Dolphins / Hurricane Irma thread

[dolfan91]

Seeking some advice.

I'm in east Fort Lauderdale. I live in a condo with concrete walls all around, a concrete roof and impact windows. My neighbors say they are staying here saying its just as safe as a shelter considering the construction. There is also a concrete stairwell that is like a bomb shelter. I live on the 4th floor, so not a flood risk. I was considering flying out to stay with family out of state, but the flights are all booked and price gouging is insane, so that's out of the question.

My options are:

1. Hunker down in my condo
2. Go to a shelter
3. Try to drive as far north as I can starting tomorrow

What would you do? Consider I also have a 1 year old child and a cat, which would make a shelter a supremely uncomfortable experience, as would a potential drive out.

My concerns about driving is that we'd run out of gas somewhere around Orlando and be unable to refuel, plus the insane traffic out as more evacuations are issued. I REALLY don't want to be stuck in the middle of the state in an unsafe structure with a massive hurricane still bearing down on us.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

I rode out Hurricane Sandy, fortunately it hit north of me in South Jersey. This decision is truly up to you. But just to try and give some helpful advice. I filled my bathtub up with ice and put most of my perishable food on ice in the bathtub. Make sure you have plywood and a fully charged screw gun to install incase a widow does blowout. Get lots of candles, batteries and more than 1 flashlight and a radio. Also make sure your cell phone is fully charged. And stock up on canned and junk food to hold you over until things improve. Good luck on whatever you do decide.

 

[TheJetsBlow]

Thanks for all the responses. I was here during Wilma (though at my mom's condo) and we were out of power for 2 weeks. It was miserable with the heat after the cold front disappeared. We stocked up OK but I think Im going to make another run tomorrow. The good thing is that our neighbors are all in the building with their own supplies and grills and stuff. I'm heavily leaning on staying. I really wished I could get a flight out, but the time to do that was yesterday.

Whatever you decide to do, stay safe brother.

 

[trojanma]

I would still leave.
Be conservative with the gas top up with half a tank or a third of a tank.
There are still four full days until the storm hits.
If Orlando and Tampa are a problem go to Jax or Savannah.
Stuck in that condo potentially without water or power sounds like an awful proposition. Especially if anything goes wrong with the baby.

 

[fishfanmiami]

If you stay just have plenty of bottled water. We use to fill the bath tube up because you cann't have enough. Expect the power to be out for a few days so flash lights and battery operated stuff. Non perishable food. Something to heat water with is nice to have. All common sense stuff but if you are there for a few day you'll be glad you had it. I know you said the neighbors had stuff but you'll still need the basics.

Good luck brother. Hopefully the thing will turn away and all this is just a scary reminder of what could happen.

 

[TheJetsBlow]

I rode out Hurricane Sandy, fortunately it hit north of me in South Jersey. This decision is truly up to you. But just to try and give some helpful advice. I filled my bathtub up with ice and put most of my perishable food on ice in the bathtub. Make sure you have plywood and a fully charged screw gun to install incase a widow does blowout. Get lots of candles, batteries and more than 1 flashlight and a radio. Also make sure your cell phone is fully charged. And stock up on canned and junk food to hold you over until things improve. Good luck on whatever you do decide.

We got a good piece of Sandy in North Jersey. Lost power for about a week, my Directv dish was in a bush 30 yards away, trees down everywhere. I have limited experience with hurricanes, but we've had a couple up here and what I learned is they ain't no joke.

 

[Sons Of Shula]

Seeking some advice.

I'm in east Fort Lauderdale. I live in a condo with concrete walls all around, a concrete roof and impact windows. My neighbors say they are staying here saying its just as safe as a shelter considering the construction. There is also a concrete stairwell that is like a bomb shelter. I live on the 4th floor, so not a flood risk. I was considering flying out to stay with family out of state, but the flights are all booked and price gouging is insane, so that's out of the question.

My options are:

1. Hunker down in my condo
2. Go to a shelter
3. Try to drive as far north as I can starting tomorrow

What would you do? Consider I also have a 1 year old child and a cat, which would make a shelter a supremely uncomfortable experience, as would a potential drive out.

My concerns about driving is that we'd run out of gas somewhere around Orlando and be unable to refuel, plus the insane traffic out as more evacuations are issued. I REALLY don't want to be stuck in the middle of the state in an unsafe structure with a massive hurricane still bearing down on us.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

We have a home in that area as well and I had to attend to it on a quick overnight trip a few days ago to drop the shutters, clean the patio, etc. but I don't have experience in a high rise.

I just got off the phone with my dad who lives in Bahia Mar. He is sitting tight for the moment (stubborn old man LOL) and he made it OK with minimal damage in Matthew last year with around 75 knot winds and said e is thinking about riding it out again if there is a strong projection on Friday that the area will only get similar Cat 1 type winds. Anything beyond that he is leaving. Bare in mind he lives on his sailboat so there is a different criteria there. He has also been in SoFL since the 60's and said he's never seen anything like it and said he'll most likely come stay with us in a few days.

OTOH, My brother and his family live in Cape Coral and he boarded up their home today and will be leaving for our place in Jax tomorrow morning. My Sister is in WPB and she's flying out to CO and making a trip out of it.

The major thing to consider is the age of your building and the codes that were in place at the time it was built. If you feel unsafe, especially with a toddler, I'd book a hotel somewhere further North and head there to ride it out. Don't wait too long though. I would book it tonight for Thursday or Friday thru the weekend and you can always cancel if needed.

