EDITOR'S NOTE: On Monday, as other parts of Florida continued to pick up the pieces left by Hurricane Charley, we asked our North Pinellas readers to let us know how they prepared for the hurricane when it was forecast to hit Tampa Bay. If they did nothing to prepare, we wanted to hear why they made that choice. These are some of the letters we received. Other letters will be printed later this week.
Having lived in Pinellas County for the past 26 years, I have seen enough severe weather during every season to learn that I need to have storm supplies on hand all year long, not just during hurricane season.
Hurricane Elena in 1985 taught me to never trust a storm to go anywhere except where it wants to go, despite predictions by the experts.
My husband and I bought our waterfront home in 2000 knowing full well that one day a hurricane or a no-name storm could take it all away. That's the price of living in paradise.
I began preparing for Charley on Wednesday morning by stocking up on groceries, making as much ice as possible, backing up the computer, cleaning up the yard, etc.
On Thursday I packed up all of those things that could never be replaced. Suddenly, furniture, TVs, computers, stereos were totally unimportant. Family photos, school art crafted long ago by now grown children, decorations for our daughter's upcoming wedding, and 12 years of Tampa Bay Lightning memorabilia instantly became the most valuable things we've ever owned.
We were fully packed to evacuate by 7 Thursday night. As I looked out from our dock that evening at the five marinas ringing my beloved Smith Bayou (just north of the Dunedin Causeway), I realized if Charley did hit here, and those boats started breaking loose, my house didn't stand a chance of surviving a major storm. A strange kind of peace came over me knowing I'd done all I could to save what's really important to our family.
Since we didn't have to be out of our home until 1 p.m. Friday, and we only had to go 2 miles up Tampa Road to my brother-in-law's home, we had the luxury of being able to wait until the last minute before we actually had to walk out the door. On Friday, we anxiously watched the radar images on TV, planning to head up the road in time to beat the first squall line. Just as we were about to leave, Charley began to make the right turn into Charlotte Harbor. After every local meteorologist verified on-air that the storm was indeed turning, we decided it was safe to stay home.
Some might say I did all that packing for nothing, but I can honestly say that as my husband and I unpacked it all and put it back, we were two of the happiest, most grateful people on Earth. And when the day comes we have to do it again, we will pack up and we will go. I'll sure miss my house if it gets destroyed, but I don't love it enough to go out with it.
One thing I didn't have that I'll make sure to put into my storm supplies before next time: a good old rotary dial telephone with a cord.
-- Barbara Czipri, Palm Harbor
Safe is always better than sorry
I started getting nervous Thursday morning when I went on my weekly grocery shopping trip and the store was packed with people buying canned goods and water. When I got home late morning, the mandatory evacuation order had been issued. That's when I decided we needed to start taking action.
We are not in an evacuation zone, so we planned on staying home. I went and got my elderly mother and handicapped sister just so that we could all be together. We secured her home as best we could. Then we worked on our home. We brought everything in from outside and boarded our windows.
We started Thursday afternoon and finished at noon on Friday. I was very surprised that not too many of our neighbors were doing the same. Not too many seemed very concerned even when they were predicting landfall in Tampa Bay.
We spent most of the day Saturday putting everything back where it belongs, but that's okay; at least we still have it all. I would definitely do it all again (hopefully I won't have to). I believe it is better to be safe than sorry.
The people in this area that didn't evacuate their mobile homes and homes on the beach or in low-lying areas need to talk with some of the people in Charlotte County and maybe they'd think twice next time.
-- Shelly Worden, Palm Harbor
Why put people in harm's way?
My thoughts and prayers go out to all those who suffered.
I still find it hard to believe that some people here in Pinellas County still take a hurricane lightly.
With less than 12 hours before the scheduled impact over Pinellas County, my employer - and from what I've heard, other employers - was insisting employees come to work. These employers have nothing to do with emergency or medical fields.
I really think the county, cities and state need to stress the importance of closing your business when it seems so obvious that we are in for a natural disaster.
Why put people in harm's way?
-- Greg Aladuf, Largo
Prepared well in advance
First, don't blame the messengers. They can only relay what they are told about the weather. No one can pinpoint where landfall will be.
I learned something very important about my first year in hurricane season: Be prepared. Pack a bag with essentials. Be ready to evacuate or be without utilities for several hours. If there are things you will need that you have to unpack now, make a list and put it in top of that bag so you do not forget when you are panicked. Do not return the items you bought for this event. You thought you would need them this time, so they must be important to you. Please get a hurricane guide and check all the suggested items that would be necessary.
My husband, Steve, and I spent Thursday and Friday preparing for the storm by going to the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary on U.S. Alt. 19 to get the animals ready. We are former firefighters and, in hindsight, consider this an excellent training drill for later events such as this.
Yes, I said Thursday. We knew the hurricane was out there. Get ready. We got food and medical equipment ready and in our main structure. We gathered supplies that would be needed if we got a direct hit. We got the animals inside and got our food supply up on top of cages (where it still is). It is 10 feet off the surface in case of a surge. We inventoried our frozen food supply. We contacted other animal facilities to see what help they needed and were assured if we needed cages, tranquilizers, trucks, etc., they were prepared.
In other words, keep busy helping others because panic will do nothing constructive for anyone.
Finally, don't whine because you got ready and nothing happened. Look to the south and see how your home may have looked. Removing a few boards isn't that hard, is it? We didn't want anything to happen. Remember?
Now you have been through a difficult training procedure, just like your emergency personnel conduct on a regular basis to help the public. Shame on you if you don't put into use what you have learned.
-- Jan Stiffler, Clearwater
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