Is Irene New York City's "Katrina"

[AnnaRaven]

Wishing all of you the best as you ride out this storm or evacuate, as appropriate. Please don't wait too long if you need to get out of dodge.

 

[Veggie PAK]

I'm in Hampton Roads, Virginia, and the 1933 hurricane was the worst on record here. In the pictures, you can't tell where the river stopped and the drydocks of Norfolk Naval Shipyard began!

Today, Irene's preceeding winds have been blasting us since early morning. The problem is, Irene's eye isn't supposed to actually arrive here until 5:00 pm and then beat us down through 10 pm. There are already 91K people here without electric power. The TV news says that a great deal of Norfolk's streets are flooded with rainwater and are impassable. Many tunnels and bridges are closed.

Boy, I am so thankful we've boarded our windows this time! You can hear the tree branches hitting the plywood. When the wind gusts, you can hear the house creaking. It's been here since 1945, so I think it will stay. We're above the 100 year flood plain by a good amount. We have all the provisions we need since I practice being a prepper. I'm also thankful for that!

I hope everyone in Irene's path stays safe!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

stay safe VPak!!

 

[abifae]

WZ, it amazes me that anytime there is a prediction of a storm making landfall anywhere, the majority of people all wait to fill up their vehicles until the same time. It's like marathon runners waiting for the starting gun. We would always fill up several 5 gallon cans at the start of hurricane season, and keep the tank topped at the first mention that a storm may head our way. But even in areas that deal with storms every year, the majority wait. Odd.

Yeh. I don't get that either. I mean, we're expecting a few blizzards this winter, and this weekend I am finishing the vital prep. Um. We haven't even had a frost yet. *laughs*

But I sure as heck am not going to be hitting the store as the storm starts. I'll hit the sales through the holidays and stock up further. During bad years, we get blizzards late Oct through Mar.

 

[AL]

The HQ for my employer is in Vienna VA and Winchester..... I am glad our division here is well staffed and equipped to pick up the slack, because it could turn into a major, national thing if we went down for too long.

I figure the rains are going to be the worst of it for most areas, especially those already with minor damage or unseen structural effects from the quake.

k0xxx - I drive along the mile long lines for gas and shake my head. Our tractor, vehicles (even the motorcycle) and gas powered tools stay topped off the whole season. There are a few cans full in the garage even now. The generator has been tested and refreshed with gas / oil.

 

[valmom]

Well, we are as ready as we are going to get- I'm tired, my back hurts from carrying stuff, and the only thing left to do is finish up the horses with extra water in case of power outages and button them and the chickens up. And I haven't even murdered anyone in the process! The only thing that bugs me now is that I put off a trip to the feed store last wednesday, thinking I would go today, but I didn't. I do have enough horse and chicken and dog food to last till next Wednesday, but I wanted to be stocked up. I just ran out of steam.

Stay safe, those of you on islands! That sounds a bit nerve wracking to me. I like nice solid mountains. The one thing I don't have to worry about is flooding!

 

[Denim Deb]

No, just rock and mud slides.

 

[sunsaver]

I drive along the mile long lines for gas and shake my head.

Ah, the pleasure of being prepared! Who looks crazy now, sitting in those long lines? Silly grasshoppers!