Surprizing reports from florida??????????????????????????

[hurricanefloyd5]

I was very very SHOCKED that 56% of FLORIDA state will not prepared for this years hurricane season and 1 out of 4 here in the state will not EVACUATE and theses numbers are frigthening to me even after the 2004 season, but if anyone has comments on this new info i got from local news well then it will be welcomed with open minds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[krysof]

well they were luckier than what could have happened. If the cities were to get affected than it would be a huge problem.

[dixiebreeze]

Not shocked at all. Evacuations have not proven terribly successful except for those right on the edge of a 'cane and even then, as Charlie showed last year, evacuating just caught most folks in its path when it confounded the "expert" forecasters.

As far as preparing, I think most people are pretty aware of the basic survival process and those who aren't, get that way pretty quick as the season progresses.

Undoubtedly, there are many who simply have a "what will be, will be" attitude and that's not safe.

[gtalum]

Does it make sense to evacuate if you're 5 miles inland and not in a flood zone?

[dixiebreeze]

Does it make sense to evacuate if you're 5 miles inland and not in a flood zone?

Not really, better to properly prepare. The thing about Florida is that evacuation areas are limited since this is a Peninsula and other than making a mad race for the Georgia or Alabama border -- where do you go really.

[gtalum]

Not really, better to properly prepare. The thing about Florida is that evacuation areas are limited since this is a Peninsula and other than making a mad race for the Georgia or Alabama border -- where do you go really.

That's what I thought. I feel like I'm getting properly prepared for the first time ever this year. I live nearly 5 miles inland in a well-constructed home, and I'm not in a fllod zone. I feel like I'd just be adding to the mess if I were to try to evacuate.

[Rainband]

depends on the storm heading your way!!

[cyclonaut]

There is a constant train of people moving down here from all over.There coming from up northern states & if not there they are coming from central & south America.The majority of these new transplants dont know what a hurricane is &/or believe that they are immune to it.Add to that the high percentage of other people that are just plain ignorant & it creates lots of complacency here even though there 4 hurricanes that hit the state last season.

[dixiebreeze]

depends on the storm heading your way!!

That's true, Rainband. Certainly folks should know what local shelters are available if they are in a direct or even indirect path. We rode everything out last year and were hit pretty hard, though not directly. Lost four big trees and endured several looong outages

Definitely, people with special needs should have local shelter info handy.

[Rainband]

Sadly, We don't have enough shelters and the thing about last year was that we were lucky, in terms of getting storms from the other coast, can you imagine an elena scenario that actually makes a landfall around the nature coast area We have been brushed but never painted. I just hope that last year was a wake up call to those that have been complacent.

[hurricanefloyd5]

but all yall in central florida might have heard that from the Tampa HURRICANE CONFRENCE

[Rainband]

but all yall in central florida might have heard that from the Tampa HURRICANE CONFRENCE

Although I would have loved to go to the conference, my schedule didn't allow it. I didn't need to hear anything to know how lucky my area was last year. I will be prepared this year and I won't be a bit disappointed if all the storms make a visit some place other than Florida.

[Blown Away]

Unless it is a 5 I will not even consider evacuation. I live 1 mile from the beach and not in a flood zone. I live in a new CBS home that I built w/ extra reinforcements (Plywood clips on roof, hip roof, only 12" soffit, extra hurricane straps in tie-beam, extra bracing in trusses, and easy mount storm panels for all openings). The house went through the eye's of Frances & Jeanne and I would estimate the strongest gusts were between 100 -115mph. The house was not even scarred. I have three little kids and I was not going to take the chance of getting on I-95 or the Turnpike N and having car problems and having to rely on somebody giving 2 adults and 3 small kids wound like tops a ride to God only knows where. Call me crazy but we were prepared for the storms and handled it just fine, the crazy part is dealing with the problems after the storm. When we were told the eyewall was coming ashore and to get in our safe room the only rule I had was no eating, I didn't want anybody to choke. We were prepared and I felt we made the right decision staying.

[feederband]

I'm not leaving looters had a field day out here. As well as many other places but it did not get that much media from it. Looters know that during the storm police will not respond to any burgalar alarms they just went from house to house. I will be waiting for them this time.....If cat 4 or 5 i will send wife and kids away......

[gatorcane]

Yes I know. I posted something about his about a 1 1/2 months ago. Check out my post "Too Many Complacent People in South Florida." It's very true. Many people don't know what could be in store for FL. I know many would not be here if it were the 1920s through 1950s...

[cyclonaut]

As bad as last season was & even as bad as Andrew was it still wasnt "The Big One".

Just wait till South Fla is looking down the eye of a large Floyd or Gilbert type & Gilbert strength hurricane..People will never look @ hurricanes the same way again.

I've heard that the 26 Miami hurricane was one of those large,powerfull hurricanes.Gilbert was mighty strong so that is the worst case scenario but another 26 type hurricane would be catastrophic today.

[CharleySurvivor]

I think it depends on where one lives in FL because here - Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda we remember very well Charley and not surprised at all to see so many people already preparing for the season.

People were 'extremely' complaicent here before Charley and most have a different attitude now - not taking a chance on the upcoming season. This is just my opinion from what I hear and see at work.

[GulfBreezer]

I lost everything I owned in Ivan and I can still say that I will probably NOT leave the Gulf Breeze are. The reason for this is very limited evacuation routes and once you go over a bridge here, it is DAYS before you can return! That is what happened with Ivan. The reason that people are not going to be prepared (for this are anyway) is that there are still hundreds of homes that have not even started the rebuild process and are still living in FEMA trailers. They are everywhere! I won't be back in my home until mid July. There are safe places here in GB where we will go in case of a strom. I will NOT stay in my house but I will stay between the bridges on higher ground. We were lucky in the fact that we have been able to see what areas are safe and what areas are not. The place I stayed during Ivan was on high ground and a new home and received NO damage at all. After the storm passed, I was the person who had to go and investigate other peoples homes becasue no-one could get back. It is a lose-lose situation and of course I may change my mind when (not if) the time comes.

[hurricanefloyd5]

i still have my home but i dont think my family is going to prepare for this years hurricane season but i know im going to try and prepare this year........................

[Cookiely]

They have been having special hurricane coverage on the local news this week. When it came on my mother said "don't start" not to me but the announcer. Don't talk about it and it won't happen is her motto. I told her I was going in the morning to get one sheet of plywood to make a safe room for us and she jumped down my throat. I just don't get it. My getting plywood for one room is going to cause the hurricanes to come here. I wish I could understand her attitude better. We are usually both on the same wave length but on this topic we argue all the time about getting prepared. She simply thinks its a "waste of time and money" because we never get hit.