Irma

[Doc]

That is great news Doc. I truly hope that any damage you incurred was minimal. How would you describe flooding in your area, that is if any has occurred.

Not bad

[suncat05]

Nothing official to report right now, but damage assessment is underway here by the S.O., the Fire Dept., & the Road Dept.
I've received a few calls here already from folks that left to get away from the storm and want to know if it's clear to come back.
We can receive phone calls here at the EOC but cannot call out.
Just from what I'm hearing, it's bad in places and in others it's like there was no storm at all.
It's south Florida in September. At this point that's all I can definitively say.

[HerbTarlek]

Irma has arrived in the ATL. As is the custom here, because no one has to work, it's an excuse to party. Need bottled water? No problem. Public is flush to the gunnels. Need liquor? T.S. Liqour stores are empty. Go figure. My local opened early today, their sandwich board touting that they might lose power later, so we have to start early.

[MickintheHam]

Irma has arrived in the ATL. As is the custom here, because no one has to work, it's an excuse to party. Need bottled water? No problem. Public is flush to the gunnels. Need liquor? T.S. Liqour stores are empty. Go figure. My local opened early today, their sandwich board touting that they might lose power later, so we have to start early.

What else ya gonna do? Party on! Life never gives us enough chances to be carefree.

[suncat05]

Okay, I was able to make it home for about 45 minutes. I have very minimal damage. I lost shingles from the roof, some siding on three sides of the house, my steps to the back door are now sitting just inside my front gate ( 😂 ) , but no damage inside the house and no broken windows.
We have no power, of course, and no phone and internet is spotty.
But nobody in my family was injured, and my pups are fine.
Somebody upstairs was looking out for my family and my house. I owe Him more devotion than ever.

[suncat05]

In other related news, Hurricane Irma affected differing areas of the county in different ways. We have power lines down all over, some homes are destroyed, some minimally touched, others with zero damage. As rough as the winds were, I'm really surprised the damage wasn't much worse.

[suncat05]

Last night, during the beginning of the worst part of this event, we receive a 9-1-1 emergency call from a lady that said her husband was outside, face down in water, and he wasn't breathing. So, even though the Sheriff and the Public Safety Director send out a response, even though it was NOT safe for any human to be out in this mess. And if course our people get there, there's no one face down in anything.
I've heard that this individual that called this in may be in for a very unpleasant surprise. And rightfully so......

[Catonahottinroof]

Twitter stuff from Sugarloaf Key in the middle keys
image.jpg
image.jpg
image.jpg

[Darrell KSR]

Last night, during the beginning of the worst part of this event, we receive a 9-1-1 emergency call from a lady that said her husband was outside, face down in water, and he wasn't breathing. So, even though the Sheriff and the Public Safety Director send out a response, even though it was NOT safe for any human to be out in this mess. And if course our people get there, there's no one face down in anything.
I've heard that this individual that called this in may be in for a very unpleasant surprise. And rightfully so......

Putting lives in danger as a joke? There can't be a harsh enough punishment.

[Catfan73]

About 30 years ago I was offered a job at the Marine Institute on Big Pine Key but turned them down. I'm sure it was just me but it seemed so isolated at the time. I thought I was at the end of the world lol. It probably didn't help to ease my fears any that they flew me from Miami to Marathon on a puddle jumper and picked me up there. That was the first time anyone had ever asked me how much I weighed before getting on a plane. That's a different world down there and one more suitable to vacations than permanent living imo. That being said, hopefully everything gets back to normal in short order.

[BigBluePappy]

Getting asked how much you weigh before a flight is not bad; it is when the response from the personnel there is "Oh S***", that you need to worry.

[CitizenBBN]

About 30 years ago I was offered a job at the Marine Institute on Big Pine Key but turned them down. I'm sure it was just me but it seemed so isolated at the time. I thought I was at the end of the world lol. It probably didn't help to ease my fears any that they flew me from Miami to Marathon on a puddle jumper and picked me up there. That was the first time anyone had ever asked me how much I weighed before getting on a plane. That's a different world down there and one more suitable to vacations than permanent living imo. That being said, hopefully everything gets back to normal in short order.

