Preparing for Hurricane Rita

[AGBF]

As I said, I never before paid attention to the "category" of a hurricane. The recent, horrible spate of them is making us all far too expert on them. A five is unbelievable, especially so soon after Katrina! I hope people are truly prepared this time.

Deborah

 

[jcrow]

gosh i know!!

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more:

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) - As many as 1 million people were ordered to clear out along the Gulf Coast, and hospital and nursing home patients were evacuated Wednesday as Hurricane Rita turned into a Category-5, 165-mph monster that could slam Texas by the weekend and inflict more misery on New Orleans.

Forecasters said Rita could be the most intense hurricane on record ever to hit Texas, and easily one of the most powerful ever to plow into the U.S. mainland. Category 5 is the highest on the scale, and only three Category 5 hurricanes are known to have hit the U.S. mainland - most recently, Andrew, which smashed South Florida in 1992.

 

[appletini]

Its crazy around here...no cell service b/c everything is overloaded. It takes over 4 hours to get from Galveston to downtown Houston, which normally is 45 minutes.

My grandma can''t make up her mind if she wants to stay at home or go to Dallas/Ft. Worth.

At least we have landlines here and the internet...

 

[jcrow]

oh! i hope yall are safe!!
i hope our flight to houston is cancelled. maybe we should cancel it ourselves. refund or not.
i hate this! i hate this!!

more---

Rita, based on its current internal pressure, would be the most intense hurricane ever to strike Texas, stronger even than an unnamed storm that hit Indianola in 1886. Accurate wind speed measurements are not available that far back.

The three Category 5 hurricanes to hit the U.S. mainland are the 1935 Florida Keys hurricane, Camille in 1969 and Andrew in 1992.

Never before has the mainland been hit by two storms of Category 4 or higher in the same year, according to government forecasters.

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[ame]

It''s a cat 5 now.

 

[jcrow]

this is SO scary!! we just went through this! it''s all too soon!

 

[MissGotRocks]

I am so sorry for the anxiety you must all feel right now - just know that we are all thinking of you and wishing you well. . .

 

[gingerBcookie]

my parents won''t leave and i can''t leave my parents. i don''t know what to do.

 

[Ann]

I am so very scared.

I am in NE Houston, if the storm hits at Matagorda, we will still have high winds, tornados and lots of rain.

I have been through this before - not fun. Like a 12 hour tornado.

Right now, I want to get my elderly mom, hubby, and hit the back roads to as far as I can go!!

 

[MelissaSue]

Stay safe all you Houston girls! I''ve been thinking of ALL of you all day!!! One of FIs best friend lives in Houston too, but I''m just as worred about my PS girls!

 

[yellowfan]

Be safe Houston folks.

 

[LadyluvsLuxury]

Awww Ann my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, the staff of WF and all others affected by this scary hurricane

 

[Diamond Princess]

Oyyy... I just am in awe at the moment.

I always knew when I moved to Houston that there is a chance for Hurricanes and now that we are looking at this MONSTER, which will hit as a Category 5.... I''m ready to faint.

I have all my bags packed and seriously don''t know what to do.

There is so much traffic that it would just send me straight into a panic attack sitting on 45 just to get out of here; yet, I''m sitting here thinking that things are going to get pretty bad in the Galleria area (which is where I live),which is also ready to send me into a panic attack.

Even though we''re on the West side, the wind and rain is going to heavily affect us. It seems to be a consensus around our community that a lot of residents are worried about leaving for fear of people breaking in, which totally breaks my heart.

I''m just keeping my fingers crossed and saying my prayers that it won''t be as bad as it looks like it''s going to be.

Ugghhh..... I feel like I have a hurricane in my tummy...

I truly appreciate all the emails and calls that we''ve received just making sure that we''re ok and sending your prayers and best wishes. You all are amazing! Thank you so much!

Now, I must go rest from this panic attack...I''m sure I''ll be having another one shortly because that just makes it ONE more day closer! I feel like I''m getting ready to get on a roller coaster ride for the first time and just don''t know what to expect...Oyy....

Jamie
www.whiteflash.com

 

[Strawdermangrl]

Date: 9/21/2005 7:29:39 PM
Author: gingerBcookie
my parents won''t leave and i can''t leave my parents. i don''t know what to do.

Ginger- Make them GO!!!

They just said that the storm is the 3rd largest storm in recorded history- and that from wing to wing it is almost 400 miles long.....We are in for the ride of a lifetime.

Ginger- Call me if you need ANYTHING- I mean it.

