Tropical Storm Lee

Tropical Storm Lee is sitting off the coast of Louisiana dumping huge amounts of rainfall along the Louisiana and Mississippi coast. The rain is much needed as both states have been suffering through a drought. The rain has been light with periods of intense rain which is expected to last for three days or more. The winds have begun to pick up a little.

Winn Dixie alert in D'Iberville!!!! The store is out Lay's sour cream and onion chips.

Update: Declares state of emergency. State officials must do this in order to receive help from FEMA.

The expected rainfall totals will close heavy flooding.

Td Thirteen : Radar : Weather Underground

Time to get the umbrellas, boats, etc out. Three days of expected 10-12 inches of rain.


Td Thirteen : Radar : Weather Underground

Hurricanes-Need to Prepare Now

June 1 marks the start of hurricane season. Now is the time to start preparing. It can take awhile to gather all the things needed whether you stay or evacuate.

The National Hurricane Center has a nice booklet that explains what a hurricane is.

Ready.gov has a list of items everyone should consider keeping in an emergency kit.

Recommended Items To Include In A Basic Emergency Supply Kit:

Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation

Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food

Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both

Flashlight and extra batteries

First aid kit

Whistle to signal for help

Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place

Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation

Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities

Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)

Local maps

Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger

Additional Items To Consider Adding To An Emergency Supply Kit:(My note: The following items are essential for preparing for a hurricane)

Prescription medications and glasses

Infant formula and diapers

Pet food and extra water for your pet

Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container

Cash or traveler's checks and change

Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container. You can use the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK) - PDF, 277Kb) developed by Operation Hope, FEMA and Citizen Corps to help you organize your information.(My note: If you live in an area close to beaches, rivers, etc take photo albums if evacuating and protect them in waterproof materials if staying)

Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov.

Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.

Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.

Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.

Fire Extinguisher

Matches in a waterproof container

Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items

Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels

Paper and pencil

Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children


Some additional recommendations by me:

Have a phone that can be plugged in directly to the phone jack. When the power is out, you can still get a dial tone as long as the phone lines haven't had too much damage.

Save bags from the grocery store. These can be very useful in many different ways.

If you are not evacuating, have a propane table top grill. This will be useful for boiling water and having warm meals. A charcoal grill is good as well but if your power is out for more than three days, you will have to have a lot of charcoal on hand.

Instead of a three day supply of food and water, I would recommend at the very minimum a week's supply. After Hurricane Katrina, many stores were not able to reopen. If roads and bridges are out, it could take longer than three days for state and federal emergency management to get to you.

Make sure to fill your gas tank up. I usually fill mine up when any tropical system hits the Gulf of Mexico.


The most important thing is to rely on what local officials tell you. If you live in an area that is ordered to evacuate, do so. Don't rely on bench marks from prior hurricanes. Many people on the Mississippi Gulf Coast thought they were safe when Hurricane Katrina hit because they lived in areas that didn't flood during Hurricane Camille's storm surge.

Each tropical system is different and unique. Even depressions can cause major problems if there's a great amount of rain. You need to prepare for a tropical storm or a minimal hurricane like you would if a major hurricane was making landfall.

Also, if you are under a tropical storm watch or warning, pick-up loose items outside. When squall lines come through, those items can become airborne and can damage your home.

My Katrina: Four Years

Looking at all the rebuilding and reconstruction that has happened since Katrina struck the Mississippi Gulf Coast four years, I can still recall the feeling of despondency at all the destruction Katrina caused. One of the hardest places to visit was the beach at Gulfport. This is where I spent a lot of my childhood and where I took my son when he was younger. These pictures are also from my brother's neighborhood.





Biloxi's beach was annihilated by Hurricane Katrina. Buildings over 150 years old were just gone. Below is the harbor master's building.

This a view from Water street in Biloxi looking toward some condominiums that have since been torn down.

Hurricane Katrina destroyed the place I work. We've since rebuilt but this is what it looked like.






The FEMA trailers helped give shelter to those who lost their homes. 65,000 homes were destroyed in Mississippi by Hurricane Katrina.

