Hurricane Evacuation (problems/solutions)

[John R]

by coincidence, there was an entire program devoted to hurricane preparedness on 89.1 this evening. whatever you decide to do, prepare now. If you're going to evacuate, have that plan. if you're going to stay, have that plan. make sure your house is ready if you're going to stay. make sure you have enough water, and then think again. and prepare to not have electricity, unless you have a generator, etc, etc... basic common sense, but the main mistake the majority of people make is waiting until the last minute, which is about a few months too late.

 

[InletBchDweller]

we just stay, 2 generators, (one for fridge and one for tv since it is most likely football season ) lots of water and did I mention that Mr. IBD likes SPAM????

 

[JB]

JB- everyone waiting until the last minute and then leaving at the same time is what causes the congestion!

No, what causes it is poor planning, insufficient roads and moronic politicians. Again, if I get stuck when landfall is imminent, I'll simply head to the nearest shelter until the storm passes. IMO, that is much safer than trying to navigate a two-lane road with 40,000 imbiciles in big SUV's trying to evacuate.

 

[yippie]

No, what causes it is poor planning, insufficient roads and moronic politicians. Again, if I get stuck when landfall is imminent, I'll simply head to the nearest shelter until the storm passes. IMO, that is much safer than trying to navigate a two-lane road with 40,000 imbiciles in big SUV's trying to evacuate.

Picture this. Hwy 85 ALL lanes northbound including 4 more lanes, the shoulders of the road. There were 8 LANES heading north. But you could walk faster than you could drive.

People just getting out of the car and going into the woods to go to the bathroom. It didn't hold traffic up at all, it was NOT MOVING.

People in their cars, SUV's, towing BOATS!!!

Then over the radio, you hear this. "It's too late. It's too late. The storm is beginning now. Don't try to go anywhere."

All the time, stuck in that traffic on Hwy 85!

That DUMBEST thing I saw is when I FINALLY to to the I-10 interchange, our brothers in blue were trying to turn these 8 lanes of traffic into ONE LANE. That is what the hold up was!

From there, I breezed on into Alabama, but when I got to Andalusia, the wind was almost at 100 mph gusts.

 

[GoodWitch58]

JB, do you know how limited the shelters are here? You have to get out of SoWal to get to one; some of them do not have the proper shutters to qualify as a shelter.....it just goes on and on.

Just leave the sooner the better!

 

[yippie]

JB, do you know how limited the shelters are here? You have to get out of SoWal to get to one; some of them do not have the proper shutters to qualify as a shelter.....it just goes on and on.

Just leave the sooner the better!

And they don't have any pet friendly shelters yet in either Walton or Okaloosa County do they?

 

[JB]

JB, do you know how limited the shelters are here? You have to get out of SoWal to get to one; some of them do not have the proper shutters to qualify as a shelter.....it just goes on and on.

Just leave the sooner the better!

Then I'll go east or west - but not north. Yippie's post above perfectly demonstrates what I'm talking about - people with nowhere near enough intelligence and forethought running the show. It's a disgrace.

 

[yippie]

Then I'll go east or west - but not north. Yippie's post above perfectly demonstrates what I'm talking about - people with nowhere near enough intelligence and forethought running the show. It's a disgrace.

During Ivan, I went east to Ponte Vedra at Jacksonville. When these storms hit, they go northeast after hitting the coast. Orlando, Jacksonville are good choices. You will have to take some crafty routes to try to avoid the rush.

For the Ivan evacutaion, I stayed on Hwy 20 eastbound until Hwy 97???. Anyway I breezed throught that, then hit I-10. Still took me 10 hours to make a normally 6 hour drive.

Do NOT leave the state if you are a resident is something else I discovered because if it is a somewhat bad storm, you will not be allowed to reenter Florida immediately if it is a bad storm even with the proper ID>

 

[Teresa Cline]

I have too many birds to evacuate unless its absolutely required so does anyone have any experience with whole house backup generators? thanks for any info.....

 

[Smiling JOe]

I notice that the northbound traffic during evac is only one lane. Why does the Sheriff's Office not make both lanes of hwy 331, up to hwy 20, northbound, and direct the right lane, east (to Hwy 81), and the left lane, west (then continue north on 331)? They could keep the emergency lane and shoulder open for emergency vehicles heading south or the occasional individual who may be driving back south to collect family and or pets.