 

[gingerBcookie]

Date: 9/21/2005 10:05:37 PM
Author: Strawdermangrl

Date: 9/21/2005 7:29:39 PM
Author: gingerBcookie
my parents won''t leave and i can''t leave my parents. i don''t know what to do.

Ginger- Make them GO!!!

They just said that the storm is the 3rd largest storm in recorded history- and that from wing to wing it is almost 400 miles long.....We are in for the ride of a lifetime.

Ginger- Call me if you need ANYTHING- I mean it.

I''m trying. I''ve been begging all night for them to leave. i''ve turned on the new, the radio, i''ve argued, i''ve cried, i called my brother and tried to get him to help. they seem to think that it''s not going to be so bad. like another alicia which we weathered fine. they don''t seem to understand that this one is MUCH MUCH MUCH worse.

i can''t leave. my only hope is that if i stay, their threshold for leaving will be lower due to guilt of making me stay.

my sister came home, announced that if she gets hurt, she doesn''t have health insurance so she''s hitching the next ride out. she did mention that my parents were making her feel bad for leaving because they won''t go.

no comment.

 

[ame]

Drug them. Have someone strong carry them to the car. Punch it, Beavis.

I wish you the best. Its a shame they don''t realize just how bad off this could make them. Not their property, THEM.

 

[appletini]

Ginger! Make them go. If I can get my grandma to go, then your parents are going. I basically let her know that its not an option for her to stay and she''d get mad at me for living, so she just has to deal with car ride to DFW. Although we will be going the back way since we are in Ft. Bend county and the BF is driving us (good thing he has a Tahoe). Between my friends apartment and her mom''s house, and the BF''s friends apt all in the DFW area we will be covered. As for what I''m taking with me, about a weeks worth of clothes, my passport, car insurance policy, toiletries, blankets, and pillows.

 

[jorman]

I can''t get ahold of my mom. The lines are locked and have been all day.
I have touched base with the rest of my family, except my grandfather who is in recovery at Memorial Southwest Hospital after surgery.

This is really scary.

 

[Shay37]

All you guys, my prayers have been with you all day, and I will continue to pray for each of you and your families. Ginger, threaten them. Tell them they are aggravating the person who will one day pick out their nursing home, and that you have a long memory. (jk) Did they not see Katrina? They are not only endangering themselves, but also you and anyone who will have to come to rescue ya''ll. (God forbid) My heart is just breaking for you. I can totally understand how helpless you must feel. Please know that we will be thinking of you and praying for your safety.

Shay

 

[ChargerGrrl]

My thoughts have been with the folks in Houston all day today. I was just there yesterday for biz and met the WF team. What wonderful people!
My flight left this morning with no problem, and I had no idea how serious the situation was until I landed at LAX 3.5hrs later.

I''m sending y''all tons of good karma!

 

[Kaleigh]

My heart is just breaking for all of you that will be touched by this storm. Oh Ginger, beg with them plead cry, but do whatever it takes to get your parents and yourself out of harms way. I am praying for all of you and hoping for the best. This is scary.

 

[Blue824]

Ginger, good luck with your parents. I wouldn''t be able to leave mine either, but hopefully you''ll convince them that this is just not safe.

I hope everyone is safe and healthy when all of this is over with

My thoughts will be with everyone in Rita''s path.

 

[rms]

So sorry about all this for all you folks in the Houston area. I can''t even imagine what you must be feeling right now. My aunt, uncle and cousin live in the Houston area and my aunt was actually planning to go and visit our families in NY until this all happened. Plans have somewhat changed now, although maybe she should still come. I think it''s too late to get a flight, and my cousin''s place is a bit more inland so they all went there.

I am getting a lot of remarks about this since I have the same name...

 

[Kerbear560]

My thoughts and prayers are with all of you in the path of Rita. I can''t even imagine what you are going through. Stay safe everyone.

Ginger, you need to keep trying to get your parents to understand how dangerous this storm is! Maybe if you plead enough, they will finally understand (or at least give in). Material things can always be replaced, you and your family can''t.

 

[HOUMedGal]

OH MY GOSH

The drive to my parents'' house was RIDICULOUS. Just got here about 30 minutes ago...around midnight. Left Houston at 3pm. Yes, that''s 9 hours for a drive that normally takes 4.5....and we were cruising at 70 for the last 2.5 hours of it, so that tells you how awful the first 6 hours were! Zero to five mph, literally.