This is a photo of Bay St Louis. In front the house used to be a road. It was completely washed out by Hurricane Katrina. Bay St Louis was inundated by an estimated 24 foot storm surge. It is an estimate because many of the instruments used to determine storm surge were washed out to sea. Many feel that Katrina's storm surge was much higher.


Below are some posts I did 4 years ago:

This one was done while waiting for Katrina. It was 9 days before I could post again.

This was my first post after electricity had been restored.

This was my first trip to Biloxi after Katrina.

My first glance of where I work.

Thankful for all those who came and helped us

Sobering stats

My New World

We are still rebuilding. I made the following video last year. I hope we and those in New Orleans continue to dance and to rebuild stronger, together.



I feel so thankful. Even though it's been hard these past four years, I thank HaShem that no one in my family lost their homes, that no one I knew lost their lives, and that things have improved tremendously. I cannot describe the joy my congregation felt as we dedicated our new synagogue in May of this year and that we will be able to have our High Holy Day services in our synagogue and not at the Keesler Air Force Base chapel.

Don't Panic!!

Along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, we are closely monitoring a low which is slowly becoming better organized.

A lot of us feel some apprehension, me included. The scars of Hurricane Katrina go deep. But for now:

Change You Can Believe In

President Obama's pick for heading FEMA is Craig Fugate. A very good choice! He was Florida's emergency manager.

Fugate has been praised for helping guide Florida through several devastating hurricanes in the past decade. He was criticized in 2005 for not distributing enough ice, water and other supplies immediately after Hurricane Wilma. Fugate had warned residents before the storm that they should have enough supplies for three days after it passed, but many did not and that overstressed the system.
Napolitano called Fugate one of the most experienced emergency managers in the country.
"The work he's accomplished in Florida serves as a model for other states," Napolitano said in a statement. "He will be a tremendous asset to FEMA and it's employees."
After Hurricane Katrina, Fugate said there was too much focus on blaming the federal government for the botched response. He said in a 2006 interview with The Associated Press that it was the state's responsibility to prepare for such disasters, and the state should only turn to the federal government for help when the disaster is larger than the state can handle on its own.

A Letter to Booby Jindal

Honorable Bobby Jindal,

In your response to President Obama's address to Congress, you displayed some ignorance. You decried that $140 million had been earmarked for 'volcano monitoring'. If you had studied a bit more, you might have seen that only a fraction of the $140 million was allocated for volcano monitoring. What I find must troubling about your comment is that you know the value of being able to predict natural disasters accurately. Funding for science was severely cut under former President Bush.

Advances in science can help all prepare for natural disasters. Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast just 3 1/2 years ago. Better weather satellites may have been able to offer better predictions. Alas, our weather satellites are in a sad state of affairs. Wouldn't it be nice if more funding for those satellites, river gages, and other tools necessary to predict natural disasters could be made available?

Right now, other tools to help predict hurricanes are being developed.

In the stimulus package was also money allocated to help restore and preserve coastal marsh lands. Much of it will probably go to Louisiana to help rebuild the marshes that have been lost due to hurricanes and other factors. These marshes provide a natural buffer to protect New Orleans and Hancock County Mississippi. Those funds are close to a billion. Due you consider that a waste?

There are people in Hawai'i and Alaska whose lives can be and are impacted by volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis. They and we, should not be denied the tools to keep our lives safe.


Sincerely,

A Concerned Citizen of Gulfport Mississippi

Questions of Power

In less than four months, it will be the start of another hurricane season. Being without power is not fun. There's a local store that has some items that I think would be great. However, I haven't had any experience with them and am asking for your input.

One is a jump-start/air compressor/power supply that can provide up to 50 hours of power to 12v DC appliances. It also has 400 crank amps/900 peak amps. Can this run a full-size refrigerator? Even if it can't run a full-size refrigerator, I'm still considering getting one just in case of flat tires. After Katrina, it was 9 days before I could have a tire replaced. The only car repair store open before than was only repairing emergency vehicles.

Another is LED solar powered security lights. They have a motion range detection of 120 degrees at 16 feet. Has anyone had any experience with them? These seem like they would be a great thing to have after any natural disaster in providing security.

