Hurricane Ivan In Florida

[Mr Red]

Hurricane Ivan is approaching our coast with 135 mph winds and is expected to make landfall tonight in Mobile Bay. I live in the Destin-Ft. Walton Beach area on the east side, and that is the bad quadrant. We are bracing for big wind action tonight.

My wife is visiting her family in Bangkok, set to return Sept 25. I am talking to her by phone a couple times a day, but fear I may lose phone service and power in a few hours. I think I may have a way to use the old laptop and go through an AOL account to get to your forum. If all goes south, can I try to get someone over there to call her cell and let her know our condition?

Thanks in advance.

Jim (Mr. Red)

[Khun Larry]

What kind of services would you expect she'd be needin?

[Kringle]

Mr Red,

If you need someone to call your wife, just pm me with her contact info and I'll have my wife give her a call. She's Thai and we would be glad to help. I grew up in Louisiana and Florida and know all about hurricanes and how bad they can be. Just let me know. Good luck, Kringle

[IamMaiC]

Mr Red,

  If you need someone to call your wife, just pm me with her contact info and I'll have my wife give her a call. She's Thai and we would be glad to help. I grew up in Louisiana and Florida and know all about hurricanes and how bad they can be. Just let me know. Good luck, Kringle

That's Cool Kringle I hope he gets back to you This Hurricane is strong I live in central florida and I know the areas Mr Red lives in very well but it's been years since i been up there. Big Thai Community Well Asian I should say

[Mr Red]

If you need someone to call your wife, just pm me with her contact info and I'll have my wife give her a call. She's Thai and we would be glad to help. I grew up in Louisiana and Florida and know all about hurricanes and how bad they can be. Just let me know. Good luck, Kringle

That's Cool Kringle I hope he gets back to you This Hurricane is strong I live in central florida and I know the areas Mr Red lives in very well but it's been years since i been up there. Big Thai Community Well Asian I should say

Thanks to both of you. So far so good, but the heavy stuff is just starting. We have tornados all over the area -- two dead in Panama City in the last couple hours. Winds are strong and getting stronger, but I can only imagine what Mobile and Pensacola will be going through. Long night ahead.

Amazing I still have power, so I will take the opportunity to reply.

Kringle -- I will take you up on your offer if need be. I appreciate the support and concern. Hopefully, I will be able to maintain at least cell contact.

IamMaiC -- you must have had similar experiences recently, right? Thanks for the concern. You are right -- there is a sizable Thai/Vietnamese/Korean community here.

Thanks everyone for the concern -- I'll post the aftermath when I can.

[Mr_Pedantic]

It always amazes me why states in these hurricane zones don't have some sort of set standards with regards ensuring that all houses are solidly built, all cables are underground, all precariously looking trees are uprooted or trimmed right back, warehouses full of sandbags ready to dispatch at a moments notice.

This is Florida's third such storm in as many weeks and all you here about is the loss of lives and the billions of dollars damage. Get it sorted Jeb.

[Mr Red]

It always amazes me why states in these hurricane zones don't have some sort of set standards with regards ensuring that all houses are solidly built, all cables are underground, all precariously looking trees are uprooted or trimmed right back, warehouses full of sandbags ready to dispatch at a moments notice.

This is Florida's third such storm in as many weeks and all you here about is the loss of lives and the billions of dollars damage. Get it sorted Jeb.

I think we have a candidate for the state emergency director. Perhaps you could sort it all out better than Jeb and his staff.

There are building standards that apply, but most of those only came in after Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Homeowners insurance cost has quadrupled (at least) since 1992, and it is almost impossible to get coverage in some cases. When you do get insurance, they insist on things like the trees being trimmed, etc. Basically, the system is correcting itself.

I suppose it is Jeb's fault there have been three major hurricanes hit Florida in a month? Somehow I doubt even Taksin (or you) could influence Mother Nature. Unfortunately there is loss of life and major damage associated with these storms and I don't know how you could fix that. Of course that must be hard to understand for those that have never experienced these types of events.

[IamMaiC]

IamMaiC -- you must have had similar experiences recently, right?  Thanks for the concern.  You are right -- there is a sizable Thai/Vietnamese/Korean community here. 

Yeah But I was lucky very lucky No Damage to house The only thing is Hurricane charley went through so fast Hurricane Frances was here way too long Hey Mr. Red is the Teerak lounge still there?? I use to go there alot I forgot the chinese place down the road but they had a bar in there also and karaoke I am married now but the choice in women was unbelieveable. Sad to hear more people have lost their lives to this bad storm

[Savage]

good luck

[lopburi3]

It always amazes me why states in these hurricane zones don't have some sort of set standards with regards ensuring that all houses are solidly built, all cables are underground, all precariously looking trees are uprooted or trimmed right back, warehouses full of sandbags ready to dispatch at a moments notice.

This is Florida's third such storm in as many weeks and all you here about is the loss of lives and the billions of dollars damage. Get it sorted Jeb.

Well as one who had a home on the East side of the Florida Turnpike in Homestead when Andrew blew in can say you would have had to cut down every tree and power poll in the area as they were all blown down. New homes, for the most part, did survive but when water gets into sheet rock and other building materials it all has to be replaced. And as said, standards have been further tightened. But that does no good for those older homes that have not been subject to a direct hit yet or the mobile homes which can never survive.

Sandbags may help with river flooding but not of much use against storm surge and wind driven rain of a foot or two, except to trap the water and prolong flooding.

