Generators are great if you have enough gasoline to keep them running.

Yep, what Fin said. Our guys were sent to Texas to help them out in their recovery efforts. I doubt anyone would've ever been able to predict that Ike would combine with a coldfront and smash the hell out of Ohio. This really is a freak event for us. At last count we were getting help from 9 other states to help us restore power and believe me, we're grateful.

I stood in my house that Sunday afternoon in absolute awe of the strength of the winds. I watched the trees in my backard. Huge limb after huge limb just snapped and fell to the ground. I was hoping it wouldn't take out an entire tree or worse, have a tree land on our house.

At one point I watched the blades of grass flattened to one side by the wind. We heard a strange snapping sound out front and looked across the street. A neighbor's entire tree just snapped and fell onto the road, completely blocking the road and almost hitting a car that just happened to be driving by at that exact moment. Had it fell the other direction their house would've sustained a huge amount of damage.

Now, having said all this, I must admit there is still a part of me saying WTH is taking them so long to restore power! ;)

FEMA = Federal Emergency Management Agency

http://www.fema.gov/

Thank you! :hug:

I agree with you on this Amn, and the officials down in Texas, the first day, barely 24 hrs after it had made land fall the govt and fema were already defending themselves, from reporters, they were telling everyone, two simple facts, why are you people still in these areas, that were mandatory evacts and for a very good reason, they had all the available resources for evacuees and why dont you have at least a 3 days supply to get over the initial hump, they had warned and warned to be self sufficient for at least 3 days

and as they explained in a news conference, this is whats delaying everything, having to go in places that they knew were going to be slammed, to get people out that were not to be there, thus it inhibits them from going to areas they didnt expect folks to get slammed, and help there first, so instead of being able to concentrate on certain areas now they have to split their resources their workers and they are spreading it real thin now because they have to be in areas they were not, and were hoping not to have to deal with till others were safe and ok, I got to admit I love galvaston I love new orleans, but would be thinking of getting out of dodge, this is going to keep happening, i can sort of understand wanting to live there, but honestly it is becoming apparent that maybe they arent suppose to be there, maybe nature wants it back, humans have a eerie idea of being able to tame nature, would be nice, but not gonna happen

sorry not trying to start a fight I watch the tv station from down there for 4 straight days, there are many oxy morons down there, even the tv station gives a report they want folks to use text messages to free available phone lines, and in same breath say ok viewers call in and gives us your ike story:Bang-Head: common sense is an acquired taste

AHA! Then, by your logic, you also know who to thank for your sense of civic duty and generous, decent sense of community.


You know that I love you, woman, but I had to do it for the greater good.:hug:

I went through 4 of the 5 hurricanes a few years back that hit Florida one after the other...we were very well prepared and still lost electric...couldn't find gas for the generator except for one station over 50 miles away.

FEMA did step in and did a good job...you also have to consider the size of the disaster compared to the people working with FEMA..then problem is not always the government...sometimes its the people themselves. I know some of what these people are going through...

No money to leave your home...shelters over the limit, nowhere to go...We chose to stay. Staying means being prepared until the lights come on...we only had cell phones and were lucky to get a signal out to let people know we were ok.

I think the government should offer some type of stipend for people who are not financially able to leave...
I'm not sure if I'm making sense...it has been a long filled painful day...but people have to take responsiblilty at some point for themselves and not assume the government is going to that just because they could have left and didn't.

It is horrible to see people suffering, lose their homes, all their possessions...I don't think there will ever be an easy answer.

Well I'll just chime in with my thoughts- :)

Why do they rebuild the same type of stick built homes in tornado & hurricane areas, and why don't they rebuild the homes in flooding areas higher off the ground?

Surely there is a dome design or something that can withstand high winds.
And it's not too hard to jack a house up and make a higher foundation wall underneath for the flood areas.
Plus you get added covered storage under the home:D

it's just not logical to me????:confused:
Seems the Ins co's would encourage more intelligent designs after a loss payout.

We had power out for 3 days after a wind & ice storm and then flooding because of a fast thaw and heavy rain at the same time.. it was wild.
We are on a hill but the 2 ways out were flooded.
but we had a camper, camp gear, saved up water for flushing & washing, cooked & ate all food the wasn't going to last then used canned foods after that.

some people know how to survive and have the gear and some just don't have a clue or can't afford to prepare at all.:(

they have a hurricane style of house its rounded raised off the ground and has room on first floor for water to flow under house and its designed to withstand hurricane winds, saw it on how they do it or some science show i watched, it was pretty cool looking, no matter, I still hear the old saying you play with fire your gonna get burned

I would not vote for any incumbent.

I am not doing so at any level of government (local, state, federal).

They are ALL idiots.

-Vic