PSA...Prepared for Erika & Others?

NPHuskerFL

It's been close to 10 yrs since the last TS or Hurricane here and it appears this one has a strong possible projected path that could affect the FL and eastern seaboard.  Get prepared if you haven't already friends. 
http://www.weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/tropical-storm-hurricane-erika-atlantic-august-2015

Jeremiah

We've been due no doubt. 

bud812

Stay safe. But please send the water to Calif. we could sure use it. 

SGH

@NPHuskerFL
I'm hoping that it fizzles out. If it doesn't, I will surely be wishing everyone the very best. The 10 year anniversary of Katrina is in just a couple of days. Just thinking about makes my blood run cold. 

theyolksonyou

I hope it blows itself out, but if not hope all are safe. 

johnkitchens

I also hope it fizzles out. I live about 100 miles inland, but I feel bad for those in the path.

bgebrent

Hoping for the best!  Couldn't believe it's been close to 10 years. Lived there for 10 years '64-74 and recall 3 episodes of boarding up and evac.  Fizzle please!

Smokehouse33

23 years since Hurricane Andrew! I really hope this storms kicks up into the North Atlantic and fizzles away.

johnkitchens

After Hugo hit Charleston, me, my father, and my brother in law, went up there with two friends, Pete and Tracey,  and worked for a week. We hadn't planned on going, but the morning after it hit we were watching the destruction on the news and we all agreed that we needed to do something to help. Within an hour we were on our way. 

Pete's 85 year old stepmother lived in town. She let us stay at her house. So here all five of us crash at her place. There was no power the entire time. We took chainsaws, etc. and just started working all around the neighborhood. 

Her church had a huge list of people, mainly old people, that had damage to their homes and needed help. We would get a list of addresses early in the morning and go from one to the other until it was too dark to see.  Most of the homes we went to had huge trees on them. You could climb on the roof without a ladder and look down and see the floor of the home. 

It was hard work, but very rewarding. Almost everyone tried to pay us, but we never took a dime. We didn't do it for the money we did it because it was the right thing to do. 

I slept on the floor every night and took cold showers and drank room temperature beer, but we had a really good time. It does you good to help your fellow man in their time of need. 

A tornado hit my little town on Mothers Day seven years ago. I had huge limbs down all over my yard. In less than an hour I had unsolicited help cutting them up and hauling them off at no charge. 

What goes around comes around. 

bgebrent

Kudos to you and your kin johnkitchens!  My kind of people!  You and yours are what keeps this small spinning rock right!  Hoping for easy times in FL.

johnkitchens

bgebrent said:

Kudos to you and your kin johnkitchens!  My kind of people!  You and yours are what keeps this small spinning rock right!  Hoping for easy times in FL.

Thanks! 

DaveRichardson

My wife and I were in Gulfport when Katrina was coming in.  Staying at the Grand in Gulfport.  Several of their barges washed away.  Many friends lost everything and I've got one friend whose name is on the Katrina memorial wall in Biloxi.  that was tough seeing that a few ears ago....

Stay safe everyone, and I know that if any of our brothers or sisters in eggdom are affected, we will be supportive any way we can!

I nominate @SGH and @NOLAEGGHEAD will be our Gulf Coast captains!!!!

ksmyrl

@johnkitchens I knew I liked you for some reason. What a cool story. 

johnkitchens

ksmyrl said:

@johnkitchens I knew I liked you for some reason. What a cool story. 

Thanks Kevin! 

Fred19Flintstone

This is a benefit us northerners have in that we don't have that to worry about.  You southerners repay us in the winter with your "You don't have to shovel sunshine" cracks.

Seriously, stay safe folks!

nolaegghead

Hurricane Sandy.

nolaegghead

We rode out Katrina at Touro Hospital.  It was like Apocalypse Now.

YukonRon

10 years, it does not seem that long.

My SIL evacuated after the storm, fearing for her life, after watching armed gangs of looters, going door to door, kicking them in. She fled her home leaving all her belongings, first going to a friend's home, then finally getting out and staying with My Beautiful Wife, until allowed to return. Her home was destroyed, all that was not taken was trashed.

America failed our brothers and sisters horribly during that disaster.

Stay safe everyone in the path, I will help in anyway I am able.

HofstraJet

I'm right near the landfall target in a suburb of Fort Lauderdale. Hoping this dies before it gets close. If not, generators and the egg are ready to go.  Just hate having to bring the egg indoors but better safe than sorry.

NPHuskerFL

@HofstraJet ^^^^ Yep agree. Just had our 250 Gallon LP tank topped off about a month ago and our autotransfer standby generator is and has been on the ready. Hoping this one putters out. 

Acn

Thanks for the PSA, reminds me I need to crank our generator this weekend to make sure it is ready to go if needed.  I'm in MD, so we generally (and thankfully) only get the tail ends, but we're in an established neighborhood and we've got lots of 80+' tall oaks than can wreak havoc with power lines.

nolaegghead

My natural gas, whole-house standby generator exercised on schedule (Sunday during church hours).   We're always ready.

fljoemon

It might shift .. here is the 8am prediction ...
While most of Florida is in Tropical Storm Erika's cone of uncertainty, the threat to the state is easing as the projected path has shifted to the east, placing Georgia or the Carolinas more under the gun.

Eggcelsior

This storm has been fantastic. Erika brought much-needed rain to my wife's family in Puerto Rico. Her mother's side farms coffee beans in the mountains and they've been struggling with the drought there.

NPHuskerFL

@nolaegghead Yep exercises weekly and just did maintenance and a loadbank test. Always ready...as ready as can be at least. 
@Eggcelsior Agree sometimes TS can be a blessing in disguise to areas that are in drought but, unfortunately can cause mayhem too. 

GATraveller

Thorough description of current situation and forecast:

http://videowall.accuweather.com/detail/videos/trending-now/video/2430839568001/watch:-erika-s-track-may-bring-impact-to-southeast-us?autoStart=true&linkBaseURL=http://videowall.accuweather.com/detail/videos/trending-now/video/2430839568001/watch:-erika-s-track-may-bring-impact-to-southeast-us?autoStart=true&fb_ref=Default

Ladeback69

Man I can't believe it has been 10 years, but I am sure we all wish for more years to pass before another one hits and not hit hard like Katrina did.  I pray it doesn't and you are all safe down south.

Proser

I am sitting in St Croix right now looking at the sun shining waiting for the storm to arrive. We got a little much needed rain this morning but not enough. Bad part is due about 5pm according to best guesses. It will be interesting 

GATraveller

Proser said:

I am sitting in St Croix right now looking at the sun shining waiting for the storm to arrive. We got a little much needed rain this morning but not enough. Bad part is due about 5pm according to best guesses. It will be interesting 

We'll be thinking about you and praying for the best.  Stay safe!!

HofstraJet

Great - she shifted back west all over Florida. This one may be an unpredictable soaker.

Proser

Still nothing but a little rain and a few wind gust in STX