Nearly 800,000 in Florida Without Power (Tuesday!)

[leftchick]

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20040817_577.html


<snip>

Early Tuesday, state emergency management spokeswoman Tameeka Forbes said the death toll had been raised from 18 to 19, but no further details on the new reported death were immediately released. Earlier, Charley killed four people in Cuba and one in Jamaica.

No phone. No running water. No ice to fight the heat. No diapers for the baby and no gas to fill the tank. For thousands who've lost their homes and creature comforts to Hurricane Charley, this is reality.

"The hard part is not being able to bathe and not having food and water unless I go out and look for it," said Tami Wilson, 48, while waiting in line at a "comfort station" for ice and water while her blind husband, Dewaine, waited alone at home.

"I just want something to eat," house cleaner Willie Mae Robinson said as she waited for canned goods and ice with several dozen others at an old train depot in Bowling Green, where temperatures soared into the high 80s. "I have something for today but I don't have anything for tomorrow."

[Eurobabe]

1. Jeb's all worried, no power to start the e-Voting machines!

OHMIGOD, brother could lose???

[Tight_rope]

41. LMBAO...

[Ripley]

2. Wait for it.

Soon there will be lovely DUers posting how those trailer trash fat asses should stop their whining about wanting some food. Afterall, the innocent Iraqi's are in worse shape than them.

That's the level of compassion by some here.

[havocmom]

6. Not gonna make the suggestion you predicted

but would ask a few questions.

How many miles of power lines are down in the storm's wake?

How many people do the utility companies have working to fix the mess which was once a power delivery system?

How many hours a day are each of those workers (regular people, by the way, the sort we normally support and applaud around here) pulling each day to get the system running again? If those people are anything like the crew we have around my county, they are out there all hours until they literally cannot work without being a hazard to themselves and their colleagues.

How many tons of wreckage do they have to move to even get to where they can restring a section of lines?

How many chain saws and metal cutting torches are available to use for cutting storm debris up into pieces small enough to be moved and hauls out of their way?

How many trucks do they have to haul that debris away?

What do the roads look like? Do they have to cut and haul debris away from roads just to they can get to work on the mess on top of the power lines?

How soggy is the soil where new poles have to be set up to hold transmission lines? They can't do it until the ground will hold or they are gonna have to do it all over again.

How many homes that were formerly on the grid are no longer there? Seems workers might have to take down connections to them before power can be turned back on, or there might be a lot of loose wires around, arcing and sparking. Sounds like that might create some real heartache for people already devastated by the initial damage. How would it feel to lose you home, find comfort that at least your family was spared and then have a child electrocuted due to a downed hot wire in the neighborhood?

I am sure I am missing many other obstacles to a quick return to normal power, as I have never had to deal with a hurricane. I have seen other types of storm devastation and watched the men and women who worked long and hard to restore power. I know many who were working in others areas while their own homes sat in shambles. I knew a psychologist in the bay area who lived in her car for over 6 months because it took that long to find a new place to live after a big quake. She still worked 10-14 hours every day doing counseling for people who were depressed and distraught over the losses they incurred in that big quake.

Sometimes nature makes a big enough mess of our lives that it simply cannot get fixed as quickly as the people doing the fixing would like.
Sometimes we need to accept that Mother Nature can still slap us around pretty good.

Sometimes you have to accept that there are limits on what is humanly possible to do, even if it already is Tuesday.

[gratuitous]

8. The logistics ARE staggering

And contemplating the sheer number of people it's going to require to put things back in order again is a daunting task. Thousands of ordinary men and women are going to work to exhaustion day after day, stringing electrical wire, clearing lots, driving trucks, delivering meals and supplies, and I'll wager that very few of them will be billboarded on the evening news with "Local Hero" under their photos. Our society's priorities are that screwed up.

I'm glad I gave $250 to our District's disaster relief efforts last month, because they're sure going to need that money now. I wish I could go personally, but I'll have to hope my money can do some work on my behalf.

