# Hurricane Irma \[and Maria\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 4, 2017, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446 "2017-09-04T01:56:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![jkirkman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac8455/32.png) [@jkirkman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jkirkman)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2017, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/341 "2017-09-12T22:59:51Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Power is NOT back on at work, so I’m working from home. I’m glad everyone is doing okay! Well, the dead ones aren’t posting… Great you are OK, though. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/342 "2017-09-13T00:54:52Z")
The office in Melbourne is still without power, as are many of my co-workers living nearby. I’m not used to this “working from home” nonsense yet, but I’m getting there. But the highway tolls are still suspended. So there’s that. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/343 "2017-09-13T00:58:29Z")
We have good friends in St. Pete’s who evacuated to Orlando because of the dire forecast. Sounds like they may have dodged a big bullet there, but we haven’t heard anything from them yet. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/344 "2017-09-13T01:14:09Z")
That’s how it works - there’s a jillion hotel rooms in Orlando, and when The Big One comes, the tourists that would have taken them clear out. So the roads are clogged with coastal dwellers who come inland to escape the storm surge by camping out in an Orlando hotel. Yeah, it’s a helluva racket. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/345 "2017-09-13T01:49:41Z")
Checking in In one piece, can not say the same for buildings and stuff. Gave up watching the ever changing track, then went to check on it finally out of curiosity and wtf, its going to run over me. Then the electric died and i didnt have to watch it anymore. Work has internet, guess that’s a reason to go? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/346 "2017-09-13T02:01:22Z")
The Port of Tampa has reopened We will be back home in Bradenton tomorrow. Friends yell us we lost the doors off our shed but no damage to the home ---
**Author:** ![Grumbacher\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Grumbacher\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumbacher_Red)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/347 "2017-09-13T02:33:46Z")
> [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > Thanks for translating! It’s only second to Piggly Wiggly is funny southern grocery store references, but Wilmington Island doesn’t have a PW… Wilmington Island used to have a Piggly Wiggly, but now it is an Ace Hardware. Of course you probably know the old Southern name was just to call it “The Pig”. Publix put the The Pig on WI out of business. My sister out on WI is still without power. ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/348 "2017-09-13T03:49:37Z")
I lived on Wilmington Island when Ace Hardware went in there. My 16-year-old daughter has taken to wearing my old Big Al’s BBQ shirt, and I have to remind her that it’s irreplaceable. And I don’t miss that island one bit. It is a perfectly pleasant soulless little suburb. Tybee had character. It was a great community. Even Oatland, where I worked, had soul. But Wilmington was a place to park overnight when I lived there! (Unless they eventually find Jimmy Hoffa. Then it might have one soul.) I do hope that the urban refugees have power soon, though! ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/349 "2017-09-13T11:31:12Z")
> [@jkirkman](#): > > Well, the dead ones aren’t posting… Did we lose any Dopers? Has anyone heard from **Buttercup**? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/350 "2017-09-13T11:37:16Z")
**Buttercup** has reported a few times up-thread. She, husband, house, critters, & car survived fine. Much to their amazement. Power, water, internet, etc. are another matter. I’ve not heard much from anyone in the Naples through Tampa areas though. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/351 "2017-09-13T13:43:12Z")
Monday morning sequence starting around 10:30: Lights flicker. Cable/internet goes out. Lights go out a fraction of a second. Never did lose power for more than a second or two. Rare. Wind, wind and more wind. Not a lot of rain. Just 2.5" total.\* Peaked around 2-4 in the afternoon. Tapered off towards 3am. Internet-less until late Tuesday. Watching OTA TV without a DVR for news is a major pain. Apparently running the same stories over and over about downed trees is considered the only news worth reporting. And the video! Terrible. Shot from just a few feet away. So there’s a lot of leaves and maybe a tiny bit of a house in the background. No perspective at all. There’s a house near us with a big tree slicing thru an upstairs bedroom. We had several trees taken down a few months ago after two neighbors had trees fall on their houses. _Very_ glad we did that. The back yard is practically covered with leaves/small branches. - Opal moved thru fast and dropped 5". The unnamed thunderstorm the night before Opal dropped 6". ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/352 "2017-09-13T15:07:10Z")
