Wilma's Aftermath (First hand account by a FREEPers spouse)

Free Republic | 10/25/05 | SFF's spous

[SoFloFreeper]

I am writing this to let you know the other side of the story. Today was a beautiful day in Broward County, Florida. I watch and heard about the angry line of people waiting for free water and ice.

I had out-of-state friends watching these images call me in a panic, "Are you okay?" they asked. "What's it really like?" they asked, concerned for my safety.

I said, "It's a beautiful day in South Florida!"

"What's it really like..." I see neighbors outside helping each other cutting down trees. I see people sharing supplies (water, charcoal, food...), I see people opening their homes to use gas stoves, gas-heated showers, barbeque pits, phone lines or to recharge cell phone batteries off their generators, I see kids playing in front yards while people introduce themselves to the strangers who live on their street.

Too often today we wave at the person next door or across the street but may never know their names or anything about them. Florida is extremely transient with people moving every few months or years. Strong personal bonds are difficult to make here, but they are being forged here today.

Wilma has made us stop (there is nowhere to rush off to!), brought us out of our home (the wonderful cool air) and into each other's lives. That is the good to come out of this devastation.

I don't know who those people in line for ice and water were. I don't know how on the second day (or first day!) after the storm so many people could have so few supplies. We had been warned about Wilma for over a week and had seen the destruction in Mexico. I don't know how people can crab about the government ice trucks being delayed and the government's "lack of preparedness" when these people obviously didn't prepare by buying supplies! I don't know who would stand in line for 3 or 4 hours for free water when many grocery stores and discount stores are open. (Many were selling water!)

What I DO know is that they do NOT represent the vast majority of the residents! Most of us are prepared and are making the best of a bad situation. Most of us are looking out for one another and reaching to one another. I just hope this is a story the media will tell. This is the story of who we are, here in South Florida.

I don't mind the media telling the bad things but if you don't tell the good things as well then you aren't telling the truth.

Just so you don't think my rosy outlook is because we had (or have) it easy...we live in one of the worst hit areas of Broward county. My young son and I stayed in a tiny broom closet from about 6:30 am until noon the day Wilma struck. Our entire back porch was ripped from our house--we found pieces of it around the neighborhood. Our roof has lots of damage and trees are down. Power lines and poles are down all over the neighborhood and it doesn't look like we will have electric any time soon.

I just want people to really know what is happening in South Florida. Thanks for your concern.

(SFF's spouse)

[SoFloFreeper]

It is so easy for the news crews to run to the whining, crying lines of people who didn't prepare. It is so easy to blame the government...journalists who aren't afraid to work for a story ought to get out to the neighborhoods and areas where people are helping each other!

[GrandEagle]

for the news crews to run to the whining, crying lines of people who didn't prepare

Same here after Katrina. With a few exceptions, folks behaved pretty good. I got to meet all kinds of new friends in the neighborhood.

GE

[CajunConservative]

I agree with your post 100%. I'm from SWLA where Rita hit and the story is the same. The media doesn't want to report on all of the good things that come out of the storms. The truth is most people were prepared and most got out of the way. It's just not as dramatic to report on neighbors helping neighbors or neighborhood cookouts in order to salvage the contents in the freezer.

[shezza]

But it's so much easier to get the malcontents to say it's all the government's fault (which is the main MSM goal). People preparing? People evacuating? People surviving and cleaning up and picking up the pieces? Squeaky wheel and all that, don't you know.

Glad you all are safe, and thanks to the Mrs. for writing this.

[Quilla]

Thank you for the first hand report. Brian Kilmeade mentioned the week long warning this morning on Fox & Friends 1st. He couldn't believe so many folks had done so little for themselves.

Wouldn't it be something if the journalists who have managed to interview the moaners would actually pitch in a help clean up a neighborhood?

[AmericaUnite]

God Bless you and yours. Thanks for the update.

[MizSterious]

Great article! Wouldn't I love to see it reprinted in letters to the editor around the country!

[Shery]

The lines are full of democrats who want to blame Bush for everything!

[newfrpr04]

Thanks for posting the positive side. Gov. Bush did a great job preparing and warning it's citizens. With the number of hurricanes in Florida, I think this is the first time that I have heard people were complaining about long lines after 2 days.

It's amazing that so many people can not take personal responsibility for their safety and care. MSM doesn't want to show any good Samaritans, or people helping each other. I am glad that you are all fine.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

Well God bless you guys. We were without power for six days after Frances last year. But this idea that the goverment needs to supply such simple necessities as water and ice when you can go to any mini mart and buy this stuff days in advance if you want too.
I guess some either refuse to believe a hurricane will effect them, or they just "assume" the government teet is the only way to survive. I just don't know.

[PogySailor]

But that wouldn't fit the "Bush doesn't care" media template. I don't remember all this whining after Charlie/Francis/Jeanne last year. Must be a post-Katrina thing.

I was w/o power twice after last years storms for a total of 8 days. I never thought it was the governments "fault".

[FairfaxVA]

My parents live in Naples and took appropriate steps to prepare for the storm. They had some trees down, and a few missing shingles, but they, along with some neighbors, cleared the debris and are getting things back together. My Dad went to the Lowe's yesterday and bought another generator (my parents have three refrigerators...Dad likes to cook:)He remarked that he was surprised how many stores were open.

[NonValueAdded]

From a FREEPer spouse? without reading any further, the first thing that comes to mind is "will you get off that damned computer and get the windows boarded up?"

[blazneyez]

I just got off the phone with my brother who is in one of the hardest hit areas of Dade county. I hadn't heard from him since before the storm hit and was very happy to hear he was ok and safe. I asked him if he had enough food and supplies (if not, I was going to drive some down to him this weekend) and he said he and his neighbors were prepared, sharing, taking care of one another, cleaning up debris and had been eating like kings! As a matter of fact, his neighbor woke up at 4 a.m., went 2 doors down where he (my brother) lives to wake him up to tell him to get up they were going to go to another friend's house to ride out the storm because the winds had picked up. They all live in a trailer park except the other friend's house that they went to.

[VeniVidiVici]

I don't know who would stand in line for 3 or 4 hours for free water when many grocery stores and discount stores are open.

Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to loot freely.

[Bob Buchholz]

I know we have sent crews of linemen from NC to south Florida (ours are in Boca Raton), so if you see any NC trucks honk and say hi for me.

[NautiNurse]

Excellent report. Thanks for taking the time to post this story.

[Sam Cree]

*

[Trust but Verify]

I have been listening to one of my co-workers talk to her daughter in Delray Beach all week about how awful things are. She still has no power and may not have any for a couple of weeks yet. She's complaining about not being able to go anywhere because she failed to fill her gas tank before the storm and is very low on gas. She can't eat cooked food because she has no grill. She can't accept ice from FEMA or whomever is handing it out because she doesn't own a cooler. She's eating Pop-Tarts.

It is all I can do to shut my big mouth and tell her her daughter is an idiot.

[rodomila]

I live in Miami-Dade. We still have no electricity or phone service at home. There is a terrible gas shortage as most stations have no electricity and therefore the pumps don't work. Waits of 5-8 hours for gas are the norm and then they won't sell you more than $20 worth. Other than that everything is groovy. The weather is glorious. It's not stifling hot as it usually is after a hurricane so the electricity loss isn't as bad as it could be. After 44 years of waiting I missed every single one of my Astros WS games. I'm sure that's why they got swept. They didn't even have AM radio coverage. I'm also missing what the aliens are up to on Invasion.