Replies

Yeah! September, 1993!! HUGO!! What a storm!! Knocked the daylights out of a swathe of S.C and N.C. Then, it sailed right on up to the Appalachian mountains!!

My sister had a house in Winston-Salem back then.... A MASSIVE one hundred year old oak tree fell, in the 90 mile per hour winds and took the deck and side of her house right off.

What a mess!!

Hugo was September 21, 1989. I was working at the Weapons Station in Goose Creek. We were not let go until 12:30 - 1:00pm.

That is a day that I will never forget. Even though I am twenty-five miles from the coast, we had such devastation in Summerville...

There were two incidents were my terror rose to the surface - the first was when I heard this - This is not a drill - this is the Civil Defense Network - This is not a drill - absolute terror. Then I settled into emergency mode and did what needed to be done. The second time was at midnight when my brother called and told me the eye was over Charleston Harbour and then the deathly quiet that follows when the eye is over you. Then the worst part of the storm, the backside hits.

The next morning I walked outside and couldn't recognize my little town. I couldn't climb over the trees that were down, they were so big around that you had to crawl under or walk around. Have you ever walked into a soldier carrying a M16 (or whatever)? I have, it scared the sh__ out of me. It took me an hour to find my church.

We were without electricity for weeks and I lived downtown. The President (Bush,Sr) visited Summerville 'cause he couldn't have the protection he needed in Charleston.

I am shaking right now remembering that night. Thank GOD my parents had taught my siblings and I what to do before and during a hurricane.