Hurricane Hugo--15 Years Ago Today---Sept. 21, 1989

[Stormsfury]

I can attest about the influx of new people to the Charleston area ... since I work for the Post Office, specifically the James Island Post Office, seeing the slew of Change of Address cards submitted on a daily basis ... especially during the summer and towards the end with colleges ending and beginning back towards fall, there are a lot of "unexperienced" Charlestonians ... and if the specials can save some lives by making them realize just the awesome power of a hurricane, it's well worth it, IMHO ...

SF

[charleston_hugo_veteran]

I can attest about the influx of new people to the Charleston area ... since I work for the Post Office, specifically the James Island Post Office, seeing the slew of Change of Address cards submitted on a daily basis ... especially during the summer and towards the end with colleges ending and beginning back towards fall, there are a lot of "unexperienced" Charlestonians ... and if the specials can save some lives by making them realize just the awesome power of a hurricane, it's well worth it, IMHO ...

SF

It might make some want to be in it...unfortunately, but I see your point!

[nativeflacracker]

I don't understand why your name/id then if you don't want to be reminded of it?

I am a hurricane Hugo VETERAN....and the reason I came up with that name is because I feel the word VETERAN, at times, deals with WAR. I felt like I was in my own private hell, that night! I have not been the same since and can't imagine anyone wanting to watch peoples lives being ruined! How is that entertainment??

I was 24 at that time so it was a vivid experience for me!

I understand your point and I did not mean to offend you. I guess it's like 9-11, it is very painful to remember but we must to keep it in everyone's memory so that we never forget the personal tragedies. It is not to pour salt in the wound but to thwart the complacency we can only hope.

[cswitwer]

Hey guys. After seeing last night's Hugo report on the 11pm news (whatever Channel Keith Nichols is on), I really got a sense of how unprepared Charleston & the entire SE coast was. It had been years since a storm of that intensity had made landfall, and nobody really understood what could happen. I think we are a little more aware now, especially seeing Andrew and Ivan and all the others since Hugo... but before Hugo, hurricanes hadn't really done major slams around here for a long time.

No wonder everyone was in such shock about it. If I lived here then, I'd have been totally PO'd that mother nature could do that do me. And probably wouldn't have ever forgiven her!

Sorry you were here that day, glad you still are.

[Hurricane Cheese]

Hugo was the first big storm I can remember hearing about on the news (I was 7 at the time). It was just incredible to watch Rather, Brokaw, Jennings, etc. talk about that storm as it was bearing down on SC.

Certainly one for the ages, that we must NEVER forget...

[Stormsfury]

Hugo was the first storm at that timeframe in 20 years of CAT 4 strength or higher to hit the U.S. ... Camille being the last (1969) ...