As with everything in this life you have to compromise.

Best wishes to Red and am sure the wife will be happy to miss this event.

[IamMaiC]

It always amazes me why states in these hurricane zones don't have some sort of set standards with regards ensuring that all houses are solidly built, all cables are underground, all precariously looking trees are uprooted or trimmed right back, warehouses full of sandbags ready to dispatch at a moments notice.

This is Florida's third such storm in as many weeks and all you here about is the loss of lives and the billions of dollars damage. Get it sorted Jeb.

Well as one who had a home on the East side of the Florida Turnpike in Homestead when Andrew blew in can say you would have had to cut down every tree and power poll in the area as they were all blown down. New homes, for the most part, did survive but when water gets into sheet rock and other building materials it all has to be replaced. And as said, standards have been further tightened. But that does no good for those older homes that have not been subject to a direct hit yet or the mobile homes which can never survive.

Sandbags may help with river flooding but not of much use against storm surge and wind driven rain of a foot or two, except to trap the water and prolong flooding.

As with everything in this life you have to compromise.

Best wishes to Red and am sure the wife will be happy to miss this event.

I watched the news and it looked like it has made it to shore Not sure I could not hear the reporter to well I also heard some more people have been killed by tornados. I hope Mr. Red is doing well but his wife must be worried by now.

[Boon Mee]

The Mayor of New Orleans readied 100,000 body bags in anticipation that Ivan would do a direct hit on that fair city. The storm surge alone would have killed 50k folks right away as New Orleans lies well below sea level.

[Tornado]

Karma? good luck!

[Boon Mee]

Karma? good luck!

Thanks for the back-handed best wishes there, Gent. Karma? What-for do you mean?

[Mr Red]

Thanks to all who expressed concern. The storm is over and now we are in the recovery period. I am still without power (5th day now), but count myself lucky. Lots of trees down, but all missed the house, fortunately. I have fence repairs to make and big trees to cut up, but no serious damage. Our barrier islands were almost underwater and as you go west from here the damage gets much worse. The Pensacola area seems to be the hardest hit, and suffered the most deaths. There is almost no way in right now as the interstate bridges got wiped out and the main bridge from the south is still closed.

Tornadoes were a big problem, especially around Panama City. They must have had a dozen tornadoes within 3-4 hours, causing a lot of destruction and several deaths.

All during this time my land line phone stayed up, so my wife could call. As it turns out that I have been working my a## off cleaning up, and enduring 90 degree weather without power or air conditioning, she does feel that missing this one might not have been so bad.

Thanks again for the expressions of concern and karma (?) -- I'm sure that helped keep the damage light for me.

[IamMaiC]

Good to hear your still around I have friends that live up there i have been trying to call but no answer What about Ft. Walton Beach? How has that faired Same as everywhere else. I was scared about this one Hurricane Charley and Farances not too bad But Ivan Funny thing what was left made it's way back to florida. I've been watching the news New hurricane"s out in the atalantic but so far the news has been saying no worries as of now

[Boon Mee]

Thanks again for the expressions of concern and karma (?) -- I'm sure that helped keep the damage light for me.

That's just the Gent's/Tornado's way of expressing his concern for Americans. He basically hates Yanks!

[Mr Red]

Thanks again for the expressions of concern and karma (?) -- I'm sure that helped keep the damage light for me.

That's just the Gent's/Tornado's way of expressing his concern for Americans. He basically hates Yanks!

Well I'll make sure to keep my colors folded and say thanks to the well-meaning thoughts from all concerned.

IamMaiC: Good to hear your still around  I have friends that live up there i have been trying to call but no answer What about Ft. Walton Beach? How has that faired Same as everywhere else.

We really lucked out in the Ft. Walton Beach/Niceville/Destin area. The things that will normally go during a major hurricane did, but most of the population is putting up with downed trees and lack of power. The real damage lies west of us in Navarre and Pensacola and points west. A coworker of mine told of a friend of his that found two bodies in his swimming pool, apparently tossed there by a tornado hit on Pensacola Beach (dumbs###s having a hurricane party). Gene pool is cleaner today, I guess.

Thanks again for your support.

[IamMaiC]

Mr Red Is TeeRak Lounge still in mary esther?? I use to go there alot Some cute girls I meet one one night that looked like tia carrere oh well thanks

[Mr Red]

Mr Red Is TeeRak Lounge still in mary esther?? I use to go there alot Some cute girls I meet one one night that looked like tia carrere oh well thanks

IamMaiC -- lounge is still there, but I haven't checked if it got damaged in the hurricane. It is fairly close to the water, so ...

[IamMaiC]

Mr Red   Is TeeRak Lounge still in mary esther??    I use to go there alot   Some cute girls   I meet one one night that looked like tia carrere      oh well  thanks

IamMaiC -- lounge is still there, but I haven't checked if it got damaged in the hurricane. It is fairly close to the water, so ...

cool thanks when my wife finally gets here from thailand i want to bring her to that area for a holiday Mr red what is the chinese place down the road from there?? it had a bar inside i forgot the name it is going towards Ft walton beach also i use go there alot , had karaoke also and a very very beautiful filipina girl was the hostess ya i know it's close to the water the beach is always cheaper than a hotel How did Eglin air force base come through the storm We are expecting another hurricane in the central florida area I hope it goes somewhere else give florida a break already.