I'm hoping for permanent, but yes it does feel like the end of the world, even though it's vastly more populated than it was then. Back then it was really sparse, esp. on the lower keys other than Key West. Now Big Pine is basically a suburb bedroom community of Key West. Same for Sugarloaf, Cudjoe, all of them.

It still has its own feel though, despite the influx of people. It's people who want that feel for the most part, so it has maintained some of that charm.

[CitizenBBN]

From a Miami Herald report:

Not that the locals mind — by Sunday afternoon, as Irma’s winds continued to slam the island, two bars on Duval Street had already reopened. They were packed.


The Department of Defense announced Monday that all 10,000 people who chose to stay in the Keys might have to be evacuated until basic services come back.

Of course they were back in the bars. As long as the club soda holds out they'll be fine till water is restored, and electricity being out won't be the end of the world. They'll be fine.

But if the government really tries to come in and remove everyone, that will be a real show. Lots of locals already talking about not leaving next time b/c now they can't get back.

[jazyd]

Not bad

Doc, glad all is well, maybe we can do another FF in the future. You and sun at were in my prayers

[HerbTarlek]

From Atlanta. . . a lot of rain. Some wind. Nothing worse than a midsummer thundershower.

[Doc]

I got power back in the middle of the night. Good thing as my generator was failing. Developed an oil leak and shut down. Was leaking around a hose so I clamped it which seemed to work but also noted the bolts in the top of the engine were loose. Got it running but needs a complete service prior to the next storm

[kingcat]

Very glad you folks got through alright.

[dan_bgblue]

105 degrees in Ft Lauderdale at this time. That has to be miserable for those there and with no electricity. Thanks to the weather widget above for giving me the temperature

[Doc]

105 degrees in Ft Lauderdale at this time. That has to be miserable for those there and with no electricity. Thanks to the weather widget above for giving me the temperature

Yeah but with the humidity it feels like 106!!

[KSRBEvans]

I was stationed in Puerto Rico when Hugo came through in '89. We were without power for 5 weeks. The thing that struck me most was how the slightest movement caused me to sweat profusely. You don't realize how important A/C is until you find yourself without it in a tropical climate.

[KentuckyWildcat]

What is Jose going to do? Hoping to leave out for Amelia Island on Friday but right now they are not allowing anyone on the island.

[Doc]

I was listening to the radio today. I'm amazed at how much damage there is here. I mean I'm shocked that FL is in such shambles. I was totally unaware of it driving to work today on the streets. I didn't even come across a boat in the middle of the road or a roof that had been displaced. Worse damage I can find is that I could not find a damn cup of coffee anywhere because panera, starbucks and the bagel shop isn't open. The media has so overblown the damage but then anything to make viewers watch. Hey, the Keys got hit and lots of folks don't have power. Guess what, those w/o power have generators because 90% of the people in FL have them. And if they don't, those people are in a hotel. I'm serious, life here is pretty much back to normal, and if you see a newcast that tells you otherwise, don't believe it. Sure, there are piles of tree debris but big deal. People in FL are prepared for this type of thing. Its like people in Alaska who get a snow storm. You know how to deal with it by being prepared, and dealing with the effects. Granted there are going to cases where folks take advantage of services like FEMA, anything to get something for free, but for the most part Floridians are moving on. Hell, I'm going to Universal this weekend for Halloween Horror Night!!!

[CitizenBBN]

Doc, you are so right. The media will say anything for ratings.

Yes there was flooding and obviously damage, but the version that this was some kind of "bomb went off" state wide event is false.

The Keys were hit hard, but Key West is pretty much fine other than waiting for electricity. The other lower and middle keys are far worse off, but honestly not much more than after any hurricane event, of which there have been several to hit them. Boats are up on land, of course mobile homes and RVs are strewn around.

It's not good, and given the access issues it will take a while to fix everything, but it will be fixed, and it will be months and not years. It will be days and weeks for most of it.

Bad storm, but not the end of the world.

[Doc]

Doc, you are so right. The media will say anything for ratings.

