Hurricane "Ian" may be heading for us here in Florida

[MichaelB]

Not sure if the Floridians on the site have seen this FPL notification, so I thought I would pass it on. I got it earlier today. Looks promising.



The storm missed us in SWFL, but it appears to have tracked us down to the Eastern Shore of MD. We're in day 2 of driving winds (20 mph+) and pouring rain. Obviously nothing like what FL and the Carolinas went through, but still a significant storm. I guess I better go turn off my irrigation system.

Looks like you just can’t outrun mother nature.

Thanks for posting the FPL timeline. I don't recall the being this informative in past, and it looks like a tough schedule. After Wilma we were without power for more than 2 weeks, and had very little info on status and expected repair times.

 

[MichaelB]

When looking at the devastation in Ft Meyers one thing that stands out is the utility poles that carry power lines. Power outages after hurricanes have become common and FPL was tasked with doing something. Most of the infrastructure is utility poles, and relatively few areas have mostly buried lines. FPL concluded burying existing above ground lines was too costly, so they chose to replace the wood utility poles with larger concrete structures. Many were skeptical, and when power losses followed hurricane Michael, FPL was soundly criticized in the media and by state officials. FPL nonetheless continued with this strategy.

Many of the videos of Ft Meyers show devastation on the ground, but the utility poles are standing and the power lines still attached. It looks like this approach may have some benefit,

 

[regenaeb]

My house is in north Pinellas county and my tenant tells me we had minimal damage, our old fence gate that was on its last leg fell down. We have shutters for all the windows and fabric for the doors so they were very safe. We are also one of the highest locations in the county, so not a huge risk for flooding (of course no area in FL is no risk these days). My mother is in Seminole county and is still without power since last Thursday when the storm went over top of her. Luckily no flooding although her neighborhood has some flooding in other parts. Lineman where on her street yesterday and said they have identified the problem, but they can get at it because of downed trees. They said they have ton of lineman to help, but not nearly enough tree people to move debris for them to get at some of these outage issues. They told her they are hoping for Wednesday and can get tree people out then. I have tried to get her to go to a hotel to get some rest and a shower, but she refuses. I even offered to pay, but she won't leave her outside cats. She has gone through several hurricanes back when she lived at mile marker 20 in the Keys, so I know she can handle it, but I wanted to make things a little easier on her. She is very stubborn sometimes. I am very thankful everyone I know down there came through with not much damage.

The cabinet dealership I work for, the bulk of our high end work is in Naples, Captiva Island, Sanibel and Bonita Springs. From what I hear most of the houses that were started are currently on hold until TBD. Builders don't have power, there is no clean water, no one can access the building sites and building materials will be scarce for 6 months to a year. New projects that were to start framing are also put on hold until TBD as everything will need to be accessed. Not sure yet how the projects we started on Sanibel held up. I know one house we were just completing with a very large cabinetry budget and they were to move in next week. Haven't heard how the house handled things. But I see ripping out everything that was countertop and lower and completely replacing most likely. Hundreds of thousands of dollars to replace something that was just put in, is terrible. But luckily, they had not taken possession of the property yet and were out of state. Lives over stuff at the end of the day!

 

[JoeWras]

When looking at the devastation in Ft Meyers one thing that stands out is the utility poles that carry power lines. Power outages after hurricanes have become common and FPL was tasked with doing something. Most of the infrastructure is utility poles, and relatively few areas have mostly buried lines. FPL concluded burying existing above ground lines was too costly, so they chose to replace the wood utility poles with larger concrete structures. Many were skeptical, and when power losses followed hurricane Michael, FPL was soundly criticized in the media and by state officials. FPL nonetheless continued with this strategy.

Many of the videos of Ft Meyers show devastation on the ground, but the utility poles are standing and the power lines still attached. It looks like this approach may have some benefit,

In NC, the biggest issue away from the coast is trees. They fall on the lines and snap the wires and poles. We have wood poles inland, I noticed there are lot more concrete poles near the coast. This aligns with your discussion.

