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[Robert99]

Yup, a lot of water.

Makes one wonder what Houstonians thought 50 inches was going to look like. Begs the question as to why their preparations were so minimal. I find it astonishing that so many people who appeared on camera seemed shocked by what happened and had no "Grab and Go Bags," needing rescuers to take them back home so they could gather their meds and other necessities. Or that mementoes and memory-laden tschatkes were floating in the water and that they never had the presence of mind to put stuff in baggies or take them upstairs to a dry place.

I saw no media interviews or investigation these dynamics, nor saw people who had a robust prep plan - like turning their second story into a dry refuge filled with water barrels, propane stoves, ice chests, food and dry clothes - or medical supplies so that they could take care of their neighbors and rescuers in the neighborhood. The lack of investigative reporting during Harvey was so extreme to me that I wrote editor David Leonhardt at the NY Times and asking why none of his 20-plus reporters weren't exploring any of these issues.

My take away from Harvey and the media coverage is that America wanted a feel-good story about heroes and rescues. The height of that conceit occurred at the end of Harvey when CBS TV filmed a twenty-minute rescue of three teenagers and a young adult from a flooded parking lot in Port Arthur, Texas. The sun was shining, and the waters were no more than three-feet deep, and the film crew was standing next to the kids being rescued. Why was a chopper necessary? It was a New York National Air Guard helo, to boot, so it made great TV for the NY audience, but really - if these people really needed an evac, why didn't they just hitch a ride with the CBS van? Maybe the helo guys just said - "Hell, we just flew 1500 miles in this sucker and we're gonna rescue somebody, dammit, before we fly another 1500 miles to go home."

Bruce, During the Katrina efforts, a contingent of NY/NJ firefighters and first responders were moved to the New Orleans area.  However, they were never assigned any activities related to the rescue and recovery efforts.  All they ever did was appear as backdrops for TV events when Bush or other politicians wanted to get some TV time.

And these people from NY/NJ did complain about it on live TV.

And I don't remember seeing a single Texas Air National Guard helicopter anywhere in the Harvey rescue efforts.  They were all from the NY Air Guard, Coast Guard, or Navy helicopters from Norfolk, VA.

[Bruce A. Smith]

Yup, a lot of water.

Makes one wonder what Houstonians thought 50 inches was going to look like. Begs the question as to why their preparations were so minimal. I find it astonishing that so many people who appeared on camera seemed shocked by what happened and had no "Grab and Go Bags," needing rescuers to take them back home so they could gather their meds and other necessities. Or that mementoes and memory-laden tschatkes were floating in the water and that they never had the presence of mind to put stuff in baggies or take them upstairs to a dry place.

I saw no media interviews or investigation these dynamics, nor saw people who had a robust prep plan - like turning their second story into a dry refuge filled with water barrels, propane stoves, ice chests, food and dry clothes - or medical supplies so that they could take care of their neighbors and rescuers in the neighborhood. The lack of investigative reporting during Harvey was so extreme to me that I wrote editor David Leonhardt at the NY Times and asking why none of his 20-plus reporters weren't exploring any of these issues.

My take away from Harvey and the media coverage is that America wanted a feel-good story about heroes and rescues. The height of that conceit occurred at the end of Harvey when CBS TV filmed a twenty-minute rescue of three teenagers and a young adult from a flooded parking lot in Port Arthur, Texas. The sun was shining, and the waters were no more than three-feet deep, and the film crew was standing next to the kids being rescued. Why was a chopper necessary? It was a New York National Air Guard helo, to boot, so it made great TV for the NY audience, but really - if these people really needed an evac, why didn't they just hitch a ride with the CBS van? Maybe the helo guys just said - "Hell, we just flew 1500 miles in this sucker and we're gonna rescue somebody, dammit, before we fly another 1500 miles to go home."

Bruce, During the Katrina efforts, a contingent of NY/NJ firefighters and first responders were moved to the New Orleans area.  However, they were never assigned any activities related to the rescue and recovery efforts.  All they ever did was appear as backdrops for TV events when Bush or other politicians wanted to get some TV time.

And these people from NY/NJ did complain about it on live TV.

And I don't remember seeing a single Texas Air National Guard helicopter anywhere in the Harvey rescue efforts.  They were all from the NY Air Guard, Coast Guard, or Navy helicopters from Norfolk, VA.

