Brevard County Residents

[Windsong]

Okay Brevardians... put your evacuation ideas here. Good hotels? Sturdy Shelters? What ever you got!

[SeaBrz_FL]

Way to go! I'm here ... but will tell you now, that even with a cable net connection, I'm having probs posting.

Maybe short messages will work better. Going to create in text editor and cut & paste in shorter messages. Be back soon.

Thanks so much for creating this!!

[serenity]

I'm still hoping she doesn't come here. But, just in case I am ready.

[SeaBrz_FL]

Pre-Storm Prep Part #1:

Had a 3-generation dinner tonight at Grill's at Port Canaveral. Hoped to see the launch (scrubbed), but second agenda was to finally discuss the "family storm prep plan" that we've not taken as seriously as needed in the past.

I'll tell you this "family storm plan" can be trying! We are a very tight family, but everybody has different limits of "ALERT". We're all natives, and all live beachside now, so there is a couple levels of complacency --- older have "lived through the worst", the younger are ignoring their mortality.

More ....

[paulvogel]

hope we wont see something like this from fransis

[paulvogel]

hope we wont see something like this from fransis

[SeaBrz_FL]

Pre-Storm Prep #2:

I found out from my construction worker brother that the brand new Holiday Inn Express at I-95/Hwy 520 in Cocoa was built to exceed state hurricane requirements so booked a couple rooms earlier this morning. I booked from Thurs thru Sun, but will probably adjust the checkin date based on the new predictions.

Tip: I was quoted two different rates for the same room. $85/night with a $25 penalty if I cancelled, or $99/night with no penalty to cancel. I opted for the second rate and can cancel up to 6 pm if Frances continues turning west. I'm not overly anxious, but I'm more comfortable booking a room in case, and then cancelling it for free if I don't need it. One of the biggest reasons I booked a room early is because I continue to see postings from West FL Coast Charley survivors that are planning to leave the coast and head inland. If the East Coast AND the West Coast heads to Orlando in a panic, I'm expecting a shortage of rooms.

More ....

[SeaBrz_FL]

Pre-Storm Prep #3:

Forgot to mention that the new Holiday Inn Express (in Cocoa) I mentioned above was built with steel beam construction in concrete.

Charley from Melbourne asked earlier about evacuating -- I'd like to hear other Brevardian's replies on this.

As for me, I want to prevent two things:

Traffic and high winds on the bridges

IF the path continues like it is, I'd still go to the hotel on Thursday. Channel 13 just predicted that we'd be part of the storm on Saturday. Most everyone on the barrier islands will probably be fine leaving on Friday, but I just hate traffic jams.

This storm has so many days to take so many different paths, and may not even affect us, but I thank Windsong for creating a board so we can "practice" if nothing else.

When does everybody else on the Brevard barriers make the decision to leave? Wait til the last minute? Don't leave at all? Go to Orlando?

Also, anyone know of good sturdy hotels to evacuate to on the mainland?

[Windsong]

SeaBrz,

Got my hotel tonight too. Drove over and paid for the sucker to make sure it's still there on Thrusday when I need it. Staying at the Econo at High Point on 528/US1. It's built on the only hill in Brevard and should be safe from storm surge. Got rooms facing the north and hope that that is good enough. Listen to channel 13, and they are saying it's right on top of us Sat. evening. That is as of midnight. Wish I was staying where you are, but, single mom, best I can do at the moment. Plus, it's just over the bridge and less than 5 miles from my house, so if there is anything left to come back to, it won't take too long.

Windsong

[yankeelmbb]

I have never been here in Melbourne for a hurricane......if we are not on the coast do we evacuate? Depending on the catagory?

[Windsong]

Just to let you know, Walmart in MI still has lots of water and hurricane type food. That will change quickly.

There is about 5 coolers left, and AA batteries...didn't see many other sizes. I bought the last camp stove last night and also the last camp stove coffee pot.

I suspect many people still don't know how serious this is, as a store worker asked me why people were buying up the coolers. Jeez! Same thing at the check out last night. The clerk asked if I was going camping. I said not if I could help it, but it depends on hurricane Frances. She asked the clerk at the next register if she knew about Frances. She said, "Who is she?" I didn't know whether to laugh or what.

[yankeelmbb]

thanks for the MI info.....I will try the Wickham Wal Marts......I saw the damage in Orlando from Charley...that was enough of an eye opener for me! This one looks so much worse, people like to deny it until the last minute!

[Sean in New Orleans]

Get you a good NOAA Weather Radio at Super-Walmart if you don't already have one. They have one that is silver, has NOAA radio, local radio, and you can listen to local television stations.

[btsgmdad]

It's amazing that folks down there could not know about this. Guess it'll take the locals going 24/7 before many will take her serious.

[yankeelmbb]

thanks..have one for our boat...along with a big latern spotlight...rechargable in the car

[Windsong]

I have never been here in Melbourne for a hurricane......if we are not on the coast do we evacuate? Depending on the catagory?

Brevard Emergency Management is saying that if you live on a barrier island or in a manufactured home, you will be candidates for evacuation. If you live in a concrete block construction home, you might just be prepared to hunker down and ride it out from home. If you don't feel safe there, by all means leave. I think the main objective is to not clog up the roads like when Floyd came calling. Seems like most of the east coast was bent on getting to Orlando. Mid way through the evacuation, the radio begins announcing that Orlando isn't far enough. Jeez.

Also, if you live in a low lying, flood prone area, you need to leave.

Hang in there. Be prepared for the worst and hope for the best as they say.
Windsong

[yankeelmbb]

thanks...I am in a concrete block house. According to our insurance we are in a flood plane....for the life of me I can't figure out why? drainage pond......but thats it. we don't get so much as ponding in our yards!

[KeyLargoDave]

Interesting thing there, Yankee, it's actually a flood "plain," as in the rain in spain, etc. But since it's based on water level, I guess it's a flood "plane" too.

Two kinds of flood zone/plane/whatever, though. You could be near freshwater drainage areas or low areas that are prone to flood 25 miles or 250 miles from the coast; then there's storm surge flood zones. Either way, your feet get wet. The storm surge zone is where the ocean floods in and washes your house away. The inland flood zone is where the storm rainfall overflows the creek, which washes your house away.

Hope that helps!



Good luck in any case.

[ericinmia]

^^ so the house washes away?


lol, that sucks!
-Eric

[charley]

Is it overkill to evacuate out of state, like to NW Georgia?

That is our current plan......to leave early (like tomorrow) and drive to NW GA to visit friends until this thing is over with.

HOWEVER, our house is concrete block, we don't live in a storm surge area or an inland flood-prone area (according to the flood maps for our city), so maybe we should just try to ride it out?

IF (and I realize this is a big "IF") Frances made a direct hit on Melbourne or within 50 miles of Melbourne as a category 4/5, would a concrete block house even stand??? Or would it be laid flat? I thought category 5's wiped out everything???

Thanks for the info. I'm off to pack!