[lovuian]

36. All those poor Americans suffering and Iraq gobbles up Billions

Wouldn't it be nice to have Iraq Billions to help Americans get on their feet

[Ripley]

9. I heard a guy I think he was the CFO for Florida...

on the news. He was putting the weirdest spin on this situation. He said in a happy voice, smiling, something to the effect of "There will be so many new jobs with all the rebuilding and sales that will happen over the next few weeks of recovery." :crazy:

My parents retired to the coast of North Carolina, not far from where they grew up. They have gone through hell with horrible damage from multiple hurricanes the last 8 years. They have considered moving inland, but houses are not selling in their area. They are on fixed income. Besides, when they went inland during one storm, they were nearly killed by a tornado spinoff.

I just find it odd that on a supposed liberal board there are so many people who blame the poor southerners for living where they do. Yet, they don't blame Californians for living on a fault line. Or midwesterners for living on flood plains.

This storm rivaled Andrew with the damage done. It will take a long time to repair everything and for people to return to normal lives. Frankly, I give anyone who has lived through this a break. They can cry, bitch, complain about anything they want. They deserve empathy.

[havocmom]

13. Yes, they do deserve empathy. And so do the people working to make

the lights go on and safe water flow from faucets.

By the way, I am not wealthy and know the realities of not having options in life. Also know that things sometimes take time to fix, having seen how hard and long the 'fixers' work and how hard they cry that they can't do more sooner.

Sometimes people just have to settle for reality. It is tough but it is true. Mother Nature is still one mean mother.

[Toucano]

14. Thanks for the dose of reality. n/t

[soup]

20. Other good questions are: How many out of state crews

who hauled down here to assist are standing around in the oppressive Florida heat just waiting to be told where they are needed?

The local news (think it was Bay News 9) yesterday carried a story about a crew from a North Carolina power company that had caravaned in trucks down to Punta Gorda to help and had so far, done nothing. I'm pretty sure the report said they had left NC late Friday night, and that Monday was the second day they'd been here, doing nothing.

nothing - because there were no officials available to tell them where to start or what to do. The camera scanned the trucks (I don't know, 10-15 would be my guess) lined up in a parking lot across the street from bent and bending power poles and downed trees. The workers ready and waiting for a word.

The reporter said something along the lines of "if nothing else, this report will get the word out that help is arriving. They just need direction to get started, and there is none." (completely my own words, but conveying the basic gist of the report)

Another question - how many resources were used, how much time and effort wasted so *Bush could cruise through cleared streets in bullet-proof air conditioned comfort on Sunday to make his photo-op appearance?

Sorry if I sound harsh, havocmom. It's not directed at you, but at the situation. Yes, this is a huge undertaking. A great number of resources have to be pulled together, and a lot of communication, co-ordination and co-operation take place to get things done.

Guess my main question is - who is in charge here, and are they doing everything they possibly can to get this done?

[havocmom]

22. No offense taken. I know a major obstacle is always leadership and

organization. Some of that could be prevented if 'leaders' would do their damned jobs. But some is probably just a result of the magnitude of the problems and communication lapses. One could also ask if the good people of NC who came with sleeves rolled up and ready to work had supervision who bothered to contact authorities in FL and ask where to send help and who they should report to for orders. Just because a group of people wants to help does not always make it so they can. It takes time to evaluate an area before a major action can be undertaken. Sometimes the best help is that which waits just a bit for direction. I know it is hard to stand on the sidelines and wait, but sometimes too much help at the wrong time can create logistic problems in addition to what is already there.

I dunno, there are more than enough problems to share instead of looking for people to point at and blame so early in the clean up.

The entities which direct the recovery have their own obstacles and yes, they are hampered by politicians with photographers. And clean ups seem to get better as more is learned from the mistakes made in the past.

I remember back before cell phones and things were really difficult owing to the lack of reliable communication. Seem to recall death tolls were higher and recovery took a long time. There is still just so much that can be done and there will always be mistakes to learn from.

Safe water and sanitation are a problem and need fixing ASAP, but we still have to accept the possible part of ASAP.

By the way, I too have dear ones there in the storm's wake. I hope they are well. Since they are both in health care, I know they are busy and I hope their kids understand and are patient.

[soup]

26. Thanks for your response.

I think part of my reaction is from the fact that when we evacuated our level A neighborhood near Tampa Bay last Thursday, we knew that it could be the last time we would see this ramshackle hovel that we call home and have lived in for almost 20 years now.