I didn't see any of these clips regarding Katrina, Robert, but I believe what you said. Mutual Aid glitches are real at every level of service. We have a lot of mutual aid response teams in WA and here locally in Pierce County, which is home to Tacoma. We have several kinds of "strike teams" to beef-up firefighting capacities when a big fire overwhelms a local jurisdiction. It's one of the reasons why small forest fires get so big - they blow up faster than re-enforements can get there.

[Shutter]

The media should be pitching in on this. we are all in this together. they have the means to get things done..vans with food and water..get your hands dirty...show me you are part of this community! I tried to watch the news earlier, it's too much bullshit. I'll stick to the hurricane center..watch the plotting, and advisories...

[Shutter]

Typical gas station...no gas, no water, no propane..


.

[Shutter]

Winds are from this point till 2pm tomorrow...


18 mph
18 mph
16 mph
16 mph
16 mph
16 mph
18 mph
18 mph
18 mph
18 mph
33 mph
33 mph
38 mph
38 mph
39 mph

[Bruce A. Smith]

Since the time to go is gone, it seems like you're gonna hunker-down at your mom's, no?

Just got back from my dentist where all the TVs were showing Irma coverage. Interestingly, everyone in the office has a friend in Florida with whom they are tracking the storm closely. My hygienist has a friend in Palm Beach Gardens and the receptionist has a friend near Naples (!OMG!).

[Shutter]

Palm Beach Gardens...$$$$$$

As it stands at 8:00 PM. the storm is now tracking right up the west coast. this will cause a huge storm surge for those people. it's riding right along the coastline. not good. my Aunt hauled butt, she lives in Naples, and is already in Ocala. still kicking 155 mph winds. this would put the center of the storm about 90 miles from me! that's a very good thing. hurricane force winds are only 70 miles out from the center...

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles (110 km) from
the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 185
miles (295 km).

My brain is worn out, plain and simple..

[Bruce A. Smith]

Sounds like you caught a break. Looks like the west coast of Florida will be Ground Zero for Irma.

Should be great shell collecting on Sanibel Island next week... if the bridge still exists...

I can appreciate your brain fatigue. Is it time for Tequila, now???

[Shutter]

Sounds like you caught a break. Seems the west coast of Florida will be Ground Zero for Irma.

Should be great shell collecting on Sanibel Island next week... if the bridge still exists...

Nothing is over until it passes...you must keep the guard up. not even close to any kind of celebration....

[Bruce A. Smith]

I am not suggesting that you start celebrating NOW. I'm saying you should start drinking now to get READY for the storm, or at least relax a little before The World As We Know It ends.

[Shutter]

I am not suggesting that you start celebrating NOW. I'm saying you should start drinking now to get READY for the storm, or at least relax a little before The World As We Know It ends.

I understand what you are saying...I don't drink much anymore though. I drank pretty heavy last weekend when my buddy passed away. kinda hit my quota  if I was younger, I'd have a beer on the table right now..

[Bruce A. Smith]

My condolences.

This was your motorcycle buddy who had a very serious accident a while back? Whew.

My best friend from college died last year. Perhaps you might have heard of him, Mike Cahill. He lived in Fort Lauderdale most of his life and worked in the Broward County Development Office for many years. Then he became a leading guy in a private development firm. He died of lots of complications from intestinal disease. We spent a LOT of time on Sanibel, collecting sea shells. His collection is world-class.

[Shutter]

Now we can talk about the dangers of a storm surge. since this might run right up the coastline vs hitting from the sides as most do it presents a serious water issue. see the photo below..some area's will have water in excess of 9 feet! that's the red area..light orange is greater than 6 feet, and the yellow is greater than 3 feet. some area's are heavily populated..Homestead which is south of me is the only area on the east side of Florida..the west will affect Naples, Bonita Springs, Ft. Meyers, and Sanible Island to name a few..even from the side this storm would cause a lot of water to go inland..luckily, they are evacuation area's....

[Shutter]

Looking at the radar on my phone shows the first rain bands coming, should be here in about an hour, or less. below is WFOR..

[Bruce A. Smith]

My sense is that Irma's landfall on the west coast will be a blessing is disguise since the water depth of the Gulf of Mexico leading up to the Ft. Meyers - Naples area is much less than the depths on the Atlantic Ocean side of things in front of Miami and Ft. Lauderdale - hence I would imagine the storm surge might have less of an impact with a lower total mass of water on the move. Yes. surge heights might still be 8-10, but have less breath of water behind the leading front of the waves. So, the surge may not penetrate as far inland on the west coast as it might have on the east coast.

Regardless, it sounds like the Keys might experience a total wash-over. The average height of the Keys is about 6-feet. Key Largo, say hello to Naples, Florida.