Posted on 08/13/2004 7:24:06 AM PDT by STARWISE
ALL FLORIDIANS, PLEASE COMMENT ON CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY THOSE ON SOUTHERN WEST COAST
I'm inland from Tampa Bay about 25 miles. Dear God, I'm scared. I lost it all in Andrew in '92 and left South Florida after a year and a half to come to this area.
Please keep me and all those going through this storm in your prayers. I'm alone here, and this storm's probably going to be very damaging and destructive. I'm picking up branches, objects lying about. I've filled the tub with water, I'll bringing in my dog and my birds, I haven't taped the windows as I've heard that can cause worse problems when the windows are broken. I pulled the car right up close to the house on the south side. I've draped the windows with fabric to stop debris or glass .. but in high winds, it probably won't be much help.
I've got old, tall oak trees overhead .. and I don't know how the roof or house or I will fare. There is no inner room without a window, so my location will probably be my shower stall on the south side of the house. It has one typical bathroom window. There is no other place where my dog and I could at least be surrounded with some strengthened walls.
I'm not in an evacuation area, and I wouldn't be able to take my pets in anyway.
Even if I have to get offline because I need to move the computer, there may be some insight and help offered until then and many thousands of us in this area may be helped by some tip.
PLEASE pray Charley away from here .. please pray for my and our safety on the West Central Florida coast. God Bless Us All.
Paryers and hugs being sent your way, Florida Freepers!
I'm not in Florida but I'm wishing you the best. I can imagine the scars that still exist down there after Andrew. Keeping you in my prayers today...
Good luck. Consider bringing a mattress into the tub with you and putting it over you and your pets to protect you from sharp flying debris.
prayers for you
You got my prayers.
My friends in Cutler Ridge when Andrew came through made it by staying in the enclosed 1/2 bath. I think a closet would be a safe place if you have nothing else.
Good luck...one suggestion..does anyone know where you are, and that you are alone...so that they can check up on you later..
Prayers for our Florida freepers. Is there a friend's house you can go to with an interior room? Do you have a battery operated radio to keep you company if you have to stay alone? I'll be thinking of you!
Prayers, but Charley ain't no Andrew. You'll be fine.
We will be praying for you. You can count on it.
I agree. See if one of your neighbor's might let you ride out the storm with them. Maybe they have an interior room. You guys don't have basements in FL, right? If you did, that would be the place to go, obviously...Also, make sure your dog is securely tied up in the room with you. If a window breaks, he might spook and run, only to hurt himself on something.
The main threat is directly along the coast from storm surge - and since you're 25 miles inland, you should not be affected in any way from that. This will not be a catastrophic wind event like Andrew - you have a possibility instead of a certainty of suffering severe wind damage. Plus, Charley will approach at a shallow angle, which means there will be less impact inland eastward from landfall.
You and everyone in Charley's path are in our prayers. Take care.
Be sure to cut up and save any of the oak trees that come down. Its makes great firewood for open pit grilling.
We used to live in Tampa and still have friends all along the Gulf Coast, so I am watching this with a sense of what you are feeling.
If you haven't met your neighbors, now is the time to go out and talk to them- find out who else is riding out the storm nearby so you can promise to check on each other. Make sure you have a can opener! Plan to share dinner tomorrow with your neighbors, when this will all be history!
And fill up your car with gas. If your flashlight and radio batteries fail, you can always go out (when its not dangerously windy) and listen to updates on the car radio.
God Bless!
Ain't that like a southron. Thinking about barbecue in the midst of impending disaster!
Good luck to you. I have relatives down there and I hope that Charley will lose steam! We're waiting for all his rain up north and believe me we have already had enough rain this year!! God Bless you!!
An inept N. Korean pilot's bombings (near) the camp become a spectator sport. Frank complains that the pilot should be shot down, but it isn't until Gen. Clayton's jeep is bombed any action is taken.
Just keep a stiff upper lip, and remember what comedian Ron White said: "It's not THAT the wind is blowing. It's WHAT the wind is blowing."
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