Community Chat

[the geeger]

People live in Florida because they want to; tornadoes, earthquakes, severe winter storms are destructive too and yet people live these places too.  Destruction can strike anywhere.

[tiny 2]

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@the geeger wrote:

People live in Florida because they want to; tornadoes, earthquakes, severe winter storms are destructive too and yet people live these places too.  Destruction can strike anywhere.

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@the geeger, Yes but hurricanes in Florida are a sure thing every year. I owned a home there for many years.

[Mindy D]

@golding76 @Thank you for your lovely, supportive post. You should know that Flood Insurance is a bargain, premium wise, when compared to the Homeowners Insurance which includes windstorm. 

[ValuSkr]

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@Mindy D wrote:

You should know that Flood Insurance is a bargain, premium wise, when compared to the Homeowners Insurance which includes windstorm. 

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That's a good point.  I imagine the property losses in Florida will be covered by homeowners' and flood insurances.  Yes, subject to deductibles and long waits due to a deluge of claims, but nonetheless all-is-not-lost..

[Firefly901]

There are two basic phases to this disaster, the event and the aftermath.  We are at the beginning of the aftermath.  Because of the large geographic area, and the intensity of the storm, we have to think differently about how we get to recovery.  The wealthy and upper middleclass flew out before the storm.  The immediate basic situation is of concern now, namely, food, shelter, water, and a place to think.  Given the vast number of trailer parks, we are dealing with a large number of low to moderate income people.  And we still have a lot of standing water in neighborhoods with snakes, alligators, and other wild life in the water. FEMA is a great agency, but we need the US military to come in and set up basic camps so FEMA, other governmental units, and not-for-profits can get their work done. It is the rainy season, and they need some sort of shelter in highly elevated areas in each devastated community that can sustain the rain.

These people can't wait many more days for this to happen.  There is NOTHING like the US military.  We can't wait a few days to figure this out.  We have to move now.

While this is being done, FEMA needs to pull together a Ian Regugee Program to relocate low and moderate income people who want to leave FL to go to other states.

The aftermath can be just as bad, or worse as the storm.  The clock is ticking on the lives of these people.

[golding76]

The Causeway to Sanibel Island - It connects Sanibel Island to the mainland.  At this time, the only transport between Sanibel Island and the mainland is by boat or helicopter.  These people of Sanibel have been cut off from a main artery of life.   

This is true of Pine Island, too.

Sanibel Causeway - Before

Sanibel Causeway - After

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Undated Photo of Old San Carlos Blvd. in Fort Myers

Old San Carlos Blvd. after Hurricane Ian's Destructive Forces Whipped Through It

[haddon9]

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@golding76 wrote:

Returning to my response to Foxxee's post, I want to hasten to add that some of the dearest people in my life now live or have lived in Florida.  Here are their stories:

1.  My dearest friend and matron-of-honor:  Born in Washington, D.C., but as a young bride, she and her husband decided to make a life for themselves in Florida.  They lived in Miami Springs, had a home and their only child, a daughter, there.  Then she later moved to Davie, Fla., and retired to St. Petersburg.

2.  Another BFF:  Born and raised in Maryland.  Worked for DOT like me.  Later, lived in Virginia Beach.  Retired to a barrier island off Florida.  Loving it.  She and her hubby still snorkel and fish, etc.

3.  College friend and the guy I mentioned in a post last week -- the one with whom my ex-husband and I went to Marathon, Fla.  He always loved Florida!  After he completed his schooling, he headed there and stayed.  Lives in Florida in a luxury condo on a barrier island.  Retired as a Professor of History Emeritus.

4.  A "koumbara" (close relationship through marriage):  She and her husband lived and worked in Baltimore and decided to retire in Fort Lauderdale.  A regular couple.  Their children moved to their own homes in Florida to be near them.

5.  A wonderful friend I worked with when I was transferred to Miami by my job:  Originally from upstate New York, she was divorced and went to Florida because her parents had retired there.  She eventually met a truly great guy who lived in Florida and they married.  She died several years ago at their retirement location further up the East Coast of Florida.

All regular, good people who found a satisfying life in Florida.

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@golding76   I agree that it is devastating to so many who have lost everything. I think many of us know people who decided to make a life in Florida.

My own parents moved to south Florida in the Ft. Lauderdale area back in 1993.  They retired to a large over 55 community.  My dad passed in 1998 but mom stayed on there.  She had a lot of friends but over the years they either moved on to assisted living or passed.  She was really alone (her best friend passed before she did) the last year of her life (but had aides and refused to come back north) when she finally passed last year. 

Now my brother an I own mom's condo but have not been able to go there since we both have spouses with serious health problems.  We will try to go down there over the winter and probably put it up for sale.

A few close neighbors moved to Fl too.  One in the Orlando area and another to Marathon in the keys.  I have visited my old neighbor & friend in the Keys when I have visited with my mother.

My brother in law's sister is just east and inland of Tampa.  She and her home are okay...no flooding or loss of power.

I also have an old college roommate living in the West Palm Beach area. 

So far all have been okay from this current storm.

[Xivambala]

While not minimizing the current destruction and devastation from current hurricane Ian, here is my prospective.

I spent the first 65 years of my life living in and around the Chicago suburbs. I treated myself to a trip to Florida for my 60th birthday and fell in love. I returned a year later for a longer time and drove 2600 miles all around southern Florida. Florida is an incredibly beautiful state with much to offer. I say this having been to almost all states in the US with the exception of the NW and far NE. This is where I decided to retire. When choosing where to live, mobile homes and locations prone to flooding were off my list. I had experienced several hurricanes vicariously through a friend in Miami and was well aware of what I would be facing. Back in Chicago, I had year after year of blizzards, frigid cold, tornadoes and sunless days. I've been through 2 hurricanes now. I'd rather be here than back in Illinois. I remember almost dying in a horrid blizzard in Wisconsin one Christmas as well.

Tragedy can happen wherever you live. Storms, flooding, fires, tornadoes, landslides, hurricanes... I have been through 2 hurricanes of my own now. When hurricane season comes, I watch the weather reports daily for all the potential storms coming off the African coast hoping they fade away into the ocean/sea.

I have chosen to live where I am happiest. Life is too short. Others will make their own decision.

[AngelPuppy1]

I, like, many here, have family and/or friends who live full-time or part-time in Florida and other areas hit by this terrible storm.  Thankfully, all I know have not sustained any serious damage.  I don't think now is the time to make judgment on people who are suffering terribly as to the reasons why they moved to FLA or chose to live there. This is the time for compassion.  Any of us at any time could lose our homes and/or our lives for any number of reasons.  People who lost their vacation homes or part-time homes were fortunate that they had other homes to go to.  Not that this was not a great loss for them.  Others were not so fortunate as they lost the only home they had.  And as many have stated here, so many people did not have insurance or enough to cover all that they have lost.  All these people need our prayers and support.  

[CrazyKittyLvr2]

As someone who doesn't live in an area that has a need for evacuations I have questions.

Do regular (not wealthy) folks to move to FL., surrounded on 3 sides by water, what, 100 ft. above sea level and prone to hurricanes, and have no plans in place for evacuation.  Do they go knowing they don't have the money to get out of Dodge? Just won't leave?

I am just curious.