But I''m here now, about to go to bed. School closed today at 5 until next week...my exams for tomorrow and the one on Monday were moved. Now it looks like instead of having 3 exams in 5 days next week, we''ll be having 4 in 4 days...Tuesday through Friday. Ugh. But at least now I can settle down and study instead of worrying about packing and leaving!

Ginger, I hope you get your family out. I''m thinking about you!!!!

 

[Mara]

Annie, I''m so glad you made it to your parents. Ginger, stay safe...

We just watched Invasion, the new show about the hurricane that has aliens that infect people, totally creepy in the wake of Katrina and now with Rita around the corner, tonite was the season premiere, what timing.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 9/22/2005 1:44:59 AM
Author: HOUMedGal
The drive to my parents' house was RIDICULOUS. Just got here about 30 minutes ago...around midnight. Left Houston at 3pm. Yes, that's 9 hours for a drive that normally takes 4.5....and we were cruising at 70 for the last 2.5 hours of it, so that tells you how awful the first 6 hours were! Zero to five mph, literally.

Annie, I am glad you are there early. Although Galveston's evacuation started early, I feel fearful whenever I see the long lines of traffic on television. One would not want traffic to keep some people from being able to get out! If traffic is not allowed back towards an evacuated area (as with Galveston), why couldn't all lanes (on both sides of the highway) be used for people to leave the city?

Ginger...I don't know what I'd do in your place. I guess I think my parents would be more reasonable and I'd be able to force them to get out. It's madness to stay. Have you made them see footage of the elderly people in the airport in New Orleans after Katrina? That would have scared me into getting out if I had been recalcitrant. One can die in awful circumstances after days of suffering.

I wish you luck.

Deb

 

[appletini]

HouMed: I''m so glad you made it safely!

Ginger! you have to leave its madness out there. I woke up this morning with a pure sense of panic and I have to remain calm and get everything packed so that today isn''t too traumatic for my grandmother (she''s blind, so she''s not good with change)

Also the hurricane is now projected to hit Galeveston and Houston almost a direct hit! Leave now, and take your parents. Only God knows what we will be coming home to if anything at all.

 

[Ann]

Date: 9/22/2005 6:52:53 AM
Author: AGBF

Date: 9/22/2005 1:44:59 AM
Author: HOUMedGal
The drive to my parents'' house was RIDICULOUS. Just got here about 30 minutes ago...around midnight. Left Houston at 3pm. Yes, that''s 9 hours for a drive that normally takes 4.5....and we were cruising at 70 for the last 2.5 hours of it, so that tells you how awful the first 6 hours were! Zero to five mph, literally.

Annie, I am glad you are there early. Although Galveston''s evacuation started early, I feel fearful whenever I see the long lines of traffic on television. One would not want traffic to keep some people from being able to get out! If traffic is not allowed back towards an evacuated area (as with Galveston), why couldn''t all lanes (on both sides of the highway) be used for people to leave the city?

Ginger...I don''t know what I''d do in your place. I guess I think my parents would be more reasonable and I''d be able to force them to get out. It''s madness to stay. Have you made them see footage of the elderly people in the airport in New Orleans after Katrina? That would have scared me into getting out if I had been recalcitrant. One can die in awful circumstances after days of suffering.

I wish you luck.

Deb

I am still at home. For some reason hubby just wants to wait and see!!! I am beyond frustrated with him. We could have easily left last night. As it stands right now, the eye of the hurricane will pass right over our house!! My house has windows everywhere. Of course we have no plywood to board up with. We do have some moving boxes that are broken down that I am thinking we could tape against the windows. But since hubby is dragging his feet - who knows what will happen. I have slept about 2 hrs. And feel close to a nervous breakdown.

The traffic problem is like nothing you could imagine. I just heard on the news a few minutes ago, one lady was able to go 1.5 miles in 6 hours. Horrible conditions. If you get on one of the main evacutation route freeways/highways, you will not be allowed to get off, not even for toilet breaks or gas. I understand there will be an announcement from the officials about that shortly. Hopefully, they will just allow both sides of the roads to be used. It just has to happen or else we will have people sitting on the roads when that damn storm hits.

Well, PS''ers, it is 6:30am, we have a very long day ahead of us. I''ll check later in to see how the other PS folks are faring.

 

[rae]

Ann, forgive me, but your husband is mad. If you don''t even have anything to board your windows up with - for god''s sake, get out!

Taping your windows (I assume you know how to do that?) will help for Cat. 3-ish blows but much past that and you really need to have boards to be safe.... also depending on the size of your windows....

Good luck in making your husband come to his senses. The situation may well change, as he seems to expect, but it is just not worth risking life and limb.

Best wishes.