Not in the News Anymore

Other than mentions of gas shortages throughout the southeast, Hurricane Ike is no longer a news issue. And this is sad. So many of our fellow countrymen are now facing the arduous task of clean-up and rebuilding. From Orange Texas to Galveston, the destruction is reminiscent of what occurred along the Mississippi Gulf Coast from Hurricane Katrina. Like the Mississippi Gulf after Katrina, small towns like San Leon, Port Arthur, and Beaumont are ignored. Mississippians continue to pay it forward.

Signs throughout the area echo the messages of those scrawled throughout the lawns of South Mississippi after Katrina, declarations of resiliency, warning, and of course, humor. Like the coast, people in this self-sufficient small town, believe they were overlooked by the national media, as coverage focused on nearby Galveston and Houston. And though self-sufficient, they are well aware it won't be easy to pull off recovery on their own.

"We definitely need outside help," said resident Terry Loutham.

The good news is some people have been exposed to the plights of the people in San Leon. Since the TrailGrazHer's trip, two 18-wheelers full of supplies have been loaded up and will head to San Leon on Monday, and the Diamondhead Fire Department has nearly filled up another 18-wheeler full of donations.

As for the residents of San Leon, those who have decided to stay are doing what they can to get back on their feet, while opening their arms to outside help. Collections at the Diamondhead Fire Department will continue until the 18-wheeler is full.

Besides the messages of hope and strength made by state and local officials in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina, there was one business that also passed along that message. Hancock Bank saw its main office building flooded from Katrina's storm surge. Many of its branches were also destroyed. They reassured the public and printed bumper stickers that said "Rebuilding better and stronger: Together". They remember all too well the destruction from Hurricane Katrina and from that experience know people in Texas need our help.

Texans made generous contributions to South Mississippi's relief and recovery efforts from Hurricane Katrina and the Sun Herald wants to honor those precious gifts of time and money.

So the newspaper has joined with Hancock Bank and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation to establish the Galveston Bay Hurricane Relief Fund to help the cities and counties around Galveston Bay recover from Hurricane Ike.

Contributions to the fund can be made at any branch of Hancock Bank. And every penny contributed to the fund will go to the relief effort - there will be no administrative expenses or handling costs deducted from the contributions.
The more we learn of the devastation around Galveston Bay, the more it reminds us of ourselves three years ago as we were reeling from the impact of Hurricane Katrina.

As we have said, Katrina and Ike both made landfall in a region of multiple jurisdictions - a cluster of towns and cities and counties with varying degrees of damage and with varying levels of resources to recover.

Another similarity has also arisen: just as the flooding of New Orleans overshadowed the shattered Mississippi Gulf Coast, the national financial crisis has shifted attention away from the coastline communities of southeast Texas.

Having been lost in those media shadows ourselves, we dare not allow other coastal communities to suffer the same fate.

We will be promoting the fund often in the pages of the Sun Herald in the hope that the appeal will produce an amount of money that will make a significant difference to our great neighbors in the Lone Star State.

We hardly need to remind our readers how much any contribution will be appreciated by the recipients. We have all been there. And we all know the value of every step toward recovery.

You may contribute to the Galveston Bay Hurricane Relief Fund at any branch of Hancock Bank.

I want to add that the Sunherald did many things after Hurricane Katrina as well. Their coverage of Katrina was impressive. They also gave newspapers away after Katrina. They knew with the communication problems, we needed information. They also won a Pulitzer for their coverage.

Texans are busy cleaning up the mess from Hurricane Ike. They are pulling together like we did in Mississippi. They have a long road ahead of them and they mustn't be forgotten.

Mississippi: Paying it Forward

After the 28 foot storm surge of Hurricane Katrina receded from the Mississippi shoreline, we stood in awe and shock at the destruction along the 66 miles of shoreline, bayous, rivers, creeks, and bays. Homes were swept into the Mississippi Sound and in thousands of places, they only thing left after decades of hard work was concrete slabs. We well understand the damage a hurricane's storm surge can do and the upheaval and chaos it can create.

