A Thread for our **Florida Friends**....

[69forever]

There are very few times....

In my life that I felt as helpless as I did Friday, watching and knowing so much of that landscape, and the people there. Knowing Thursday night that my Sister had found safe haven for my Mom helped...but was it really safe? It made me feel selfish in ways, sitting in a comfy hotel room with my love, in our first R/L meeting. It hurt that I wasn't completely there for her...and it hurt not knowing that loved ones were safe.

Whspr understood and comforted me....one more reason I love her so.

My Sister works for a company that fuels the trucks that are working to restore power. She put in 14 1/2 hours today, here in Milwaukee, WI. Her people there are going to look after my folks, helping with clean-up, making sure they have ice and water. It's not about the government, it's about family looking after family....and the outpouring of human compassion for the suffering of others.

Begs to question though....why it takes something like this to empower people to care for their brothers and sisters. Peace.

 

[peppermint_barbi]

THANK YOU

I just wanted to say Thank you to all that have come here to post and wish us all well down here in Florida. The outpouring here and all over the nation has been amazing.

I live in Orlando and we were hit pretty hard. Not as bas as Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda. My heart and thoughts go to them. We have a lot of homes without power and water still and it looks like it won't be on until atleast the end of the week. The gas and ice is running low and so is the food in the stores. Many places are helping and so are the radio stations, United Way, Red Cross, etc. I came away lucky but my in-laws have an oak tree on their house and my brother has a lot of holes in his ceiling. I also teach and we are out of school until next week. It's very dangerous to drive down the street with all of the trees and power lines that are down. The street lights are either missing, hanging by a thread or not working. All in all, its a scarey situation but with all of the thoughts and caring hearts from everyone, we will get through this.

I wanted to just cry with joy the other day when I looked and saw power trucks, about 15, from Georgia Power and then I heard that there were some seen around from North Carolina. It's so amazing that things like this just bring out the best in people. I just hope that the Port Charlotte area and Punta Gorda get all of the help that they need and even more then they need.

Thank you again for this thread and we will all get through this together.

Hugs and lots of es from Sunny Florida.

 

[1sexylady]

With reading all these posts I am sitting here in my chair, with my screen up and my mind wondering what to say.

I am in New Jersey but I have family down there and I felt helpless just waiting for the phone to ring and to hear their voices. I have two sisters, my Wonderful Mother and a brother. All are safe and I thank god but I still can't help but cry for those who loss someone dear to them or their homes.

My prayers are with all of you there and all along the east coast, South Carolina, North Carolina etc.....

 

[1sexylady]

So how does Florida look now that it is over?

 

[69forever]

Hurricane death toll rises to 20 as Florida digs out from monster storm

MIAMI (AFP) - The death toll from Hurricane Charley rose to 20 as Florida state authorities delivered food and water to hundreds of thousands of people in southwest Florida affected by the monster storm, officials said.


AFP/Getty Images Photo


Reuters
Slideshow: Hurricane Charley




The American Red Cross (news - web sites) served 121,432 emergency meals on Tuesday alone, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, which gave the new death toll from the worst hurricane to hit Florida in 12 years.


Most of the casualties have been in counties close to Fort Myers on the west coast, where Hurricane Charley first hit last Friday, destroying or damaging tens of thousands of houses and other buildings.


A emergency services spokeswoman said more than 1.94 million gallons (7.34 million litres) of water and 7.4 million pounds (3.35 million kilogrammes) of ice have been taken to counties declared disaster zones in the days since the hurricane.


Officials said more than 100,000 homes have no fixed telephone service and petrol supplies are scarce in many areas.


Twenty-five of Florida's 67 counties have been designated federal disaster areas, and President George W. Bush (news - web sites), touring the ravaged region on Sunday, promised speedy federal aid.


In Charley's chaotic wake, local conditions remain treacherous. Three people died Monday in Punta Gorda, a town almost completely demolished by the storm, in a traffic collision caused by damaged traffic signals.


State officials advised residents to stay off the roads unless travel is absolutely necessary.


Search and rescue operations continue in the hardest-hit areas, said Emergency Response Team spokeswoman Kim Reed.


"At this time, the big focus is to make sure of the human aspect that everybody is safe, and directing people to the services they need," she said.


Wednesday morning more than 2,000 people remained in emergency shelters in 12 counties, state officials said.


