded, my options are better there.
Or....
Wait for a gub'mint official to decide for you. Pitch a tent on your roof and wait for the gub'mint to pick you up by helicopter or boat and take you to a shelter with a cot and hot food waiting. ALL FREE!! Collect your FEMA check, get drunk and blame Trump.
What I learned from Rita’s evacuation:
When you get the notion to leave, go. The longer you wait, the more people who are getting that idea.
The “traffic and weather together” station 740am was beyond worthless that day giving traffic reports or “news”. They kept playing that same non-news report about some grandmother looking for her cat.
Carry a map in your car. While most exits from I-10 were blocked into the small towns, if you managed to get to one of the alternate highway systems, there was no congestion. But you’d need a map to find your way. And iphones don’t always work out in rural communities. You need a real map on paper.
Don’t count on the promises of those in charge to deliver fuel or open up the highway systems. Empty promises to make the wait seem like things will get better.
Picture postcards from Rugen:
https://flic.kr/p/WRET56
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https://flic.kr/p/Y69SS2
https://flic.kr/p/Y6a69X
https://flic.kr/p/XQ5GLq
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https://flic.kr/p/Y6Y4dP
https://flic.kr/p/XQTjof
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