 

[SkapePhin]

We have a home in that area as well and I had to attend to it on a quick overnight trip a few days ago to drop the shutters, clean the patio, etc. but I don't have experience in a high rise.

I just got off the phone with my dad who lives in Bahia Mar. He is sitting tight for the moment (stubborn old man LOL) and he made it OK with minimal damage in Matthew last year with around 75 knot winds and said e is thinking about riding it out again if there is a strong projection on Friday that the area will only get similar Cat 1 type winds. Anything beyond that he is leaving. Bare in mind he lives on his sailboat so there is a different criteria there. He has also been in SoFL since the 60's and said he's never seen anything like it and said he'll most likely come stay with us in a few days.

OTOH, My brother and his family live in Cape Coral and he boarded up their home today and will be leaving for our place in Jax tomorrow morning. My Sister is in WPB and she's flying out to CO and making a trip out of it.

The major thing to consider is the age of your building and the codes that were in place at the time it was built. If you feel unsafe, especially with a toddler, I'd book a hotel somewhere further North and head there to ride it out. Don't wait too long though. I would book it tomorrow for Thursday or Friday and you can always cancel if needed.

The condo was built in 1978. Just passed a 40 year inspection. I do feel rather safe here, though the sheer ferocity of this storm does scare me a bit. Also the fact we'd have to ride out a horrific storm with all sorts of crazy noise with my poor girl probably petrified because she has no idea what's going on... I think that part is bothering me most.

Does anyone have a sense of what roads will be like tomorrow? Driving up in gridlock with a baby strapped in a carseat for hours also sounds rather daunting...

 

[Sons Of Shula]

If you stay just have plenty of bottled water. We use to fill the bath tube up because you cann't have enough. Expect the power to be out for a few days so flash lights and battery operated stuff. Non perishable food. Something to heat water with is nice to have. All common sense stuff but if you are there for a few day you'll be glad you had it. I know you said the neighbors had stuff but you'll still need the basics.

Good luck brother. Hopefully the thing will turn away and all this is just a scary reminder of what could happen.

I truly hope everyone can laugh at me for freaking out and it misses us altogether. It would be more than ideal. Well, kinda. As my dad just put it, it's going to hit someplace, and hit someplace extremely hard.

 

[dolfan91]

We got a good piece of Sandy in North Jersey. Lost power for about a week, my Directv dish was in a bush 30 yards away, trees down everywhere. I have limited experience with hurricanes, but we've had a couple up here and what I learned is they ain't no joke.

I've experienced 3 Hurricanes. They are not a joke. I rode out Sandy, but evacuated for Irene the year before. Thank god, I had minimal damage to my home. But it was a frightening experience to say the least. I just hope our fellow Dolfans in Florida stay safe. Good to hear from you.

 

[Sons Of Shula]

The condo was built in 1978. Just passed a 40 year inspection. I do feel rather safe here, though the sheer ferocity of this storm does scare me a bit. Also the fact we'd have to ride out a horrific storm with all sorts of crazy noise with my poor girl probably petrified because she has no idea what's going on... I think that part is bothering me most.

Does anyone have a sense of what roads will be like tomorrow? Driving up in gridlock with a baby strapped in a carseat for hours also sounds rather daunting...

Obviously the sooner the better. It will only get worse if the projections do as well.

They are extremely loud. Matthew reminded me of that last year. And it's not a passing storm. We had hurricane force winds for about 10-12 straight hours and it's very intense.

 

[artdnj]

I'm hearing Tampa and Orlando are already running out of gas. People are already travelling north. It might be doable, but still a risk. I just do not want to be in a situation where I'm riding out a cat 3 hurricane in a hotel room.

I have my wife with me also. So a wife, a baby and a cat.

I have fam in Islamorada and they are heading for the hills in NC. If you have friends and neighbors in the complex that are staying I think that in itself is fantastic. Not to say misery loves company but the support is paramount in situations like this.You'll be ok. If you can get to NJ you and fam are welcome to stay with me. This isn't lauderdales first rodeo so emergency mgmt will be prepared. Food, water and other essentials are most important and the rest is mental...you'll be ok.

keep us in the loop man, stay strong.

 

[TheJetsBlow]

I've experienced 3 Hurricanes. They are not a joke. I rode out Sandy, but evacuated for Irene the year before. Thank god, I had minimal damage to my home. But it was a frightening experience to say the least. I just hope our fellow Dolfans in Florida stay safe. Good to hear from you.

Irene was pretty bad, parts of the shore got smacked with that one. We just got heavy rain and some wind where I am, but nothing close to what the shore got. Floyd back in '99 was also a bad one. Caused tons of damage and flooding, most of it in central Jersey. Bound Brook was basically under water.

 

[royalshank]

My thoughts and prayers to all living in the path of the storm. There are things far more important than football. Stay safe everyone.

 

[dolfan91]

Irene was pretty bad, parts of the shore got smacked with that one. We just got heavy rain and some wind where I am, but nothing close to what the shore got. Floyd back in '99 was also a bad one. Caused tons of damage and flooding, most of it in central Jersey. Bound Brook was basically under water.

It took me over 5 hours to get to my parents condo in central NJ, when I evacuated for Irene, with 2 cats in my truck. I'm in Cape May County, surrounded by water, so any hurricane is worrying for me down here. On a lighter note, I have feral cats that live on my property, to my surprise all of them survived both Irene and Sandy.

 

[Sons Of Shula]