Florida, help is on the way....

[MGC]

Utility truck after utility truck are headed east on I-10 this afternoon....MGC

[SeaBrz_FL]

Great news. Just heard reports of 8000 already without power in Winter Springs FL (NW Orlando) and Charley won't hit there for 6 hours! Can only imagine conditions SW of there.

[HurricaneQueen]

Checking in from Bonita Springs. Lots of rain and heavy winds and very, very hot without electricity. I just got off the phone with family in Naples and both downtown and N. Naples are also without electricity. The worst damage has been done slightly north of us in Sanibel, Captiva, and Charlotte Harbor. Some damage in Ft. Myers and Cape Coral has substantial damage. They had to evacuate a shelter, the hospital lost water and windows and the roof is coming off. Also, a fire station collapsed. All roads in the county are closed so we can't even get home to check our house.

I'm sure the stories will get much worse as the storm passes. We are getting first hand info from a battery operated TV. I'm hooked up via my cell phone and laptop so I'll keep it brief. Don't want to use up all of my power. Who knows when FPL will get us up and running.

Hope all of our other members fared as well as we did considering the intensity.

Be safe everyone. Josephine, It may be on your way!!!!

Lynn

[drudd1]

We are not too far from Winter Springs, in Chuluota, and we lost power in this area too. Ran on my generator for about 35 minutes, but holy cow, power came back on Of course, it'll go out for the duration in the hours to come.

We have had some vicious lightning and gusty winds, but it is quiet now. I see on the radar that we will have another round here shortly.

For all the folks south of me, our thoughts go out to you!