In my neck of the woods, people want them buried, but they have no concept of the issues. We have one road they want to bury them on because of the frequent tree outages, but aside from the difficulty of burying higher voltage lines, there is the right-of-way issue. The city and state are embroiled in a literal 30 years long discussion on the road alignment. If the utility buries the lines, you can be sure the road right-of-way will be adjusted and the planned widening commence. Here's the thing: it is more than just left-right alignment. Road construction here involves serious vertical changes in our rolling hills. Any buried lines or utilities always have to be reworked.

I'm babbling here, and really only mean to say: it's complicated.

 

[W2R]

When looking at the devastation in Ft Meyers one thing that stands out is the utility poles that carry power lines. Power outages after hurricanes have become common and FPL was tasked with doing something. Most of the infrastructure is utility poles, and relatively few areas have mostly buried lines. FPL concluded burying existing above ground lines was too costly, so they chose to replace the wood utility poles with larger concrete structures. Many were skeptical, and when power losses followed hurricane Michael, FPL was soundly criticized in the media and by state officials. FPL nonetheless continued with this strategy.

Many of the videos of Ft Meyers show devastation on the ground, but the utility poles are standing and the power lines still attached. It looks like this approach may have some benefit,

Much of New Orleans is below sea level and the water table here is very high. This is why our cemeteries are mostly above ground. Not a good place to bury power lines, as you might imagine, given how water and electricity interact. Maybe some parts of Florida near the water have similar issues. We have some concrete power poles such as you describe, but most are still wooden.

As you probably know, the many thousands of linemen who race here after hurricanes to restore our power know what they are doing and they are genuine heroes IMO.

 

[simple girl]

OMG we have POWER!!!!!! I ran outside and blew the linemen a bunch of kisses and just might have done a happy dance in circles for them!

This is so unexpected after what we heard yesterday. Oh, soooo happy and grateful! They brought my house back to life!

 

[folivier]

Concrete power poles would probably work in south Louisiana.
Years ago creosote power poles were replaced with pressure treated poles. Afer a few hurricanes you'd see all of the newer pressure treated poles were snapped a foot or so below the ground. They couldn't take the ground water and rotted. But the older creosote poles were just leaning over, not broken.
I've seen creosote pilings (same as the ones used for power poles) pulled out to replace bulkheads after 50+ years and they looked new. Progress?

 

[MichaelB]

OMG we have POWER!!!!!! I ran outside and blew the linemen a bunch of kisses and just might have done a happy dance in circles for them!

This is so unexpected after what we heard yesterday. Oh, soooo happy and grateful! They brought my house back to life!

Great news!

 

[braumeister]

DW just heard from her friend who lives in North Fort Myers. She had been quite worried about her, but it turned out that the friend had evacuated in time and was just on the road. A fair amount of damage and six inches of mud in the home.

 

[JoeWras]

A fair amount of damage and six inches of mud in the home.

That's what we clear when we help with disaster relief. We also take out the drywall to a specified wick level, then get things open so they can dry.

I'm actually going on a trip tomorrow for damage from a storm 4 years ago. A lot of NC rural residents have just lived with their damage since storm "Florence" in 2018. They sometimes wall off rooms.

I don't think we'll make the long trip to FL unless we get a huge plea. Still work to do around here.

 

[Souschef]

I am really sorry for everyone that got hit. My biggest concern is Sanibel Island. It looks like most of the homes had some kind of damage. I checked the demographics and 50 % of the residents are 65 or older.
The biggest problem is the causeway getting wiped. It will take months to rebuild it.

Just clearing the debris will be a problem with nowhere to put it.

 

[JoeWras]

Just clearing the debris will be a problem with nowhere to put it.

This is where FEMA comes in. It is extremely important that the President declare a disaster and get FEMA on it ASAP. This did not happen last September in western NC, and it was a <bleep>show for 3 weeks. Once POTUS finally did authorize FEMA, things cleared real quick. We were there 4 days just as disaster was declared and saw how much a difference it made.

