Posted on 08/14/2004 9:26:55 AM PDT by Former Military Chick
PUNTA GORDA, Fla. Hurricane Charley (search) killed at least 15 people in Florida and flattened oceanfront homes, making thousands homeless before it roared north and struck the coast of South Carolina on Saturday.
Wayne Sallade, Charlotte County's director of emergency management, said there were 10 confirmed deaths in the county, but an exact total was not available.
"Not hundreds. I would hope that it would be limited to dozens, if that," Sallade said. Five people were killed elsewhere in the state.
Charlotte County (search) deputies were standing guard over bodies because the area was inaccessible to ambulances.
The strongest storm to strike Florida in a dozen years knocked out electrical service to an estimated 1.3 million homes and businesses as it crossed Florida from the southwest coast to the Atlantic at Daytona Beach, causing widespread damage to coastal areas and mobile home parks.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
When I talked to my brother he said that watching the storm come in was like watching the big space ship come into the atmosphere in Independence day the movie.
Some of those pics look like it, now I see just what he means.
Those from out of state will be leaving their families for weeks to help out in Florida.
My sister's ex called her this morning to let her know his Georgia Power crew spent the night in Savannah, Georgia and would be headed on down today (the kids were supposed to be with him this weekend, so it was nice of him to keep her posted).
"The county should ban trailers in those hurricane alley areas. We all end up paying for it with higher insurance coast let alone loss of life.I saw shots of regular homes and while some had roof damage most were still standing and intact.
"
How noble your sentiment is. However, lots of people can only afford a mobile home. Check the price comparison.
As for your paying for it, you pay for all insurance losses, whether they're mobile homes or anything else. Most folks who live in mobile homes have no losses whatever. It's rare for an individual mobile home to be damaged by weather...very rare. Your suggestion is inconsiderate of those who cannot afford a "regular" home. There may just be some Freepers living in these affordable, and quite pleasant, homes. Think a bit, please, before you make your pronouncements.
"As a mobile home dweller in Florida I humbly ask your forgivness. I'm terribly sorry that I can't afford a real home.
"
Ignore the ignorami. They're just blowing hard about something they know nothing about.
It's amazing to me that trailer homes are still in existence, given our litigious society. They're the worst in wind/tornado/hurricane and horrible fire traps, yet they keep selling. I realize they're cheap, but it's still surprising the industry has been able to resist expensive safety upgrades and that people would still buy them. At the very least, they should be required to have high-rate, high-risk insurance...maybe that would stop the madness.
I think what has bothered folks in the aftermath of prior hurricanes and floods is the rebuilding on a spot (area) known for severe weather.
Insurance providers pay out. Some cannot afford hurricane, flood or tornado because well there are huge pay outs. So they build in the same place, weather hits again and this time they do not have any coverage so they will
go to the government to compensate their loss. (this subject alone could be a terrific debate)
And they build again in the same place. However insurance folks and the government have said if you build there again NO help. There is merit to that argument.
..and Bush certainly will have to contend with that!
Can you even get insurance on a mobile home in that area? If so, how much? We didn't buy for an older mobile home that was paid for because it would have cost more than than replacement. After it was totaled (this was years ago) we applied for a disater loan and were denied because we didn't have enough credit so we were given a 5000 grant. I wanted the loan instead. I wanted help not charity. That's our government though. Go figure. Taking a chance and getting some of the money back than just giving it away seemed a better way to me. Anyway, we put a down payment on a new one with all the storm requirements. The insurance cost us a fortune. It scared me, every time the weather got bad, to stay in one after this storm though and eventually built a house.
If your comment were to get out to the general public I am that it would bring in at least 25,000 Democrat votes that wouldn't have bothered otherwise, just to get back at the Rich Republican Snob.
It's home for these folks. I think the answer is low or no interest loans and not assistance grants. People should be able to live where they want but rebuild at their own expense. That said though, I don't mind thru private charities, helping anyone who is down on their luck. If a farmer gets hit by a tornado more than once we wouldn't expect him to move.
You sound like a liberal!
You sound like a "superior" ignoranimus. You for banning smoking too? You're the liberal mindset ruining many of the freedoms in this Republic. Why not "ban" everything that causes you discomfort? What a maroon.
FMCDH(BITS)
BWAHAHAHAHA!..."ignorami"!...see my #51.
FMCDH(BITS)
What amazes me is that there are very few posts about these glass condos. Yeah, they have insurance but it affects the rates of others. I doubt if we will hear much about not rebuilding or restricting building or (gasp:') limiting the glass windows. We gotta get rid of the trailers though. I'm not picking on the "nice homes" either because I have lived in mobile homes and someday plan to have a beach Condo on SPI with lot's of glass windows:')
Good point CFW, there are going to be a lot of long days for those that have lost and those that are helping them get back on their feet.
I will be calling our Red Cross and see if there are going to be semi's making a treck for bigger cities that are filled by residents to give to those in need in Florida. Clothes, diapers, soap, toothbrushes, blankets ... the list goes on and on.
It will be dangerous work, everytime they show downed power lines it makes me think of Ft Sill where a couple were on a bike, it slid and somehow they landed in the pool of water and were killed on the spot.
Good pics....thanks for the link.
What would we do without computers, to think your brother descibed it and then you see it on this thread.
Some of those shots make me glad hurricane hunting in my AF Days is long behind me. I am amazed at the distruction.
Please pray for these people. Especially the elderly in trailor communities ... they've lost all they own ... it's hard to start again at that age with a fixed income. Though they may not be materially wealthy I hope they are strong in faith. Just because they may not have as much as you ... doesn't mean they aren't good people. Pray that they have the will to go on and start again. Pray for those who lost loved ones.
I don't have a problem with that. If an insurance company refuses to sell me a policy, that's up to them. However, it should also be up to me to decide if I want to take that risk and live there anyway.
I personally am not the type of person to go running to the government if my decision goes against me. I don't know about others.
You are welcome. It puts a face on what we are reading on the net.
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