The hurricane's fury was no match for the will of the people of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Chainsaws were whipped out and roads began to be cleared. The hard and dirty work of cleaning and recovery began. We were resolved to clean the mess and rebuild better and stronger. Thousands upon thousands of volunteers came and helped us with the back-breaking work in the sweltering heat. Millions upon millions donated money to the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and other groups. Churches, synagogues, civic organizations and others across the country gathered supplies.

Mississippi was hit with two tsunamis. The first was Katrina's storm surge. The second and far larger one was the amount of help we received. We stayed glued to our TV sets as Hurricane Ike struck along the Texas and Louisiana coastlines. We saw the destruction Ike's storm surge caused and we saw images of destruction that rivaled Hurricane Katrina's. Then groups got together to pay it forward.

Churches such as Bel-Aire Baptist began collecting supplies. People brought canned goods, water and other supplies. These supplies will go to those in Lake Charles Louisiana and Beaumont Texas. These towns have received very little news coverage but the destruction is massive.

Another group, the TrailGrazHers collected eight horse trailers of food, toiletries and other supplies. Monday evening, they arrived in San Leon, Texas. Tuesday morning, they began distributing the supplies. They also began looking around other areas to see what else is needed.

These are but two examples of what south Mississippians are doing to help our neighbors in Texas. The news coverage of Hurricane Ike has been overwhelmed by the financial meltdown of Wall Street and the politics of the presidential race.

Towns such as Port Arthur, Bridge City, Orange, and Beaumont have received very little attention. Pictures are worth thousands of words. Let's not forget them.

To help:

Red Cross
Salvation Army
United Jewish Communites
Feeding America(formerly Second Harvest
Houston SPCA
Portlight (A great organization that came to my attention via Weather Underground)

From Gulfport to Galveston

Mayor Lyda Thomas of Galveston and other city officials have requested help from the City of Gulfport Mississippi. Gulfport Mayor Brent Warr and others are heading to Galveston to share the lessons learned after Hurricane Katrina. But even before Hurricane Ike struck the Texas coast, Mayor Warr spoke with Mayor Thomas. I can only speculate but maybe he influenced her for her to finally order a mandatory evacuation of Galveston.

Three days before Ike struck Texas, even with Ike well to the south of us, Mississippi experienced two days of flooding from the massive amounts of water Ike was pushing. The storm surge affected Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas days before landfall.

Others along the Mississippi Coast gave warnings of just what a massive storm surge could do. The storm surge from Hurricane Katrina is officially estimated at 28 feet. Evidence points to it being between 30-35 feet. The 66 miles of Mississippi Coastline were defenseless against the onslaught the massive wall of water. The images of Crystal Beach and the Bolivar Peninsula in Texas bring flashbacks of what we in Mississippi experienced from Katrina's storm surge. Ricky Mathews wrote an editorial pleading days before Ike made landfall in Texas.

MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST -- For whatever reason it now appears that thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of the residents of Galveston Island, and untold others along the Texas Coast have chosen to stay and face the wrath of Hurricane Ike. As your neighbors in South Mississippi, who have watched the deadly surge of Katrina destroy virtually every mile of our coast, we care for your survival, and beg you to leave now. You should know further that in a nighttime storm your chances will be further reduced.

The hours dwindle, but it is not too late for you to flee and save your lives. There is something deceptive about the idea that Ike is only a Category 2 hurricane. The developing science of Integrated Kinetic Energy (ironically IKE) which expresses the destructive power of a hurricane’s surge, shows that Ike represents a force exceeding even Katrina’s surge, which was the largest ever seen against an American Coast.

The people of the Mississippi Coast know all of the excuses to stay “hunkered down” in their homes and comfort zones.

They survived the previous big storm(Camille for us), there was no place for their pets, they were old, sick, tired, etc. Some were just skeptical. Many of them now lie in the sandy soil of their homeland, victims of the storm surge.

We ask our citizens to join us in this heartfelt mission to save those who may otherwise die where they are making their stand against Ike. If you know someone in Galveston or the South Texas Coast, please call them or e-mail them and tell them your stories of Katrina. Pass along this editorial and the links to our Katrina photos and stories. Make your comments on the reader commenting opportunity with this editorial.

It is not too late but with every passing hour your possibility of evacuating to safety is diminished. We implore you – do not become a casualty of Ike. Its deadly surge is coming, and no seawall, no plywood nor your false notion of safety will save you from its destructive force.