In this case, disaster is declared, and I can assure you FEMA is on it and there are caravans of dump companies on their way that will get paid. Local authorities should have dump areas mapped out ahead of time, ready to act as intermediate gathering points. Debris removal is very important for health and safety.

In the meantime, you learn to create piles. High piles. You also carpool a lot because all parking is taken away due to the piles.

 

[MichaelB]

I am really sorry for everyone that got hit. My biggest concern is Sanibel Island. It looks like most of the homes had some kind of damage. I checked the demographics and 50 % of the residents are 65 or older.
The biggest problem is the causeway getting wiped. It will take months to rebuild it.

Just clearing the debris will be a problem with nowhere to put it.

A very interesting article today in the NYT about the 200 or so residents that chose to remain. Some were evacuated after the storm while others have chosen to remain, despite the promise of no power, water or supplies for 2-4 weeks.

 

[Alan]

OMG we have POWER!!!!!! I ran outside and blew the linemen a bunch of kisses and just might have done a happy dance in circles for them!

This is so unexpected after what we heard yesterday. Oh, soooo happy and grateful! They brought my house back to life!

Excellent!!

 

[Dtail]

OMG we have POWER!!!!!! I ran outside and blew the linemen a bunch of kisses and just might have done a happy dance in circles for them!

This is so unexpected after what we heard yesterday. Oh, soooo happy and grateful! They brought my house back to life!

Excellent Simple Girl. Very happy for you and hubby.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I watched the entire series, devastating. Excellent acting, it felt like I was there with them. It felt like a war zone and difficult decisions had to be made.

My work in the Air Force "afforded" me the chance to see war torn countries up close and very personally. However, doing the humanitarian airlift missions after Katrina was absolutely shocking. See people suffer is never fun, but when they are YOUR country men and women...it's devastating. The fear and unknowing looks of some of our passengers still haunts me today. I cannot imagine what it was like DURING the storm.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I am really sorry for everyone that got hit. My biggest concern is Sanibel Island. It looks like most of the homes had some kind of damage. I checked the demographics and 50 % of the residents are 65 or older.
The biggest problem is the causeway getting wiped. It will take months to rebuild it.

Just clearing the debris will be a problem with nowhere to put it.

It will certainly take time. I think we will be all surprised at how quickly they get the causeway repaired. It's amazing how QUICKLY some things can be repaired if you throw enough people on it.

 

[Scuba]

OMG we have POWER!!!!!! I ran outside and blew the linemen a bunch of kisses and just might have done a happy dance in circles for them!



This is so unexpected after what we heard yesterday. Oh, soooo happy and grateful! They brought my house back to life!

Awesome - what a relief!

 

[Scuba]

A very interesting article today in the NYT about the 200 or so residents that chose to remain. Some were evacuated after the storm while others have chosen to remain, despite the promise of no power, water or supplies for 2-4 weeks.

One reason people may be reluctant to leave is the desire to start cleaning up their property and the uncertainty around how long it will be before they can get back in. Leaving a house with water intrusion locked up will lead to significantly more damage than airing it out/drying it out ASAP.

 

[W2R]

One reason people may be reluctant to leave is the desire to start cleaning up their property and the uncertainty around how long it will be before they can get back in. Leaving a house with water intrusion locked up will lead to significantly more damage than airing it out/drying it out ASAP.

That's true. Also, in New Orleans another main reason that people I know do not want to leave is due to rampant looting which is very common here after hurricanes. Groups of looters arrive after hurricanes, some even from outside Louisiana. After Katrina, naturally law and order broke down. But while that was the situation, my elderly neighbor across the street took a position in his carport with a shotgun keeping the looters at bay. They would look at him and keep walking. Had he evacuated, things would not have gone so well. Sometimes people spray-paint "You loot, we shoot" on the side of their homes.

 

[SecondAttempt]

My work in the Air Force "afforded" me the chance to see war torn countries up close and very personally. However, doing the humanitarian airlift missions after Katrina was absolutely shocking. See people suffer is never fun, but when they are YOUR country men and women...it's devastating. The fear and unknowing looks of some of our passengers still haunts me today. I cannot imagine what it was like DURING the storm.