We were spared, but so many in our state weren't. If it had stayed on course and taken out our area, I know I'd hope there were people lighting fires under butts to get things moving and done, too.
(Especially in August in Florida. Ugh.)

My emotions are getting the best of me seeing the destruction and suffering that surrounds us. Strange combination of relief, guilt because of the relief, sympathy, sadness, helplessness, anger, impatience, just running the whole gamut.

I just hope this can be gotten through with as few mistakes and missteps as possible. So many lives are depending on that.

Thank your loved ones for me when they return home, will you? Been seeing reports and reading articles on the incredible and tireless work the DMAT teams are doing.

My daughter was flown down from Iowa on Sunday by the insurance company she works for to help get things rolling. They told her she can expect to be in FL at least 3 weeks. I imagine she's going to be very frayed around the edges by the time she goes home.

Ah, jeb is back on tv. going to see what he's got to say.

[havocmom]

27. Take it easy, soup. Glad you are OK

Yeah, your daughter will be one busy lady. And she will likely face many folks who are in dire need, cranky and some will just plain be unresaonable. For her, I hope their numbers are few.

Last year we had incrediably devestating fires. Many of my neighbors lost a lot, but no lives were lost. Amazing that, after hearing of people literally with their backs to barn walls, beating at flames with rugs and buckets.

I am not young nor strong anymore and could not help fight the flames. I watched the water trucks come and go and felt the most awful frustration of my life. I wanted them to get the fires out NOW. I wanted people to be able to get home. I wanted the hay and water to be brought to the displaced cattle faster.

The folks working did as much as they could as fast as they could. And when some of the fire crews got a break to come into town for food they could carry in pockets up on the lines, they were as sweet and polite as anyone I had ever met. They thanked us! They were singed, filthy, exhusted and dehydrated but they had the energy to be polite and gracious for the sandwhiches and energy bars we could get to them. They slept in tents at our fairgrounds in heat to rival Tucson in the summer.

The people who respond to disasters are like people everywhere. Some do a better job than others, as in any job. But, my god, they deserve our thanks and our understanding when things take longer than would would like.

And times like these can bring out the worst in some folks, but the best in most of them. Good to remeber to say thanks.

I shall pass your thanks along to my friends. It will mean a lot.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

35. My only question once the debris is cleared is how many

state agencies that WOULD be assisting have lost key personnel due to Jeb's tax cuts and due to the fact that ALL states are having to scale back on essential personnel due to the state of our economy...is this so in FLA? In California when the wildfires hit, it was a tragedy but the greater tragedy was that counties with a moree "libertarian bent" could have done better had their priorities been in place...for instance cities and the countiy had a fued over who should pay for fire fighting helicopters so the lease lapsed on the helicopter just DAYS prior to the wild fires...then...come election time people STILL voted against measures to pay for fire fighting services.

[maxsolomon]

12. ok, i'll make you happy

if the majority of the homes in florida were liveable WITHOUT air conditioning, the unbearable heat wouldn't be on this list. as it is, they, and most of america's humidity belt, are completely dependent on electical power usage JUST TO BE INSIDE THEIR HOUSES.

something is wrong with that picture, but i don't blame the residents. entirely.

[havocmom]

23. good point. Just because you can drain swampy land and build on it

doesn't mean it is a wise thing to do.

And, yes, I feel the same about building homes on stilts off of California hillsides over fault lines and building lovely log homes deep in wooded western mountains where water is actually pretty scarce and bark beetles kill trees making catastrophic fires a certainty.

Some of our problems we do create ourselves.

[Pretty_in_CodePink]

39. We could make that same argument about homes in cold climates

I have never visited a home up North that would be livable in January without central heat. Homes everywhere are currently built to be kept comfortable using energy for heat and/or AC. In the past northern homes had fireplaces in every room and southern homes had breezeways, sleeping porches and architectural elements to make residents more comfortable during extreme weather. Our summers are your winters in terms of energy usage. In January we open the windows.

[DrWeird]

24. "The hard part is not being able to bathe"

"The hard part is not being able to bathe and not having food and water unless I go out and look for it,"

I really don't think anything else needs to be said. Oh, the humanity.

