I have a teammate from my college football days is one of the crazy SOB's that fly perfectly good military scientific aircraft in an out of hurricanes.  Tuesday 9-6 at 2pm flight, sustained winds at 185 and occasional to 215 near eye wall.  He is scheduled to go back in today.....  He is NUTS!!!!!!

DoubleEgger said:

I thought homeowners insurance paid a straight percentage of the house's value for personal possessions/contents. The amount is listed on the policy statement. I don't think there's a need to document items at this point. Just gather your priceless items and get the hell out of Dodge. 

i think most flood insurance caps off the house value at around 250k which isnt much if you are rebuilding to hurricane codes. anything you get for lost possessions is going to go towards rebuilding. then theres the payout date, around here its a 2 year wait til an insurance company HAS to pay. could all be different in florida.

DoubleEgger said:

The Maho Beach airplane cam. Wow 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dA5qYrboTUE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsx2vdn7gpY

HofstraJet said:

PSA - this storm is coming for me and many others. Can we please keep the politics out so the thread doesn't get buffaloed? Thanks. 

Agreed. I know when a killer storm is about to slap me around my top priority is to read what's being said in a cooking forum!

Be safe!

@Florida Grillin Girl I'm taking photos and video today myself. We try to do this once a year regardless but, it's especially wise before a known threat. 

For everyone pushing people to evacuate out of South Florida. At this point there is no Evacuation. Gas is out across florida and there are basically only 2 ways out of Miami. The turpike or I95. And both are clogged. If a person were to leave Miami now, the wouldn't make it to Orlando before running out of gas with no where to fill. They are stuck unless they can carry their own gas and already have said gas.


I wonder how much more difficult it will be to raise money and support for Irma after Harvey. A lot of people just dumped there extra money and items to support Houston. It's probably going to be more difficult to raise support for another hurricane so quickly. Its not going to be the "fad" thing to do.

Thatgrimguy said:

For everyone pushing people to evacuate out of South Florida. At this point there is no Evacuation. Gas is out across florida and there are basically only 2 ways out of Miami. The turpike or I95. And both are clogged. If a person were to leave Miami now, the wouldn't make it to Orlando before running out of gas with no where to fill. They are stuck unless they can carry their own gas and already have said gas.

That is bad news for those that are stuck.  Hunker down hard, ya'll.

Thatgrimguy said:

I wonder how much more difficult it will be to raise money and support for Irma after Harvey. A lot of people just dumped there extra money and items to support Houston. It's probably going to be more difficult to raise support for another hurricane so quickly. Its not going to be the "fad" thing to do.

I'll bet they do great.  Houston has seen the destruction and felt the help from around the country, and I expect folks will dig in again for the SE.

GATraveller said:

I think there are a lot out there that'll still be willing to help at all cost.

I am pretty sure that Operation BBQ Relief is packing up in Houston this weekend and heading that way. 

NPHuskerFL said:

Apparently the Mayor of Miami Dade has NOT committed to an all out evacuation as of yet. My gut thinks he is trying to make sure it is 100% necessary before creating pandemonium amongst this large of a populous. 

It's a decision I'm glad I don't have to make.  I understand Houston's mayor not calling one immediately, after a debacle years earlier where (iirc) 70 people died on the highways!  (that hurricane wasn't as bad)  Yet, you see all these heroes rescuing people with small boats, you'd wonder how many more they could've gotten out using the roads.  But we've never seen 40+" of rainfall in one storm, ever.
It's a decision I'm glad I don't have to make.  

Legume said:

South FL is sooo isolated if all of FL gets hit, not many ways to get out or get aid in.  Not the same as Houston.

This is my fear.  I am gathering supplies to head down after the storm is done but I'm not sure I can even get to South Florida after this storm hits. I lived in West Palm for 3 years and gas gets sucked up quick down there.

It's going to be bad. Worse than Harvey in terms of death, injury, and displacement. Harder to get supplies there as well.

I'd think you'd do better transporting supplies by boat.  After the storm of course.

DaveRichardson said:

@Thatgrimguy is spot on - getting recovery down there is going to be the hard part.  Like its been said, its either the turnpike to I-95 to get in or out....  Only other option would be a water-borne insertion IF there are facilities open that can handle it!!!!

There are three ports that handle ocean going ships.  There are rail lines serving the area.

Naahhh, who needs ports? The Navy will just send some of their LCAC units down from Virginia so trucks can be delivered right onto the beach.

@20stone @Thatgrimguy @Botch what makes hurricane Irma unique is the direction it has taken. If it goes straight up the throat of Florida that means the entire state has to take either 95 or 75. Even if they open up both directions to go northbound you're screwed. Sure it may keep you from only being able to go at 5 or 10 miles an hour but not much more considering you're talking over 3/4 of the state wanting to get the hell out. Even if it hits South Florida and kicks over to the east a little bit and stays in the Atlantic it's going to have an effect the entire State one way or another. Lots of power outages to be expected. And considering a lot of efforts have been brought to Texas (understandably so) power restoration and clean up may be delayed. People need to take a step back, get a grip, hopefully be or already prepared, make sure their family is safe, and either make a decision to leave or hunker down.