(Gainesville, well actually Archer) Our household came through okay. A lot of trees and power lines came down, fortunately nothing landed on the roof. One tree broke right outside my bedroom window. I heard the crack and just lay there looking at the ceiling…but nope, it hit the generator instead. Put a big dent in it but it kept working! We got off lucky. One tree smashed a fence, but we can close off that paddock for a while. Another tree that came down was one we were planning to have removed anyway. We have firewood and cleanup work out the old wazoo, but me and mine are all doing fine. Hopefully power will be back on in a few days. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/353 "2017-09-13T16:37:50Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > … > One tree broke right outside my bedroom window. I heard the crack and just lay there looking at the ceiling…but nope, it hit the generator instead. Put a big dent in it but it kept working! > … Good to hear you got off lightly. The snip above makes me think of something I hadn’t considered before as a generic homeowner. Namely installing a “roll cage” of heavy duty steel tubing to protect a generator on a pad. You’d have been pissed to be without utility power for a week and also have a wrecked generator sitting under a downed tree next to your undamaged powerless house. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/354 "2017-09-13T16:56:51Z")
And here a situation where people weren’t killed during the hurricane but during the aftermath: **Six dead at Hollywood nursing home where Hurricane Irma knocked out air conditioning** [http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/fl-sb-hurricane-irma-broward-wednesday-20170913-story.html](http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/fl-sb-hurricane-irma-broward-wednesday-20170913-story.html) ---
**Author:** ![BobBitchin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@BobBitchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobBitchin)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/355 "2017-09-13T19:32:27Z")
WE MADE IT !!! Power is on, ac is dead, microwave dead. As mentioned earlier carport blew away, ripped right off the house. Roof is shot, all the trailer skirting is gone…no insurance:( Wife and dogs are still good. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/356 "2017-09-14T00:49:01Z")
My In-Laws made it back home today after dropping my daughter back at college. They are without power but came through with minimal damage. So far looks likes just some fencing. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/357 "2017-09-14T13:25:59Z")
Fort Myers. Spent two nights in a shelter, a sort of newish elementary school. Went home Monday morning and got my power back Tuesday Night. No cable or internet so having to post from work. Didn’t know that work (County Govt.) is off for the rest of the week. Shopping is not too bad. busy but not a riot. Gas is available but you gotta wait. Very little building damage that I’ve seen but the trees have been devastated in my neighborhood. Mahogany just can’t take a storm the way palms can. Have a friend over while he’s out of power. Funny since he used to be my roomie and is using his old room again. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/358 "2017-09-14T13:40:18Z")
Lights back on at home last night (day 8, if you’re counting, full restoration promised by Friday), and WE got off easy. San Juan’s being used as staging point of emergency crews going into the Virgins, of operation to repatriate tourists/expats who had been stranded in the Virgins/Leewards, and as evac point/refuge for islands population with needs that can no longer be handled onsite. Hundreds from the islands in our hospitals. Convention Center is being used as a refugee center for a couple thousand displaced people from the islands. Richard Branson has temporarily relocated here to coordinate BVI aid. In the immediate aftermath boat owners from PR began pulling a Dunkirk on the USVI/BVI until authorities pleaded that this created greater risk and issues with recording what and who moved where; PR National Guard, Sector San Juan USCG and cruise- and freight-line volunteered ships are doing the heavy lifting. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/359 "2017-09-14T13:44:23Z")
If you snowflaked on out of the state before the storm, you may be stuck there. Pictures of traffic on the only 2 major roads into Florida from the north are unreal. Reportedly entire exits in Georgia are blocked because there’s no gas there anymore either. Plus, I-75 is about to be closed near Gainesville due to flooding. Race drivers are taught to steer \*toward \*a crash they see happening, because by the time they get to that spot, the crashing cars will have moved somewhere else. That may be the rule for hurricanes - if it’s coming at you, stay there. ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/360 "2017-09-14T13:55:14Z")
Still no communications with the Lower Keys. I have not spoke with hubby since Sunday morning at 0530 just before the eye wall hit. I know he survived the storm as some neighbor’s hunkering down with him drove out of the Keys on Monday and called me. I am being flown from Scott AFB in Illinois back to NASJAX today. At least I will be in the same state and time zone. I am about to lose my mind though. I really need to hear from hubby. In the Lower Keys there is still no power, water, cell phone service and it is hot as hell. I don’t know if our generator is still running as it is propane and I don’t know how much propane we had. The days are very long. NOAA finally finished up loading airial shots of the entire Keys and I was able to see my house. My neighbhood fared well compared to the Oceanside. I have many requests out for someone to do a welfare check on hubby. I have a friend with a satellite phone who said she would check on him today. Please God just a 10 second call would ease my mind. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446.md?page=19)