Friday, September 02, 2005
Escalating Paranoia
Like most of the US, the people of Miami are horrified by the devastation that Hurricane Katrina has caused Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Beyond the shock and sadness, there is also a growing fear. People are having nightmares about Hurricane Andrew and are realizing once again that things can turn really awful quite quickly. Even with the television and radio off, plant debris, missing shingles and standing water from Hurricane Katrina remind us how vulnerable we are. I am certainly not trying to compare our situation to theirs, believe me. We all know that we were spared this time.
However, there is clearly a mounting paranoia across Miami. Houses are being boarded up with hurricane shutters and plywood, water and gas are seen as precious commodities, and our love of electricity is growing out of hand. There are even huge waiting lists for generators and not just the kind you can pick up at Home Depot. I am talking about middle class families spending approximately $10,000 to have a permanent generator and a 500 gallon gas tank installed on their properties.
From the 4 hurricanes that hit Florida last year, we have learned that evacuation is not a good option down here. It takes about 9 hours to get out of the state when traffic is good. The last thing anyone wants is to be stuck in traffic when a hurricane is coming. Considering that Florida is a long thin peninsula, there are not many places to go. Plus, driving an hour or two might put you directly in the path, if the storm shifts a little. That happened at least once last year. We know that we are kind of trapped.
For the last week, I have been noticing some real changes in people. Even though our grocery stores are missing many of the normal items, shoppers are crammed in. People are grabbing whatever they can get their hands on. Gas stations are frequently visited so the tanks never get low. Neighbors are borrowing tools and shovels from us for strange projects. There is just a quiet paranoia here.
I am not trying to say this fear is entirely a bad thing. In a city, where people aren't generally friendly, they are lining up to donate to relief efforts. They are also preparing for the next big one to hit here. I have always believed that you can never over prepare for something like that. So, I am no longer going to listen to my husband when he laughs about my oodles of food, water, flashlights, candles, lanterns, and batteries. One day, it might be our saving grace.
my name
Husband:
Steve
Baby: Lexi (born Jan 26th)
This blog is like a journal for me. It is also a way for my friends to keep tabs on me.
For people who don't know me, I come from a big family (3 brothers & 1 sister). We moved around a LOT, so I am not really from one particular place. I like to call Katy, Texas my home though.
Recent news, my Dad & Mother-in-Law were diagnosed with Terminal Cancer in April/May of 2005. My dad passed away 5-Dec-05 .
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