Electricity has been restored to 1.5 million Florida residents but 438,000 are still without power and about 100,000 lack phone service.


A Federal Emergency Management Agency (news - web sites) (FEMA) spokeswoman said the agency, a division of the US Department of Homeland Security, has already issued more than five million dollars in disaster assistance payments to Charley's victims.


About 42,000 people have registered for federal housing, medical and reconstruction aid, she said.


In Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte and other areas devastated by the storm, a colossal disaster relief effort is underway.


Nearly 4,000 National Guard troops have been deployed to the region, and federal and state agencies are trucking in water, ice, generators and food.


"Naturally the first priority is to address the most pressing needs and the most vulnerable populations," said FEMA director Mike Brown.





Responding to reports of price gouging, Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist announced Tuesday that he had filed complaints against two hotels accused of charging "unconscionable" room rates as residents fled vulnerable coastal areas.

A spokeswoman for Crist said his office has received almost 2,000 complaints about unfair trade practices related to Hurricane Charley.

Emergency managers also warned about fly-by-night building contractors and insurance underwriters, advising those with damaged property not to pay for any repairs in advance.

The storm is estimated to have caused as much as 11 billion dollars in property damage. It is also expected to have a devastating impact on Florida's citrus industry, which contributes nine billion dollars a year to the state's economy.

Charley was the first major hurricane to strike Florida's southwest coast in over 40 years. More than two million people were advised to evacuate the strike zone, but many ignored the warnings.

 

[Soron]

So how does Florida look now that it is over?

The parts that got hit look like a war zone.

 

[Arden]

The parts that got hit look like a war zone.

I'm riding with you tomorrow, right?

 

[tonitits]

Hope everyone is doing well. I have a cousin that is in Florida and heard that it hit Orlando and turned away so he did not get the damage but some very heavy rain. My heart goes out to all that may have suffer loss.

 

[1sexylady]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Soron
The parts that got hit look like a war zone.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Orginally posted by Arden
I'm riding with you tomorrow, right?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well the ride will be alot better now... Arden Soron

 

[kayte]

Keeping all of the FL people in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[kayte]

Dropping in with prayers and warm thoughts for all of the people in Florida!!!!

 

[1sexylady]

Hope all is good there... Your still in my prayers.

 

[69forever]

My Mom sent these news clipping from Fort Meyers....My God.

Downed power poles....

 

[69forever]

A young boy in what's left of his grandparents mobile home on Pine Island....pretty much ground zero.

 

[69forever]

A football stadium was used for an evacuation site....talk about roughing it. I thank God my Mother was spared.

 

[69forever]

Soron said after going down with relief supplies it looked like a war zone. There is NO other way to describe it. The written note on the bottom is my Mom's; "No phone, electric or water for 6 days".

 

[69forever]

That is a poured concrete table top that weighs somewhere around 1500 pounds. We placed poured concrete shooting tables at the rifle range a few years back...I *ouch* know how much that stuff weighs. It wasn't just mobile homes or sheet metal structures that were destroyed.

 

[69forever]

Punta Gorda....in the wealthy neighborhoods.

 

[1sexylady]

Wow those pictures are awful.... I thank god everyday my family was spared on both sides of the state.

 

[Angelofsex]

Looks like our Florida friends will be hit again. The news has all of the state getting it.......PLEASE BE CAREFUL AND SAFE.....my brother and his wife will be affected by this one........I will be thinking of all of you.

 

[Cathleen]

You are so right AoS - be safe everyone. My thoughts are prayers are with you all.

 

[Parrothead49]

just looked at the lastest maps on www.nhc.noaa.com and Sun. it should be over my house in Lakeland. YIKES ! ! !

anybody got room for a motorhome in their driveway this weekend, say in Oklahoma or someplace safe?

this one is starting to worry me now and I've been in Fla all my life.

thanks for all the thoughts guys, we'll make it thru it.

 

[kayte]

Oh my!!! Keeping all of the FL people in my thoughts and prayers!!!!

 

[tonitits]

Keeping all the ppl in FL in my thoughts and prayers. I hope you all are safe and that the storm does not cause too much damage.

 

[Glistening Girl]

Feeling lots of stress right now. Wondering if I should leave and go north to friends or wait it out.

Thanks for everyones prayers. We sure need it.