Evac'd a little north - not far enough!

[southerngale]

I have evacuated about 50 miles north. I left this morning about 3am and avoided the horrific traffic. I'm afraid that I didn't go far enough north as they've just issued mandatory evacuations for this county too!! I'm staying though...I can't leave. There's nowhere else to go and gas is scarce. I'll run out on the highway. Locals suggesting trying OKLAHOMA because there are no vacancies anywhere Traffic is gridlock and most places are saying no gas. How are we supposed to get there anyway?

They're coming to board up the windows in this motel. IF we take a direct hit, they're saying the winds will be very strong here too. We've determined which of the 5 rooms my family has is in the safest location and we're all going to pack in there when it hits.

Watching the local news is just surreal. I really thought nothing would threaten us and particularly this late in September. Unbelievable!

[Ixolib]

You take care of yourself, Southerngale. You KNOW you're in my thoughts...

[HurricaneGirl]

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutmeow.shtml

Be safe southerngale. The link above is some inland wind information.

[Canelaw99]

Thanks for checking in southern, and I'm glad you at least went inland. Keep us posted as you can, but above all, STAY SAFE!

[Cookiely]

I am praying for the safety of you and your family. God Bless and Take Care. Hunker down time.

[HurricaneQueen]

Oh, Gale, please be safe. If you get a chance to log back on, how about letting us know what town you are in so we can keep track. You should be OK and at least you have your family to lean on. Plus... you have us here at S2K praying for your safety. From seeing the gridlock out there, I can't imagine trying to leave.

Good luck,
Lynn

[southerngale]

Thanks guys.

The last thing we need is for things to get worse, but there's a mandatory evacuation here now (first time in history) and everyone is supposed to be out by 8pm. There's nowhere to go. Earlier, we tried to go to Walmart to get some supplies we left behind for space, and the Walmart up here was closed! McDonald's...closed. KFC...closed. Everything is closed and what's not closed, is closing. This is where we evacuated to....and thought it was far enough inland. *sigh*

[JTD]

Stay safe Kelly.

I'll be thinking of you So are you just going to have to stay at the hotel you're at now?

[baygirl_1]

Southerngale-- You and your family are in my prayers. Take care and God bless you all!

[Roxy]

Thanks guys.

The last thing we need is for things to get worse, but there's a mandatory evacuation here now (first time in history) and everyone is supposed to be out by 8pm. There's nowhere to go. Earlier, we tried to go to Walmart to get some supplies we left behind for space, and the Walmart up here was closed! McDonald's...closed. KFC...closed. Everything is closed and what's not closed, is closing. This is where we evacuated to....and thought it was far enough inland. *sigh*

SG, are you heading further out or hunkering down?

[tracyswfla]

Thanks guys.

The last thing we need is for things to get worse, but there's a mandatory evacuation here now (first time in history) and everyone is supposed to be out by 8pm. There's nowhere to go. Earlier, we tried to go to Walmart to get some supplies we left behind for space, and the Walmart up here was closed! McDonald's...closed. KFC...closed. Everything is closed and what's not closed, is closing. This is where we evacuated to....and thought it was far enough inland. *sigh*

Geez, if I could fedex you supplies I would... I guess it's to late... Let me know if I can do ANYTHING for you... Your in my thoughts and prayers!

Tracy

[Brent]

What county???

[Shoshana]

Without knowing exactly where you are it's hard to give good advice - but - there are emergency shelters open in Austin and Dallas and other places - if you let us know where you are we migh be able to find one in a safer but not Oklahoma distance away...

Nacogdoches

[url]The City of Nacogdoches has been designated a Shelter Hub by the Texas Department of Public Safety

Emergency phone bank for shelter information 936-559-2510[/url]

I looked up Lufkin, they're full and sending people to Nacogdoches.





Beaumont Area Hurricane Evacuation Routes In case you don't have a evac map with you.

Yowza ... looks like Lufkin and Nacogdoches are in poss Cat1 zone too.

Check http://www.texasgasprices.com/ for cities near you. I'm posting over there to see if anyone knows of a station w. gas...

[southerngale]

We don't know what we're going to do. We're supposed to leave here by 8pm, but my brother is trying to persuade them into letting us sign a waiver or something, releasing them from liability if something happens to us. We can't go further north. I heard there was gas at a Brookshire Brothers here, so I went there, waited in line, and there was no gas. Whoever was in the booth had apparenlty abandoned it as nobody was around. Oddly enough, there was a little money laying in there and someone could reach under the window and get it. No clue where the attendant ran off to but there was a lot of people still in line for nothing. I filled up my tank shortly before I left for here, but after getting here, there's not enough to get much farther. We can't go, yet we have to. hmmm...something's gotta give.

I'm in Jasper and there are no shelters here. I don't even know if we need one. I want to stay here. How can you leave if there's no gas? I did fill up before I left and there was nowhere to get more along the way. This is ridiculous.

I did bring some supplies, but not a lot because assumed I could get at least some picked over stuff from Walmart and used valuable space for pictures, photo albums, family/friends videotapes, and other non-replaceable items. It didn't occur to me that Walmart would be closed or that there would be a mandatory evacuation here for the first time in history.

[vbhoutex]

Kelly call the local OEM office or the Sherriff and tell them what your situation is and ask for help.

We're praying hard for you!!!

[Brent]

I'm a little confused as to why there's a mandatory evacuation so far inland. Is it flood prone??? Because your safe from the surge.

[Shoshana]

Gas:


Exxon 401 W HOUSTON ST JASPER, TX 75951-3500
Phone: (409) 384-3391 HAS GAS! Credit Cards only

Mobil 645 SOUTH WHEELER ST JASPER, TX 75951-4541
Phone: (409) 384-7370 Premium Only, running low

Exxon 1056 S WHEELER ST JASPER, TX 75951-4641
Phone: (409) 384-5642 NO GAS


Mobil HWY 190 & HWY 63 JASPER, TX 75951
Phone: (409) 489-9168 No answer...

Exxon HWY 63 & 777 JASPER, TX 75951
Phone: (409) 384-4994 HAS GAS but they don't know for how much longer

Mobil HIGHWAY 96 NORTH BROOKELAND, TX 75931-9621
Phone: (409) 698-2541 No gas, waitong for fuel truck to come .... they said check back later...
I'll keep calling and updating for you ... sorry it's taking so long - only 25% of my calls are going thru...






Lufkin (I know it's NE a ways, but they do still have gas.) Love's Travel #290 PHONE: 936-637-4928

[george_r_1961]

Kelly stay safe please

[curtadams]

The authorities have lost their minds. Jasper is 80 miles inland and not on a river. Mandatory evac is INSANE! You picked a perfectly acceptable place (as would be expected for a storm2k maven ) I'm sure you know more than I do on storm safety so no particular advice there. You made a good decision on where to go and what to take; it's not your fault the authorities are crazy. Get some water stored up; you'll live although you may be really miserable for a while. Maybe some evacuating residents will give you food out of the fridge? It won't last but it'll be useful today and extend your supplies.

[baygirl_1]

Southerngale--
I mapquested Jasper and noticed that Tyler is further inland up Hwy. 96 or 259. It's like a 4 hour drive, but it is further inland. If you can get gas at any of those locations listed above, Tyler has shelters open: http://www.cityoftyler.org/articleGUID_7015F4F2-2E69-4ADD-B359-61EAACE26168/2A7D1914C7B5728876BCBA18455887B5/default.html Maybe that will help. Take care!