Yes there was flooding and obviously damage, but the version that this was some kind of "bomb went off" state wide event is false.

The Keys were hit hard, but Key West is pretty much fine other than waiting for electricity. The other lower and middle keys are far worse off, but honestly not much more than after any hurricane event, of which there have been several to hit them. Boats are up on land, of course mobile homes and RVs are strewn around.

It's not good, and given the access issues it will take a while to fix everything, but it will be fixed, and it will be months and not years. It will be days and weeks for most of it.

Bad storm, but not the end of the world.

Some of the pictures I've seen could have been taken BEFORE the storm. I mean a trailer with a bunch of trash up against it isn't a rarity in the FL, or any other state for that matter. They go out and drive for an hour, find a boat or two blown onto the road and take a picture of it, then make it sound like that is a typical occurrence. The county I live in had about 80% of the population w/o power after the storm but today maybe 20% and as I said everybody has generators. If you live in FL, a portable generator is pretty much a standard home appliance. When I moved here I had no idea how to back plug one and people thought I was an idiot. When the storm ended, I was out within 30 min pulling limbs off the road so we could get out and folks where there with chainsaws cutting limbs...because its just what you do. Today there is 100% access to anywhere you want to go, but if you watch the news you would think we are underwater, or living in piles of garbage. I'm expecting reports of cannibalism. 95% of the people here are back to normal as far are our lives go. Sure, we have to repair our houses, throw some shingles on the roof, fix up the busted screens, clean up the yard, replace some tree and fences.... and areas that are flooded like Jacksonville isn't "Jacksonville" but rather the areas on the city by the St John's river. Jacksonville isn't underwater, like they would have you believe. The "news" so misrepresents reality that its a joke.

[CitizenBBN]

I will say things are sounding worse in the lower and middle keys. Key west seems OK, but looting and even armed robbery reports are coming out of the other harder hit keys, as well as real water and food shortages.

I imagine with all the air lifting of supplies and soldiers they will be OK in a day or two, but it sounds like those folks were really ill prepared. There are some stores and such on those islands that may have supplies, but not many.

Sounds like they aren't heavily armed enough either. Read one report that they were asking for water, food and weapons to be able to defend their homes. I guarantee you this much, I'm not going into any situation like that without a good reliable assault rifle, probably an SKS and at least 1 sidearm.

Should get back to being at least tolerable there quickly, and it's not the end of the world there for most, but it would seem that the laid back approach of the Keys may not be the best plan for bad weather. Hard to imagine Key West as the Keys leader in responsibility and planning.

[CitizenBBN]

Also mosquitoes are a growing problem. The only thing that makes those islands tolerable for human habitation is a heavy spraying program to keep the mosquitoes down. key West was able to be OK from the early 1800s on, but those other islands were considered all but inhabitable. They were used for some farming operations in the past and such, but people would hole up at night to keep away from being eaten alive by them.

There's a great old story about a guy who imported bats to get rid of them to open a resort there, lots of history. But the mosquitoes really are horrid there and with people in open air situations now I bet it's really not fun.

[blueboss]

What is Jose going to do? Hoping to leave out for Amelia Island on Friday but right now they are not allowing anyone on the island.

Let me know how Amelia fared. Mrs boss and I were curious after the over blown Jacksonville news reports.

I was told by a local one time that after a big storm shark teeth are more plentiful, maybe even a prehistoric meglodon or two...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KentuckyWildcat]

Let me know how Amelia fared. Mrs boss and I were curious after the over blown Jacksonville news reports.

I was told by a local one time that after a big storm shark teeth are more plentiful, maybe even a prehistoric meglodon or two...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Will do Boss. I called today and they are letting visitors on the island now so we will get to go. Power was still and issue yesterday. Just hope everything still looks nice. This is a bucket list trip and likely the only time we will go so we hope we enjoy it.

note: we could go back but I suspect it will be a while if do unless we really really really love it.

[KentuckyWildcat]

The weather looks to be in our favor. About 85 and sunny/mostly sunny nearly every day. Hope that holds true.