AmazingGreis

As Hurricane Ike sets his lone eye on the Lone Star State, Galveston to be exact, many residents are fleeing to higher ground, as they should be. All local news stations have been covering the storm for the past 24+ hours straight. I understand the importance of being informed, but really non-stop coverage?

The news has been the same for the most part (here is the Cliffs Notes version)…the hurricane is coming towards Galveston/Houston head on, there will be lots rain, wind, flooding and a HUGE coastal storm surge (possibly 20 feet). If you’re in an evacuation zone your life is in danger so please get out, even if you’re worried about traffic, or lack of gas or lack of food. Just because Hurricane Rita turned at the last minute and didn’t hit you head on doesn’t mean Ike will do the same, stop being stupid. If you stay, there will be NO help available to you once it starts to get bad. Go it? Sounds easy enough, right? You would think so…

There are some stubborn ass people out there. How do I know, they keep showing/interviewing them on the news. The folks that live in low lying Galveston who think they are invincible and that nothing will get to them.

There was the mother of 3 who said she’s not leaving because she knows that the hurricane is going to turn and she won’t be in danger, oh, and she doesn’t want to sit in traffic for a few hours. Really? So, lets go ahead and put all 3 of your young children in danger because your stubborn, know it all, ass doesn’t want to sit in traffic. She’s the same lady that will be crying on the phone with 9-1-1 when here house is surrounded by water and expects emergency help.

Then there are the few Surfside residents that have refused to leave, even with police at their front doors begging and pleading that they hit the road north before it’s too late, it will get bad. Well my friends, it’s too late. The water has already started rising and is surrounding lots of low lying houses. One of these Surfside residents has already called for emergency assistance to get out of his flooded house, they have no way of getting to him, so he’s stuck for now.

Thousands of people live on the coast of Galveston. When you choose to live on any coast you know that the chance of hurricanes and BIG storms is greater than non-coastal living. During hurricane season the threat is always there and MOST of the time the storm doesn’t hit us head on, but regardless of the threat, you may feel, if you are asked told to leave I’m thinking you should probably heed the warning and leave.

I know that there have been many false hurricane alarms in the past, enough to make a coastal resident weary about leaving, but isn’t it always better to be safe than sorry?

I hope that anyone on the coast, who has decided to ride out the storm, stays safe. The storm surge is already pretty high, and Ike is still about 200 miles away, I can’t even imagine what will happen when it does arrive.

I’ll be updating regularly, as long as my power stays on.