Florida DUers, Ernesto is coming this way

[Lost-in-FL]

Here we go again!! Get ready!!

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT05/refresh/AL0506W5+gif/144732W_sm.gif


KINGSTON, Jamaica - Ernesto became the first hurricane of the Atlantic season Sunday with winds of 75 mph, and forecasters said it would strengthen as it headed toward the Gulf of Mexico, where it could menace a wide swath of coastline including New Orleans.

"There will be probably be a restrengthening after it leaves the Cuban coast to a Category 2, and Wednesday night it will be west of Fort Myers as Category 3. That's the current thinking," Goodman said.

[wakeme2008]

1. LOL maybe I should have taken that storage unit on the second floor in TPA

My apartment is going Condo and I had to move out. I will be moving to mid-state California when my contract in Roanoke is over. When I moved out last month I got rid of all my furniture and only have books and pictures to move. I have my good stuff in Roanoke. :)

[Kickoutthejams23]

2. Tampa hasn't had a hurricane since 1923

Hopefully this one will fizzle over Cuba. I was down doing volunteer clean-up after Charlie so I know the damage firsthand and it is scary. I'll fill up my gas tank tommorow but other than that it's business as usual. Lets face it we wont really know anything till Weds morning. Anything before then is speculation this storm could still go almost anywhere.

[rzemanfl]

3. The projected path and the time it will take to get here have

changed so much since I got up this morning that I don't know what to think. I subscribe to the Home Depot theory, that being that the folks at the Hurricane Center all have Home Depot stock and plot the initial track to pass over as many Home Depots as possible.

If a storm hits near here my house is toast. My job requires me to work at a special needs shelter, so I am stuck here.

It is not comforting to know that my homeowner's insurance policy is being canceled next month because the company was "overextended" in my area-but they are "covering" me for this storm.

[malaise]

4. Love your Home Depot

Theory. Still you can prepare without fattening their dividends.

[Lost-in-FL]

7. I'm too considered "essential personnel" at my job

My hubby and I work in a hospital and both have to bring clothes and our own food for at least 3 days. We just pack MRI's (Meals ready to eat)from the nearest ARMY Surplus stores.

Hurricane days are very interesting. Work is a mess. Everyone from work has to bring their family and it gets so crowded and noisy. Lots of patients come here with angina or heart attacks due to the stress. Also, lots of car accidents and people falling off roofs while preparing the house for the storm. All this even hours before the storm! Others come to the hospital just afraid of the weather (I don't blame them!) so they come to the ED with the excuse they are sick but in reality they are hoping to get admitted. If they don't get admitted they still won't make it home since NO ONE is to leave the hospital after road closure. Tgey get to stay in the hospital until the police open the roads. Some come for shelter, specially those with medical needs. It does gets VERY busy with work since patients exams must be done before the storm starts. We have to work VERY fast before power failure. We do have generators but we are to save energy so we have to get everything done before the start of the storm. It is insane.

I just hope it doesn't go to NOLA or vicinity since they had their share of suffering. I am ready, as long as it is at least a cat. 3.

I just hope it goes away or something but i know I am silly to say that. It is not that easy.

[rzemanfl]

8. I really have no useful skills for shelter duty. I mostly just help

people carry stuff and get up and down off the floor. I am pushing sixty, so it not like I'm in great shape.

I was called up the first time for Charley. I had no training, just a walk around of the school a couple of months earlier. I remember that at 2 or 3 a.m. I was carrying oxygen cylinders in from people's car trunks in the plastic laundry baskets they had packed them in. No one told me that it was dangerous to be doing that. Maybe no one knew. Charlie hit well to the South of us.

Good luck.

[Lost-in-FL]

9. I am sure your help is greatly appreciated!

Thank you!:hi:

[graywarrior]

5. I'm hoping the same thing that always happens, happens again

It bypasses Tampa or downgrades to a tropical storm. These are the reasons I got the hell out of Sarasota and ran like a little coward to NH.

[geomon666]

6. Damn.

The turn north keeps happening sooner and sooner with every update. I live in Miami and we're going to get dumped on either way but I do not want a direct hit from this thing.

[Philosoraptor]

10. Mom & Dad just emailed me, they're hunkering down

meanwhile, in the midwest, we are under a tornado watch and flooding

[Lost-in-FL]

11. Update!!! Ernest is indeed coming this way!!

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at5+shtml/204623.shtml?3day

The path shows it coming through Ft Myers. Another Charley??

[flyarm]

13. ahhhh man ..poor Ft Meyers..and that region..they have had alot of

damage..dang....

fly

[Baclava]

16. The early model tracks were way, way off on this one...

Anything can happen once it gets back over the water.

My summer mantra...watch and wait.

[flyarm]

12. well i have a beach condo next to clearwater beach..

a strip of land sandwiched between the intercoastal and the gulf of mexico..with only the coast guard station across the street..nothing to block me from the Gulf waters..

but i am at my summer home up north..and i will just pray..

we were hit somewhat hard by Francis..

its the chance we all take, to wake up looking at the ocean..

i was down there for Francis , Ivan and Charlie..and i said never again...

Francis swirled over head for an entire day..that one i was there and scared..

we were assessed in may and june for insurace for the condo..because it had quadrupled..
but we carry our own insurance as well..

but damn the insurance is now almost what the mortgage payment is a month!! if you can get a policy...

and thanks to Jeb :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: for letting the insurance carriers decide the new state insurace regulations and laws....
ya just have to love :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: Jebbie..and his whoring for the insurance companies...

but i will never be there and go through it again...( yes i am very very fortunate to have 2 homes..so i do not have to be in fla for hurricane season..)

oh and with Francis..they never told us to evac off the island...they never anticipated it was going to hit the gulf and sit there for over 24 hours.. and gain speed...

I just love how the Jebbie family throw out that NOLA people should have evac'ed..when Jebbie left us in Fla on the gulf sit without giving us an evac notice..for Francis...

i fuclking hate the Jebbie family with a passion i have never known before in my lifetime...

fly

[rzemanfl]

14. We would love to get some Samm Simpson for Congress signs

on the beach. When will you be coming back here? (assuming there is still a here to come to.)

[flyarm]

15. not till after election..but can't put them up at condo's anyway!!

i was elected delegate for pinellas for Convention..i know Sam and wish her well..working in my "other " state for people running for congress and senate..



fly

[rzemanfl]

20. Good luck on that. It looks like your condo will be here when

you decide to come back.

I have a "Home Depot" theory about hurricane tracks, the early ones are plotted to pass over as many Home Depot stores as possible, then they get serious when they have more information.

[Baclava]

17. Like I said ...the models were way off.

That's what happens when you let computers do your thinking for you.

Look out east coast...

[Nimrod2005]

18. My house is next to the "H" right there on the line!!!

Here we go again...

[stop the bleeding]

19. just MHO

but I think the west coast of Florida is spared on this one - Tampa is where my neck of the woods are and we seem to be in a protective pocket here. Southeast Florida is still recovering from Wilma from last year - strongest hurricane ever.