I remember a few Coast Guard rescuers saying they did more rescues in a day after Katrina than most coasties do in a career!

 

[SecondAttempt]

It will certainly take time. I think we will be all surprised at how quickly they get the causeway repaired. It's amazing how QUICKLY some things can be repaired if you throw enough people on it.

I know the guy who repaired the Bay Bridge after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake in San Francisco. Caltran had an existing contract with him for bridge repairs so he had an inside track on a no bid contract. He was paid a massive sum which he mostly gave to his guys who worked 20 hours days for 30 days straight. But they got it done. He noted he even paid for rehab for his foreman who relapsed after being off heroin since Vietnam. IIRC, the cost of losing that route was measured in the hundreds of millions of dollars per day.

Can't imagine Sanibel will warrant that effort though but I bet they get something passable in days or weeks.

 

[SecondAttempt]

That's true. Also, in New Orleans another main reason that people I know do not want to leave is due to rampant looting which is very common here after hurricanes. Groups of looters arrive after hurricanes, some even from outside Louisiana. After Katrina, naturally law and order broke down. But while that was the situation, my elderly neighbor across the street took a position in his carport with a shotgun keeping the looters at bay. They would look at him and keep walking. Had he evacuated, things would not have gone so well. Sometimes people spray-paint "You loot, we shoot" on the side of their homes.

Florida is a stand your ground state...

Yet my partner's friend said looting is happening in Fort Myers.

 

[SecondAttempt]

OMG we have POWER!!!!!! I ran outside and blew the linemen a bunch of kisses and just might have done a happy dance in circles for them!

This is so unexpected after what we heard yesterday. Oh, soooo happy and grateful! They brought my house back to life!

Honestly, a real kiss might have been warranted! Like I said, heros!

 

[Lagniappe]

Hello, everyone. I haven't been around for awhile, but thought I would check in and see how some of my SWFL friends made out.

I'm not down there, but I've gotten phone calls and pictures from friends. Sounds like Bonita Springs, Naples, and Fort Myers are pretty much gone, at least the parts anywhere near the water. Matlacha and Pine Island (where Khan used to live) are as destroyed as a nuclear weapon would have done. Devastating.

My house in Bonita Springs seems to have survived again. It's a bunker. We're a mile from the Gulf and about a quarter mile from the Imperial River. Water came up into the front yard, but not quite to the door. My friends a few blocks away right on the Imperial had 4' of water in their house. You can't even get to Fort Myers Beach from Bonita anymore. They closed the bridge due to structural damage. Plus all the boats and trees in the road from the surge.

We just got electricity and internet back about an hour ago. That's amazing work by FPL. I expected at least a week. Tomorrow I'll be able to access my cameras and see at least how the yards look.

Hopefully everyone from the board that lives down there is ok. This was a monster.

Glad to hear that the SW Florida crew are safe and mostly undamaged. I live in Naples, about a half mile from the gulf. We got two feet of water on the ground floor. I am in a second floor unit, so only my garage, storage area, and hallway took on water. My car, however sat in salt water for an indeterminate amount of time and now we can't even let me open the doors (its in something called "Safety Mode").

I was in Portugal while all this was happening. My homewatch person is also the on site manager at a nearby property - note to self, when a natural disaster happens, he won't have time to deal with me. Luckily, a friend went over and checked on my place, sent pictures and arranged to have the affected drywall cut out. I feel sad for people in the ground floor units; I have gotten calls from a couple asking if they can rent my condo until theirs is repaired.

Insurance has been responsive - they are sending adjusters from all over the country. I have been assigned to someone in Pennsylvania for my flood insurance claim, he is driving down and expects to arrive on Sunday. Car insurance has told me to tow my car to the dealer. The dealer is closed until further notice and tow trucks are busy clearing cars and debris from major roadways. It's going to sit in place for quite some time.

Power came on briefly yesterday, then went out again. They are saying October 9, but it may be earlier. The next question is when to go back - I have an apartment in Lisbon and can stay away as long as needed. I will be play it by ear.

Be safe out there.