He also made a video pleading for those in harm's way to get out.

Both his editorial and video were made in an effort to warn those in Texas what wascoming. Both can be a warning for anyone who faces the threat of a hurricane heading their way. The message is clear: No excuse is worth putting you and your family in harms way. You cannot judge what will happen based on previous hurricanes. If you are told to get out, get out!

Louisiana: Full of Whiners

When a hurricane threatens Louisiana, more specifically the New Orleans area, contraflow goes into place. In Mississippi, this means two interstates, I55 and I59 are no longer available to those in south Mississippi. Louisiana also closes off I10 going west. Lately, there has been much whining and complaining from those in Louisiana that Mississippi should open I10 to evacuees from Louisiana. The Times-Picayune was full of those complaints. An excerpt:

In Wolshon's opinion, the controversial decision to close down Interstate 10 east at its junction with Interstate I59 in St. Tammany Parish -- preventing most Louisianians from evacuating eastward -- is also worth another look.

The decision has been second-guessed by many Louisianians, led by Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard, who recently insinuated that Mississippi officials were thinking of money, not people, when they made that call

Aaron Broussard, Aaron Broussard, where have I heard that name before? Oh yes,, he's the one that lied about the nursing home incident during Hurricane Katrina. But I digress. I'm just sick and tired of the sense of entitlement that permeates those in Louisiana. Below is my response via email to the articles author:

There have been many in Louisiana complaining about Mississippi closing I-10 east to those in Louisiana evacuating. What you guys seem to forget that in threats like Gustav, there are many in south Mississippi who need to evacuate as well. We in south Mississippi can't travel on I55 and I59 because of contraflow. That leaves a population of 400,000, almost the same as the New Orleans metro area, with two options: I10 and Highway 49.

I can understand the concerns of those trying to evacuate from Louisiana, but we in south Mississippi need to have avenues of evacuation as well.

You state in your article that those from Louisiana didn't want to go west because of Gustav's direction. Are there not any Louisiana highways going north that can be accessed from I10 and other highways in Louisiana?

Can't officials in Louisiana stagger evacuation orders so that those in the most dangerous areas can leave first?

Can't more from Louisiana use just one car when evacuating? I know many many families who take two cars. Wouldn't using just one car help ease traffic?

Also, there were a few Louisiana evacuees who helped themselves to shelters in Jackson County. Those shelters are for Mississippi coastal residents. Doesn't Louisiana have shelters of its own?

Also, Louisiana closes I10 to those in Mississippi when contraflow is in effect. Like I stated before, this leaves two options for those in south Mississippi to evacuate: I10 and Highway 49. Considering that the population of south Mississippi almost equals that of the New Orleans metro area, I consider that to be very generous.

When Ivan threatened, we in Mississippi faced tens of thousands evacuating from Alabama and Florida. They used I10 to gain access to Highway 49. There were long waits. There was no contraflow in place. Yet, I've heard few complaints from those in Alabama that Mississippi should exclusively provide for those evacuees by the closing of interstates and other roads.

We in Mississippi want our neighbors in Louisiana to be safe but we also need to be able to evacuate in a timely manner. However, those in Louisiana need to remember we need to be able to get out as well. The closing of I10 had nothing to do with it being the Labor Day weekend. The casinos closed on Sunday. We had major flooding from Gustav and Ike. Mississippi tries to be a good neighbor to Louisiana. It works both ways. Those in Louisiana need to be mindful that they are not the only ones at risk and need to evacuate.

Leadership

One of the most effective qualities of a leader is the confidence they inspire. Leadership is at a premium when natural disasters occur. The leaders in Mississippi from Mayor Warr of Gulfport to Governor Barbour worked with one goal in mind: The safety of the people along the Mississippi Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Mayor Nagin showed no leadership when he cowered behind walls and wouldn't speak directly to those in the Superdome during Hurricane Katrina. He showed lack of leadership and concern when he didn't institute the emergency plans the City of New Orleans had in place. And he sure didn't show it when he made the comment telling Houston evacuees they were more than welcome in New Orleans and ask for 'Nagin's special rate' at hotels and motels. Problem was, there was no such special rate and when he was asked about it, he said he was just "joking" to lighten the mood.

