Hurricane
Background:
I have 20 years experience in underwater recovery, auxiliary police, and emergency management. I have made sure my family had everything they needed and would stay safe before I went to work being on the street helping others. I worked every snow, nor’easter and hurricane for 20 years.
I was trained in hurricane tracking by the man who started the hurricane tracking center.
I have 30 years of experience as an electronic engineer so I have a strong background in physics.
I have been around the ocean all my life,surfing, snorkeling, scuba, canoe, and kayaking. I have studied the water it’s movement it’s interaction with tides and winds.
Warning to Florida:
Unless the high in the middle of the country gets to you before Irma there is a good chance she will turn North and follow the coast. She is 450-500 miles wide.Florida isn’t that wide. The water is still very warm which feeds it. If the eye stays over water she will stay a cat 4-5.
Now you have to take into consideration was your house built prior or post Hurricane Andrew. If post you have a better chance of survival not guaranteed. If prior your chances are less.
With high strong winds and debris flying that debris can go through the wall of your house. There have been pictures of 2x4s in phone poles even a plastic straw was embedded in a phone pole.
What upsets me;
You have homeowner insurance if not FEMA can give you money or a low interest loan. All you material things can be replaced.
As far as I know ego has never saved anyone. Training, intelligence and common sense has however.
Then why do people continue to put not only themselves their families and first responders in harm’s way because material things are more important than human life.
If authorities tell you to evacuate listen, if they declare your area a disaster area listen, if they declare a state of emergency listen. It is for your safety and well being. They can’t force you to leave but they can in the middle of a storm refuse to save you if it puts their people lives in imminent danger.
If you have lost power and there is no cell or phone service how are you going to call for help? You can’t get in your car and drive anywhere the roads are closed or impassable. You can be arrested for driving at this time.
If you call for help and when help arrives you refuse to be evacuated you can be sued for the cost of the response plus a high fine. All calls are recorded.
Final thought:
Life is more precious than anything materialistic. Life is more precious than your ego.
How are you going to live with yourself if your decision causes loss of life?
I write this because my brother and sister-in-law plus friends live in Florida and they decided to hunker down rather than listen to experience and reason.
One of my demons that I deal with is that when I got on the dive team I threw a switch to totally disassociate myself with death so I could handle the body recoveries. So if these people die I will have zero feelings about the loss and this will compound my demon.
Thank You for listening.
acske2017 