Hurricane Irene Safety Concerns

[Nathan Dodge]

Just remember that much of the danger occurs *after* the storm has ended. I know of several incidents where someone goes outside when all is calm and steps on a hidden powerline (yes, this happened here in Miami), has a tree fall on them (yes, this happened here in Miami) or some other unpleasant fate.

Be careful!

 

[casechopper]

So far where I'm at (~10 miles west of Manhattan) it's just a big rain storm. Windy and rainy but nothing extreme. The biggest issue will probably be flooding here. It's feeling a good bit like when Floyd hit here 12 years ago.

 

[kamikat]

It's mostly finished here in the DC area. There are trees down everywhere, but my power is still on. I woke up around 2am, when the wind really picked up. Boy, was it loud!

 

[flat-top]

It's right on top of us now. My backyard looks like a lake and my basement is starting to flood. All I can do now is wait til it's over before I attempt to start bailing out

 

[Taz-man]

Me and my family are ok in Northern Virginia. I slept through the worst of it. When I woke up this morning the family across the street lost some siding on their home but otherwise everyone is ok. As a resident of the East Coast thanks for everyone's thoughts and prayers. The storm really wasn't too bad where we live.

 

[rue]

My thoughts and prayers go out to all the Loungers who are going to be affected by this storm.

Same here. I hope everyone stays safe.

 

[Yeps]

It's mostly finished here in the DC area. There are trees down everywhere, but my power is still on. I woke up around 2am, when the wind really picked up. Boy, was it loud!

Echoing your sentiments here. There is still wind and it is still wet, but it is clearly on the way down.

 

[Mr. Hallack]

I'm in the same town as LizzieMaine, so far.....rain. Not very heavy, light wind at the moment. We're still under a tropical storm warning. Anything damaging will probably hit here in the next 3-4 hours. Personally I am not expecting much out of this.

 

[LizzieMaine]

We wrapped the projectors in plastic last night in case the roof in the booth leaks, and I brought my washing in off the line and my mop in from the back stoop, and that's the extent of my storm preparations. And I fully expect the show to go on tonite. Plenty of tickets left, folks, so come on down.

 

[Quigley Brown]

It maddens me that this event was so incredibly overblown by the media around here. It was ridiculous. We got a nice rain, for sure, out of it, but there was no need to panic everyone into rushing Walmart for generators. I heard the grocery stores were crowded Friday night with people stocking up. I ordered a pizza online for delivery....

 

[Feraud]

We had harder rain and wind a week ago..

 

[Mr. Hallack]

I had to go grocery shopping last night, and they were low on several items, a few kind of unusual:

Bottled water (expected)
Hamburger
Peanut butter
Butter
Beef taquitos
Ice cream

I agree Quigley about the media hype with this. Granted it's best to be prepared, but it's a bit overboard how much they are dramatizing this. Also the lack of information about damage in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and other parts of the Carribean.

 

[Stray Cat]

I had to go grocery shopping last night, and they were low on several items, a few kind of unusual:

Bottled water (expected)
Hamburger
Peanut butter
Butter
Beef taquitos
Ice cream

Oh, yeah.. a read about it..
So.. heavy rains, floods.. I hope it'll end well (and end SOON)..

 

[Mr. Hallack]

Weather report from Virginia (NSFW)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY4gJoKwtAQ&feature=player_embedded

 

[kamikat]

It maddens me that this event was so incredibly overblown by the media around here. It was ridiculous. We got a nice rain, for sure, out of it, but there was no need to panic everyone into rushing Walmart for generators Friday night with people stocking up. I ordered a pizza online for delivery....

it really depends on where you are. My sister is about 30min drive from me, but right on the Chesapeake. Her place is flooded and several of her neighbors' houses have trees in them. As someone who was without power or water for a week after Isabel and married to an Andrew survivor, I never take hurricanes lightly.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

Right around the corner from me. Went on my jog and there it was! Luckily, our power was not affected by this. I didn't even know it happened until I jogged around the block!

 

[sheeplady]

it really depends on where you are. My sister is about 30min drive from me, but right on the Chesapeake. Her place is flooded and several of her neighbors' houses have trees in them. As someone who was without power or water for a week after Isabel and married to an Andrew survivor, I never take hurricanes lightly.

I am sorry to hear about your sister's house, but I am glad that your family (and your sister's) are ok. Hopefully they didn't/ won't loose anything too important (like family things or photographs) in the flood. Getting a tree in my house was actually a recurrent childhood nightmare for me, so I can just imagine what those other families are going through.

Right around the corner from me. Went on my jog and there it was! Luckily, our power was not affected by this. I didn't even know it happened until I jogged around the block!

That is very scary. Coming from the land of big trees, and having witnessed a couple of 120+ footers come down in the wind, I can imagine it did startle whomever did hear it! (Although, one half of a large tree did come down right next to my bedroom as a child and it didn't wake me up, so it is possible no one heard it.) I am glad to hear that you are relatively unaffected though.

 

[Atticus Finch]

Just now regained power. Its been out since 4:30 yesterday morning. Evidently, we are among the first to have electricity restored and I'm darned thankfull. Many trees down in my and my neighbors' yards. River got up to my next door neighbors' back door and remained for hours. Then finally began to receede when the wind shifted northwest. The water has been going out since. I haven't checked on the Beaufort house because most of the roads in that area are closed due to high water, downed trees, downed power lines or structural debris. Sadly, there have been a few fatalities in the area. This was only a category one hurricane, but it did the damage of a cat three...especially in down east Carteret County.

There's still a cerfew in the area, tonight. Even though I'm law enforcement, we'll probably just stay at home tonight and try not to gawlk and become a problem for those who are trying to help others. Frankly, I haven't slept much in the past several days. I'm just looking forward to a hot shower, a shave and a cool bed this evening.

I'm glad Irene wasn't much of a problem up North. I think she maxed her efforts here.

AF

 

[rue]

Glad to hear you're okay AF! Sorry to hear it wasn't that way for everyone.....

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Right around the corner from me. Went on my jog and there it was! Luckily, our power was not affected by this. I didn't even know it happened until I jogged around the block!

It is very fortunate that the overall damage was less than originally predicted.

A few months ago, in the area where my downstate home is here in Michigan, we had a very bad storm hit the area, most of the major damage was in the Battle Creek area, but my exact neighbor hood that is perhaps 25 minutes from there, got hit very hard, power was out for a few days, trees up and damage to homes and sidewalks, no phone service and no internet.

Mother Nature really always had the upper hand. I am so very thankful that so far, no one has reported loss of life here (members) of the Lounge. And I still give my best to those that have had a hard go of it from what damage was done.