Safe in Pensacola, but praying for others in Florida

[Navy Chief]

Pensacola, FL, where I live, and neighboring Santa Rosa County are about the only areas of Florida that look to escape the wrath of Hurricane Irma. My wife's son is in Fort Myers, and she is justifiably worried. Long story why he wasn't able to evacuate, but we're praying for good news from him, following Irma's destruction tomorrow..... NC

[PhantomTweak]

I have a good friend from my Marine Corps days in Tampa. He's having to hunker down and hold on too.
I wish you and yours all the best, and safest of days. I hope he's got supplies, and a way to keep those supplies from marauders. I KNOW my friend does. He's a Marine :D
Good fortune!
Pat☺

[SSI01]

Still hanging on here in SE Georgia, on the coast - thought seriously about hitting the road yesterday, but noted the hurricane's cone kept shifting to the West a little at a time so decided to remain. If we'd left we'd have driven right into some filthy weather. Interstates were better than on Fri, but still busy.

We would be traveling w/7 cats + a small dog - got the kitties downers but regardless it would have been an adventure even with them doped up.

Our power bumped last night around 820PM but came right back. No other anomalies so far. When Matthew blew through last year it was a LOT closer than this one and we lost both power and water for about three days. This time the jacuzzi is full; I've got several full buckets outside on the back yard walk to catch runoff from the roof, so at least we'll still have functioning indoor plumbing of a sort. Didn't stock the freezers or fridges very full this time, and been cooking up what's there as I can. Cone has shifted quite a ways to the west, away from us, and we are grateful in a strange sort of way because while it means (hopefully) a "bye" for us, it means someone else will be in the path. Our prayers and thoughts go to those who are closer than we.

Roughly two months ago my one son moved from Tampa to be with his brother in AZ. Right now he's no doubt blessing his decision to leave.

[napamule]

Irma's eye is right over Key West right now. It should move up the W cost of FL. It seems to loosing steam. Here is latest pic and path.
Chuck B
Napamule

[johndetrick]

We packed the dogs in the RV and went to Destin. So far so good, but we may go to gulfport Miss. today.

[Dangerousdave26]

I talked with a friend Friday night who moved to the Tampa area the same month I moved out of Florida in 2014.

He and his family left and went to Vidalia Georgia. It's was far enough east and off the coast to feel safer than Tampa.

We discussed him going to Pensacola but our concern was options if the storm took a quick turn to the west. Pensacola is still too close to the coast.

The wind from the storm is not the only concern. It's likely to bring a lot of rain to any state it visits. Localized flooding is likely to happen.

Keep a close watch on the weather. Keep your gas tank full. Know your escape routes.

Never cross flooded roads. I don't care how bad ass your truck is. That road might not be there. I have seen that on personally during a storm here on Ohio in 2005.

[Willy]

Dave, a storm rolled through Pensacola in 78ish that dropped 14" of rain in 12 hours. Several roads that you normally wouldn't think of doing so, did wash out.

I've got a cousin I grew up with who decided to remain at home in Port St. Lucie. She said that the roads were so packed and finding gas stations that actually had gas made them decide to stay home and ride it out. I'm worried about her, but she's a tough ol' country gal who knows how to get by with a little of nothing. I'm just hoping she gets through the actual storm ok.

[Navy Chief]

Willy,

In 2014, literally the day AFTER I signed the papers for the house we bought here in Pensacola, this area received almost 2ft of rain in less than 24 hours! We were still living in Fort Myers at the time. We were watching news reports of the flooding and I was freaking out. I was in almost daily contact with a neighbor across the street from our newly purchased home, and he kept me apprised of the status. Fortunately our neighborhood, although saturated, did not flood. It was a record amount for this area. NC



Dave, a storm rolled through Pensacola in 78ish that dropped 14" of rain in 12 hours. Several roads that you normally wouldn't think of doing so, did wash out.

I've got a cousin I grew up with who decided to remain at home in Port St. Lucie. She said that the roads were so packed and finding gas stations that actually had gas made them decide to stay home and ride it out. I'm worried about her, but she's a tough ol' country gal who knows how to get by with a little of nothing. I'm just hoping she gets through the actual storm ok.

[Willy]

Willy,

In 2014, literally the day AFTER I signed the papers for the house we bought here in Pensacola, this area received almost 2ft of rain in less than 24 hours! We were still living in Fort Myers at the time. We were watching news reports of the flooding and I was freaking out. I was in almost daily contact with a neighbor across the street from our newly purchased home, and he kept me apprised of the status. Fortunately our neighborhood, although saturated, did not flood. It was a record amount for this area. NC

That storm in 1978, I had transferred from P-cola to New Orleans a few months before. I had went back to P-cola that weekend to party with friends and got caught up in it. I remember driving down a rural road a short ways with water up over the bumpers of my car to get to a main road to head back to New Orleans before the water got any deeper. It was just too wet there that weekend to do much partying.

[gray eagle]

Pensacola, FL, where I live, and neighboring Santa Rosa County are about the only areas of Florida that look to escape the wrath of Hurricane Irma. My wife's son is in Fort Myers, and she is justifiably worried. Long story why he wasn't able to evacuate, but we're praying for good news from him, following Irma's destruction tomorrow..... NC

Where did they evac all the training squadrons(fixed wing and helos) and other aircraft in P'cola area to? Millington got some of Homeland Security's P3's and some ANG C-130's from Savannah.

[hairyspin]

This got me thinking of Ickie – he lived in Florida and as I remember would have been at real risk from the weather. Hope all our SOH friends there get through this okay. :wavey:

[Navy Chief]

Where did they evac all the training squadrons(fixed wing and helos) and other aircraft in P'cola area to? Millington got some of Homeland Security's P3's and some ANG C-130's from Savannah.


Am not sure they evac'd the aircraft. But if so, maybe NAS Orleans. Don't know. I don't live that far from Whiting, or NAS Pensacola, for that matter. But haven't heard anything. NC

[Victory103]

From Tampa with a small amount of family there that decided to hit the shelters. Got to go through Ivan over Pcola in 04 and that was not fun, seeing first light destruction was eye opening.

Homestead AFRC Vipers went up to Dobbins. Tampa KC-135s to Kansas.

http://www.dobbins.afrc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/171087/homestead-aircraft-avoid-storm-evacuate-to-dobbins/

[SSI01]

That storm in 1978, I had transferred from P-cola to New Orleans a few months before. I had went back to P-cola that weekend to party with friends and got caught up in it. I remember driving down a rural road a short ways with water up over the bumpers of my car to get to a main road to head back to New Orleans before the water got any deeper. It was just too wet there that weekend to do much partying.

You may be interested to know the NAVSUPPACT in NOLA is closed, all the buildings were turned over to the city some time ago. There was a housing area adjacent to the NSA that I think is still USN property. There was MASSIVE construction down at NASJRB NOLA when I was there, left in 2003. Lots of housing units went in, also a lot of stuff having to do with aviation assets. COMMARFORRES and COMNAVRESCOM are still across the river on the East Bank from the former NAVSUPPACT NOLA, as far as I know.