I cannot help contrast the leadership of Nagin to the leadership that was shown by Houston Mayor Bill White and the others tasked with helping four million citizens who find themselves without power. I was impressed by the way he spoke. Directv has Houston news on channel 361. Mayor White clearly told the people of Houston what to expect in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. He told of the National Guard, the Coast Guard, and the utility companies which were in place and beginning operations. He asked neighbor to help out neighbor. He complemented those in Houston who took their chain saws and began clearing roadways.

Perhaps if Mayor Nagin had done those things instead of crying along with a reporter from WWL, things might have been different in New Orleans. If he had just said that the National Guard was doing its job and that people in the Superdome and the Convention Center had food and water, there wouldn't have been the chaos that existed.

New Orleans had many heroes. Those who pulled neighbors and strangers out of flooded homes without being told, the kid who commandeered a bus and drove people to Houston were looking out for one another. I have to admit, I was busy listening to my mayor and my governor in Mississippi and New Orleans was just in the periphery, but when I did hear him speak, I felt I was listening to someone who didn't know what to do next.

I didn't have that feeling when Mayor Warr spoke to us in Gulfport. I could hear the weariness in his voice but his words told us clearly what to expect. It was the same with Governor Barbour. And it is the same with Houston's Mayor Bill White.

Houston, Galvaston, Port Arthur, and the rest of the Texas coastline are still assessing the damage. Search and rescue operations are ongoing. Houston, the Texas coastline to Louisiana, and large portions of southern Louisiana are in the dark as shown by this Naval Satellite:



During disasters, it is the clear voice of confidence which leads. The lights will come back on. Homes, roads, and infrastructure will be repaired. Houston has a problem but it seems it is under firm guidance control.

Texans: Ike's Storm Surge-Heed the Warnings!

Hurricane Ike is to the south of the Mississippi gulf Coast. The hurricane is traveling west but the storm surge is affecting the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Sections of Highway 90 in Gulfport are closed because the water has already reached the seawall.

Below are pictures I took about an hour ago. All are of Biloxi's Back Bay. The water is already 4 feet above normal.

Visitors

After the passage of Hurricane Fay and Hurricane Gustav, Mississippi received some unexpected visitors: Flamingos! After work, I'll be on the beach hoping to spot some and take some photos. Wish me luck.


Sadly, the same article reports that over 7,000 nutria were killed by the storm surge of Gustav. These swamp rats are not indigenous to Mississippi. They eat different types of grasses and can cause damage from the way they root.

Storms in the Islands

The news reports indicate the Turks and Caicos Island took a devastating blow from Hurricane Ike. If you would like to help, please donate to the American Redcross.

Haiti, once again is suffering from the deluge of rain.

The destruction in Haiti has been described as catastrophic.

Police said 500 people were confirmed dead from recent Tropical Storm Hanna but that others are still missing and the number could rise.
The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) said hundreds of thousands of people had been displaced by the flooding.

Denuded mountains are one of the reasons Haiti suffers such devastation from the torrential rains of tropical storms and hurricanes. There is nothing to hold back the rampaging waters. Political turmoil doesn't help matters. Dr. Masters at the The Weather Underground recommended donating to the Lamdi Fund. This organization helps t build up the lives of Haitians and has a goal of planting 1 million trees to counter the rampant deforestation.

In the US, Louisiana took the brunt of Gustav. If you would like to help, click here for the Red Cross.

Is Your Life Worth It?

Some of the commetors at Weather Underground are saying they will not evacuate if Hurricane Ike threatens their area. Some are just tired after Gustav and don't have the money to leave. It worries me.

I'm fortunate that I live in a zone for which I don't have to evacuate for even a Category 5 storm. Still, I too lack the energy to prepare for another storm so soon after Hurricane Gustav.

However, I will do what is necessary, as will my son. My offices are still the trailers we've been renting since Hurricane Katrina. We know the drill well and even though my muscles are still aching from the flurry of activity of first clearing all equipment, files, etc, and then replacing them once the threat was over, this week, if Ike threatens the Mississippi Gulf Coast, we'll do it ago. I view the preparations we did for Gustav as a practice run. If next week, we have to do it all over again, it will be easier.

