Have You Ever Had To Evacuate?

[+ Avalon]

Such tragedies with fires and hurricanes.

 

Many years ago I was under mandatory evacuation because of possible flooding. I went to my father's. His place was just past the evacuation boundary. I was there for several days. My step-mother went to stay with one of her children. Once we tried to drive back into town but the police were blocking the road.

 

Thankfully the flood didn't happen.

[+ sync]

I have never had to evacuate my home. I try to not think about having to endure that horror under any circumstances.

[+ deej]

Years ago I was evacuated and didn’t know it. I was attending a conference in Seattle at the time and unaware of news. When the shuttle picked me up at the airport and I told him where I was headed he said “I hope it’s still there!” It was and the only damage was a layer of dust/ash because I’d left windows open.

 

A few years later I was evacuated three days after buying a house. It was only one night but there were fire crews bunking at the same hotel I stayed in. I contributed to fire relief in ways that will remain private.

 

My experiences were trivial compared to what we’re seeing today. My heart goes out to all involved!

 

And for anyone planning home improvement projects, wait. Your cost of building materials just skyrocketed because of material needed in SoCal, as it did after each major hurricane.

 

You may think these events only involves “them”, but they always involve all of us.

[Larstrup]

ADMIN NOTE: Wrong forum and you know it. Seriously, do you want ALL the forums to shut down?

[down_to_business]

Yes, for both fires and floods on different occasions. I was lucky that my home was ok each time and my heart goes out to those who were not as fortunate.

[marylander1940]

ADMIN NOTE: Wrong forum. Knock it off, guys!

[Larstrup]

ADMIN NOTE: Wrong forum. Knock it off, guys!

 

Yes I did!

[Larstrup]

ADMIN NOTE: Wrong forum and you know it. Seriously, do you want ALL the forums to shut down?

 

Sincere apologies.

[marylander1940]

My apologies. I didn’t know I was breaking any rules.

[Gadfly22]

Once my bf was edging me with his tongue and I told him I had to.............. Uh sorry I misread the title of this thread.

[Lookin]

A few months ago, we had a practice run. Everyone in the area got a pre-announced phone call and was told to go immediately to the community center. The idea was to drive or walk the route and see if there was any backed-up traffic and where. It was voluntary and I estimate that 5% - 10% of the community showed up. When I arrived, there were a dozen or so information providers: firemen, neighborhood coordinators, literature and folks to talk to. I brought a pamphlet to hand out that explained the urgency of clearing brush, how to do it, and who could help.

 

A couple months later, there was a real fire nearby that burned around a hundred acres and was contained within a day. A hundred folks were evacuated that evening, again using a phone call with instructions. A few residents drove around the narrow roads yelling for folks to evacuate. We learned later that that's a bad idea.

 

When evacuees got to the community center, the Red Cross and Salvation army were there very quickly with food and a hundred cots.

 

I went to a community meeting a few days later and one of the guys who was affected got tears in his eyes talking about what the evacuees experienced. And they were a small percentage of those caught in the Butte fire last week, and had no injuries or property loss. It seems practice runs are a good idea.

 

My biggest problem is figuring out what few precious things I'd grab on the way out the door.

 

Perhaps I'll start my list tonight. http://www.boytoy.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif

 

[Gvtire]

Yes several times

[gallahadesquire]

My biggest worry would be Rescuing The Cat

[+ WilliamM]

No. But, there were many trees on our property, often almost bending over by the winds from several hurricanes when I was a child in southern New England.

[Kevin Slater]

A few months ago, we had a practice run. Everyone in the area got a pre-announced phone call and was told to go immediately to the community center. The idea was to drive or walk the route and see if there was any backed-up traffic and where. It was voluntary and I estimate that 5% - 10% of the community showed up. When I arrived, there were a dozen or so information providers: firemen, neighborhood coordinators, literature and folks to talk to. I brought a pamphlet to hand out that explained the urgency of clearing brush, how to do it, and who could help.

 

A couple months later, there was a real fire nearby that burned around a hundred acres and was contained within a day. A hundred folks were evacuated that evening, again using a phone call with instructions. A few residents drove around the narrow roads yelling for folks to evacuate. We learned later that that's a bad idea.

 

When evacuees got to the community center, the Red Cross and Salvation army were there very quickly with food and a hundred cots.

 

I went to a community meeting a few days later and one of the guys who was affected got tears in his eyes talking about what the evacuees experienced. And they were a small percentage of those caught in the Butte fire last week, and had no injuries or property loss. It seems practice runs are a good idea.

 

My biggest problem is figuring out what few precious things I'd grab on the way out the door.

 

Perhaps I'll start my list tonight. http://www.boytoy.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif

 

 

I think I spend half my life teaching clients how to evacuate.

 

Kevin Slater

[BigK]

Once after a nearby train derailment. Chemicals were spilled. The train company reimbursed me for my hotel stay. No firemen there unfortunately.

[Nvr2Thick]

While vacationing in coastal North Carolina our family of fourteen had to evacuate due to hurricane warnings. Fortunately for us, my parents lived about 120 miles inland, and out of the warning area. We left before the panic and beat traffic. The danger passed and the warning was cleared overnight, and we were among the first back on the island. I can't imagine all of the vacationers desperate for hotels further and further away from the coast.

[mike carey]

I've never been subjected to an evacuation, but early in my career, I spend eight or ten hours one evening with a crew of guys on an air force truck moving people's furniture to a community centre in the face of a flood. The flood ended up peaking 3 metres higher than had been predicted.

[+ sniper]

I had to evacuate during Hurricane Irene. In retrospect I could have stayed. I also learned that the authorities in such situations can't do jack about a disabled evacuee they didn't already have on a list. I had to scramble to get the last hotel room in the area because the shelter couldn't accommodate my sister.