As I sit watching the news after Hurricane Ian hit Florida's Gulf Coast yesterday, I...again...ask my husband why in the world people want to "ride it out." I completely understand if there are certain circumstances, like if you're caring for a person who can't be moved, maybe a person is alone in the world with no money or car or any other means of escape, and certain other situations. I'm not addressing them in this blog post. I'm talking about people who are capable of leaving.
I'm watching the news as they talk about a pregnant woman who is missing, an older man who fell in his home and couldn't get up and the water came in and, well, you know what happened to him. People have to be rescued from cars that went into rivers. I just don't understand why you want to "ride it out." A relative rode out Hurricane Hugo in Charleston and said she would never do that again. There isn't a thing in this world you can do to save your house, your vehicle, or your possessions when something like this hits. If you're looking for a thrill, let's sit down and talk about other avenues.
Here's something that really upsets me, as if nothing else about this does. First responders stay in place and they help rescue these people. I'll tell you one thing. I'd be an angry lady if I had a first responder in my family that you put in danger because you wanted to "ride it out." They have enough to do without you...who could have driven out of there...complicating things and possibly costing that first responder's life.
In 2018, Hurricane Michael was forecast to move inland and affect the area where I live. Easy decision...gather up stuff, put it in the car, get in and drive north. So hubby and I did just that. Easy peasy. It didn't do much here. Great. No harm, no foul. We came home the next day and in a few days enjoyed our new granddaughter who was born the day before Michael hit. (Because of the low barometric pressure, it was suggested!) She was born far enough away that we didn't have to worry about them. And bless the hospital's heart, they wouldn't let them bring her home until it was confirmed that the electricity was back on in their house. I was glad for that.
I just don't get it. So folks who rode it out during Hurricane Ian, did you learn ANYTHING? Anything at all? Will you not just load up the car and drive away next time? Take it from me, unless there are extenuating circumstances, it's one of the easiest things in the world to do. If you lose your house, well, yeah, that's a bad thing, but it's not the worst thing that could have happened, now is it?
There are already 21 dead. I hope they find those 10,000 people that are missing. I'm praying. I know the likelihood is that both of those numbers will rise, but I'm still praying.