The mental fatigue of worrying and the thought of "Oh no, here we go again" takes its toll. But it isn't something that can be wished away. It has to be dealt with.

Staying in a area that is prone to floods is just plain stupid. I was so angry at those in Pearlington and Pass Christian Mississippi who stayed during Gustav. These two areas are like water magnets and flood severely during hurricanes. They not only put their lives in danger but those of rescuers.

If money is a factor, don't let a false sense of pride keep you from using the options that are available. Mississippi and Louisiana offer buses for evacuees that need transportation. Pets are allowed as long as you have proper medical documents showing your pets are vaccinated and have no communicable diseases . I'm sure Alabama and Florida do the same. There are also shelters, some for those with pets, available.

In short, if you are under a mandatory evacuation order, there is really no reason you cannot evacuate.

Right now, the thought of redoing everything that was done before Gustav seems overwhelming. There's the lost work, the stress and strain, the constant worry of what damage will occur if your area is hit.

The thing to remember is isn't your life and that of your loved ones worth more?

Gustav: Reflections

In Mississippi, we prepared for Gustav like it would be another Hurricane Katrina. Preparations on the Mississippi Gulf Coast started in earnest when Gustav was a Category 4 and the potential was there for it to become a Category 5. The National Hurricane Center's projected path of Gustav proved very accurate with landfall expected along the central Louisiana coast. Mississippi has been experiencing the tail-end of Gustav all day. Even at 11:00 pm Monday evening, the occasional gust would go through. The storm surge spread across the Mississippi Coast and was greater than expected.

Mississippi started preparing for Gustav on Wednesday, August 26, 2008. Containers at the Port of Gulfport were moved inland. People began stocking up on water, food, and materials needed to secure homes. Businesses took the threat seriously and secured inventory, equipment, and files. Mandatory evacuations were ordered in Hancock and Harrison counties for those living in flood zones A & B. Mandatory evacuations were also ordered for those living in FEMA trailers and Katrina cottages. The National Guard was called in.

It was an eerie repetition of what we all were doing three years ago in preparation for Hurricane Katrina. Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina were employed, hence the containers being ordered inland. School buses were used to evacuate those who needed transportation and pets were allowed to go along. The Mississippi Department of Transportation did a great job of handling the contraflow of evacuees from New Orleans and other areas of Louisiana.

Some may say the threat of Gustav was hyped up. That all the time and energy put into preparing for Gustav was wasted effort since we did not have a direct hit or because it was not a major hurricane when it made landfall in Louisiana. Hurricanes can be very unpredictable. You can never know what to expect until it hits land. Hurricane Camille which struck the Mississippi Coast in 1969 intensified to a Category 5 just before it made landfall. Hurricane Georges which struck us in 1998 was a Category 2 storm. The rains it dumped caused major flooding in Jackson County.

With other disasters such as earthquakes, tornados, and wildfires, you don't know when they will occur. When a tornado threatens, you may have only a few minutes warning to seek shelter. With hurricanes, you have days to get prepared. And if you don't, it can cost you your life. Everyone should have a basic emergency kit consisting of food and water to last at the minimum of three days. It's best to prepare for a longer period of time.

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. That is what we in Mississippi and Louisiana did for Gustav and by doing so, lives were saved.

Gustav:Starting to Calm in Gulfport?

Since the weather radio is not sounding tornado alarms every 20 minutes and the gusts are becoming less frequent, I dare to hope the worst is over.

I lost power for about 30 minutes. I love the utility crews down here. The work around the wind gusts and the storm surge.

Gustav:Current Conditions in Gulfport

Winds are really gusting. Horizontal rain on occasion. There are sporadic power outages across the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The storm surge is coming across Highway 90 in low-lying areas. These areas usually experience flooding in tropical storm conditions. It is nothing like Katrina.


My brother reports a tree fell on his shed. My Mom and sister in Biloxi are doing fine.

Louisiana is taking the brunt. Again, my thoughts and best wishes are with those in harm's way.