Posted on 09/15/2004 7:38:29 PM PDT by lainie
If it goes to sea, it may come back again up north? Right now it is dropping 2 inches of rain per hour! That is what is most worrisome right now.
One of the shopkeepers walks out of Sarahs, a three story dress shop in downtown Pensacola, laid open by Hurricane Ivan's winds and storm surge September 16, 2004. The shop was in the lower end of the downtown area that flooded as well as took the brunt of Ivan's winds.
Glad the tornado was not on the ground and you are OK. Warnings are now in North Georgia around Oconee County. This thing is so big. My mom is OK. She doesn't have electricity but has phone service and a portable radio. She is in great spirits so I feel better. Thanks for the report.
I understand your concerns, and I'm sending out prayers to all in your area. I have just looked at the latest pics posted on the PNJ and can't stop crying....it's just so sad. I just hope that Ivan dies before it can reach anywhere near the waters again to start back up. I know my imagination is going a little crazy right now, but I can see it coming up to this area of VA and I'd get slammed twice from Ivan.
Please ping me on any more info on Gulf Breeze (Pins Lane).
Santa Rosa Island is in the Pensacola area. Okaloosa Island is the small strip between Ft. Walton Beach and Destin (where you used to surf and hang out).
Shep said that Eglin is going to send a Helicopter to the area to get some aerial shots within the hour!
sw
Onyx, I've been following this. God Bless your beautiful family. Regards, sw
"Nine alligators were on the loose in the Alabama town of Gulf Shores, after they escaped from a zoo in floodwaters caused by Hurricane Ivan"
Yikes! As if there are not enough of those guys swimming around out here naturally!
I logged on specifically to try to get info about Gulf Breeze. My family and I live in Gulf Breeze Proper but evacuated to a friend's house at Ft. Benning, GA. My son and daughter were keeping in close touch with their friends in Gulf Breeze yesterday by phone. We have been unable to contact anyone today. I hate to say it, but after watching news reports, I fear the worst. My husband and eldest son left Ft. Benning about 15 minutes ago headed back to Gulf Breeze to help with medical care, cleanup, etc., ... and to see what is left of our home. I will let you know if I hear anything.
Here's an E-Mail I just sent to FOX News, FYI;
TO: ontherecord@foxnews.com
Ahoy there, Greta;
We've been following FOX News coverage of "Ivan" with interest.
One thing that never ceases to amaze me is that these "on the scene" reporters are telling us that under no circumstances should we venture outdoors in these conditions... while they are standing there in the teeth of a hurricaine getting soaked to the skin and getting blown all over the parking lot!
Yeah; RIGHT, guys!
But here's my major 'issue"; One stalwart chap is telling us how one victim of a tornado was hit in the head by a piece of wind blown debries and died of head trauma. That is a pity indeed...
...but where's this Reporter's HELMET??!!
A lot of these same Reporters were "Imbeds" during the Iraq War and didn't mind going on camera wearing a kevlar noggin-pot; so they feel comfortable in 70 MPH winds with potentially dangerous debries flying around bare-headed?
If something that weighs a couple of pounds whacks you in the gourd at 70MPH or more, it's gonna SMART!
It's gonna mess up more than your hair-do, I'm here to tell ya!
At over 100 MPH, it could well be lethal!
Even if our Star Reporter (and his Crew) are in the relative protection of buildings, high winds could hoist debries over or around said structure and, in the vortex of the lee, drop them onto whatever or whoever might be below.
High winds can blow you down; tumbling along driven by 100MPh winds until you hit something solid can induce some nasty trauma, don't you know?
I would not go out in anything over 50 MPH winds without a motorcycle, skydiving, or at least a rock climbing helmet on for basic protection. Shucks; break out those old Iraqi Imbed lids out at the very least!
So it looks goofy; it could save your brain, for goodness' sake!
While we're on the subject; ever get a particle of sand or bug in your eye riding a motorcycle? A june-bug almost took me OFF of my bike once with impact on my left shoulder, going about 45 MPH. Bikers have been KILLED hitting large birds going not much faster than that. And your guys are out in 75 MPH gusts unprotected?
OK....
These folks should be equipped with GOGGLES or some sort of eye protection out there too, just as if they were riding a motorcycle at those speeds.
And if they are going to stand around in high wind conditions, a couple of other tips;
Loose clothing like those raincoats they wear flap around and increase wind resistance or "drag".
This is why Skydivers wear loose floppy jump suits - to slow their "terminal velocity" or rate of decent a little. On the ground however, this "drag" gives the wind something to grab you by and yank you around with.
Have them try wearing what bicycle racers wear for minimal drag - Spandex or something -; or better yet a Scuba Diver's "dry-suit" for reduced drag and some protection from the elements at the same time.
Those things also have a lot of floatation, in case our Hero gets washed out to sea or down the river, Heaven forbid.
Being made of a foam rubber about a quarter inch thick, they might afford a little protection from small projectile debries as well.
If said Heroes are... "brave" (foolish?) enough to be out and about in anything approaching Cat. 4 winds, they need to be wearing a Climber's safety harness and be tethered securely to some static, solid "anchor".
It might not be a bad idea to rope the Crew together as Mountain Climbers do when ascending a steep face or glacier.
If anyone goes down in that wind, they are going to "fall" - HORIZONTALLY - untill they fetch up against something that is sufficiently solid, heavy, or rooted so as to be not blowing around.
And that's gotta hurt!
So as much as I appreciate the FOX News team's efforts to bring us timely, CREDIBLE (can't say that for some other Network we can think of....) and interesting news, please try to keep your people who bring us this news from where it's happenin' reasonably SAFE!
We've kinda taken to sorta liking them, after all. };^{)~
"Uncle Jaque" (FReeper and FOXFan)
Former NH State Police (5.5yrs), EMT (Yarmouth Rescue Unit, 14 yrs.); Compulsive Safety Freak.
Yarmouth, Maine USA
I haven't seen or hard anything in a while.
Nothing personal, but since you're northwest of me, that sound good for me. I really hope you're wrong - the folks in Richmond can't handle it.
We evacuated from Pensacola to NC to stay with family. We are going nuts to know what is going on with our house on Audubon Drive off of Creighton Rd.Anyone in that area? I have talked to several people around P'cola and they have lost every tree in their yard. The bridge going from Gulf Breeze to P'cola Beach has lost a 30 foot section. The only news I can find is on Pensacola News Journal.
The Crowne Plaza Hotel suffered heavy damage to the top floors in the hotel. These face east. (Pensacola)
Just heard on radio that Alabama Power has 800,000+ customers without power in Alabama. Total customers of Alabama Power in Alabama is 1,300,000. Ivan is just now making it past Birmingham, a little more than halfway through the state.
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/data/forecasts/ALZ024.php?warncounty=ALC073&city=Birmingham
Looks like this afternoon will be the worst with winds from 55 to 60 mph.
Someone on MSNBC reported going by a pizza restaurant in Gulf Shores where the front of the building is completely gone, but the dishes stacked in the back are still stacked and unbroken.
I meant to ping you on this as well...
It will stall as it gets caught in a coldfront...it will eventually, technically, go "out to sea" just like all former huricanes do, but it ain't coming back.
I am sure you are right. I did say my imagination was going crazy!! lol
Thank you so much!
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