Hurricane warning--Don’t play with Hurricane Ike – be hurricane prepared!

Hurricane safety a MUST when facing down Hurricane Ike

As Hurricane Ike makes its forceful march towards the Gulf Coast I hope all residents of the Southern Texas area have taken heed and prepared for their own hurricane survival. From what I have seen on TV that does not look like that is the situation.

There are youth and young people playing in 3 feet of storm surge waves and thinking it’s a joke. It’s no joke! It takes a lot less than what they are playing in to get caught in a thunderous storm wave and be swept you to sea in a rip-tide.

Don’t Play with Ike!

Many can not comprehend what a catastrophic storm Hurricane Ike is. Many of us have sheltered-in-place through category 2 hurricanes in the past which result in broken windows a couple days of power outages and typical hurricane damage to roods etc.. This is not your garden variety category 2 hurricane.

The size of this hurricane storm is what makes it so treacherous. The window of opportunity is quickly shutting and within the next few hours at the very most the option to emergency evacuate will not be viable for most people who have not left already.

Authorities estimate that 37,000 people will need to be evacuated from flooded and wind damage homes – that is if they are lucky to be alive. Emergency response teams are going to risk their lives to try to save the lives of those that could have safety evacuated before the Hurricane Ike hits.

Please don’t risk the lives of brave emergency response teams because you think this is a joke or you want to the thrill of being a John Wayne sort of tough guy or gal. No one laughing ad you’re not tough. Get out while you can!

By having a hurricane preparedness plan that includes disaster supplies for at least 7 days of emergency food, water and medications for all members of the household including pets, the chances of hurricane survival increases significantly. The national and regional emergency management disaster authorities are saying that 5.2 MILLION people will be without electric. Many water supply plants and sanitation operations will not be online for days, even weeks. Hospitals, fire stations and police barracks will be severely damaged or completely destroyed. The infrastructure of the community is going to be under siege from the furry of Hurricane Ike for some time to come.

My grave concern as hurricane Ike marches quickly towards the Gulf coast, even with all that we have seen in the way of the damage from Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Gustav as examples, there is still approximately 10% of the population that elects to endanger themselves and their families by not heeding the call for emergency evacuation.

Hurricane force winds and storm surge is a deadly combination. Human life is much more important than even the most valuable of property items. I sincerely hope that those within the potential path of Hurricane Ike listen to hurricane warnings and take responsible actions to get out of harms way.

As Hurricane Ike makes its forceful march towards the Gulf Coast I hope residents of the Southern Texas area will take heed and prepare for their own hurricane survival. This hurricane preparation is not only for the physical issues but also for the emotional issues as well.

In the days, weeks and months perhaps for years, people will grief the affects of this storm. Life as they knew it for much of the Galveston region will not be the same as it was even a couple of weeks ago. The magnitude of destruction this hurricane storm will have on individuals, families and communities will be for many beyond their wildest nightmares. In the days head I’ll be discussion the issues that face individuals who live through Hurricane Ike.

COMMENTS WELCOMED!

Please share your thoughts, emergency preparedness tips and stories here on this blog.

All I ask is that everyone be respectful and sensitive of each other and that identifying information about a person who is not the author be limited to protect their privacy.

Be Safe – Be Prepared – Help Others!

Terrie

www.trainforahurricane.com

37,000 may need to be rescued after Hurricane Ike

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/09/12/ike.rescues/index.html

HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) -- Coast Guard and Air Force aircraft were sent Friday afternoon to try to rescue 22 people on board a massive freighter adrift in the Gulf of Mexico, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard has active-duty military on standby if people need to be rescued because of Ike.

Petty Officer Jaclyn Young said the five aircraft, including two Air Force Ospreys, were sent to the ship around noon. She said their arrival time would depend on wind and rain.

The decision to rescue the freighter comes after a U.S. military official told CNN that 37,000 people may need to be rescued after Hurricane Ike strikes.

Texas has asked for help, and the active-duty military has 42 search-and-rescue helicopters on standby, the official said.

Coast Guard officials had said earlier they thought the best way to help the 584-foot freighter might be to let the storm push it to shallow water where it can drop anchor.

The freighter had been headed south from Port Arthur, Texas, and is loaded with petroleum coke -- a petroleum byproduct.

The Coast Guard said in a news release it received a distress call around 4 a.m. from the Antalina, a Cypriot-flagged freighter. It said the vessel had "lost main propulsion 90 miles southeast of Galveston" and was unable to steer.

Coast Guard Capt. Bill Diehl said the freighter had been "in the direct line of the path of the storm and lost its engines."

He said the Coast Guard is keeping radio communications with the freighter, and its news release said the Coast Guard is in hourly contact with the crew.

The Coast Guard also worked to airlift people and their pets from their cars and homes on the Bolivar Peninsula, a narrow stretch of land that separates the Gulf of Mexico from Galveston Bay, as the wind and rain from Hurricane Ike slapped the Texas coast.

The guard issued a statement saying "Coast Guard Air Station Houston launched a HH-65C rescue helicopter and crew to airlift and transport approximately 22 to 50 people" who had called authorities for help.

There had been warnings for residents to evacuate beforehand, and Chief Petty Officer Michael O'Berry, interviewed by CNN, was asked why they didn't get out in time.

He said he thinks the residents "didn't understand, I guess, the strength of the storm. As it came about, they realized it's a lot stronger than they may have anticipated."