[Pretty_in_CodePink]

40. My power came on late yesterday (Tuesday)

My experience with DU'ers is that most of them are "lovely" and have exhibited great compassion and kind-heartedness. I believe most are feeling compassion for those experiencing great devastation here in Florida. That is what I expect from DU'ers.

I will admit that in observing the incredible devastation here in Central Florida (my family is fortunate with minimal damage) I did think of the Iraqis in an even more heartfelt way. Living with this hurricane aftermath is stressful and frustrating. For many it is seriously unhealthful and for everyone it is seriously uncomfortable. There are many very sad stories and situations here.

However, as we regroup, get our homes back in order, make sure friends and family are safe, and get power/water/phones restored we see lots of progress everyday. And there are thousands of people from ours and from outside communities helping with food, ice, water, accommodations, phones and all kinds of assistance. The generosity and outpouring of support is fantastic. The dedication and hard work of personnel working on crews is amazing.

I cannot even imagine what it must be like to live with this sort of chaos when the storm doesn't end. When the shooting continues. When one is never really safe or when one's children and loved ones are never really safe.

So as I work with others in my community to make things normal again, I will also remember this horrible experience and gain even more resolve to elect Kerry/Edwards. And then to turn up the pressure to end the war in Iraq.

At this time in history with so many resources available to the human race, no one should suffer as so many in Florida are currently suffering without help to end the crisis.

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. Now that Jeb & W had their photo op

it looks like they've gone AWOL again.

It's up to the people of Florida to take care of themselves. This is what happened on 9-11 and during the black out last year. Might as well get use to it.

[kentuck]

4. This is turning into a human disaster if something isn't done quickly....

Bush and this White House are very good at talking their bullshit but how good are they at delivering the goods. People can only survive so long without food and water. They can only live in their friends garages for a few days. They need all the help they can get.

[Philostopher]

5. Man, I just worry about the water thing.

I worry about people not observing good sanitation practices. A dysentery or cholera (or other water-borne intestinal) epidemic would be more devastating than anything that's happened so far. Programs to combat those things have been gutted so badly, they're in deep shit (no pun intended -- okay, pun intended) if some kind of water-borne infection starts running through down there.

[Dogmudgeon]

7. My brother's experience

He lives right outside of Orlando, and has not had power since the hurricane started. His subdivision is otherwise unaffected, being built to specs well above code (the developer must have been on drugs).

It's been a nasty, uncomfortable week for him, his wife, and his kids. But worse, he's got a 6-month-old who is now in danger of developing a widespread staph infection since it's hot and sticky, and they can't go out much during the cool of the evening because of the bugs. There's also limited water, which they have to boil.

The area literally down the street only lost power for a few hours; the local home store has been selling $500 power generators for upwards of $1000, and can't keep them in stock.

Welcome to the new America (A Division of the Bush Family Empire).

--bkl

[jmcgowanjm]

10. FL Eyewitness Death Count Close To 400 Now

Lawgiver from RMN.

For those who won,t bother to read all this report, let me spell
out the body counts that 6 of us (all retired military and/or
law enforcement) went out to confirm today in different
areas. These are confirmed bodies in the trucks,
restaurant refers, or refer vans, and they are NOT
'missing persons' or animals:
 
Charlotte Harbor areas - 58 dead as of 5pm today; Fort Myers
& the barrier islands - 21 deaths as of 3pm today; Punta
Gorda - 275+ deaths and escalating each hour; Desoto
County - 36 deaths, expected to increase;

Honors awards to those people who have given and done
the most: 1. City of North Port Police Department
2. Charlotte County Deputies 3. Desoto County Deputies
4. Visiting Pinellas County Deputies
5. Florida Power and Light

http://rense.com/general56/eekk.htm

[Ripley]

11. Questionable source.

I wouldn't be surprised if the death toll gets really high having seen the aerial video of the destruction.

But I would take rense with a grain of salt.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

16. Read it again....Rense isn't the source of the information.

[osaMABUSh]

15. Not to sound crude - but doesn't SW FLA sound like Baghdad?

No electricity, hot as hell, water shortages - that's what Iraqis have been living with for a year.

The difference here is that in FLA it was a natural disaster while in Iraq it was man-made (Bush).

I wonder if anyone else has thought of this?

Do you think anyone in the media would dare mention this?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

17. The only other difference is that in Iraq one can be killed in a variety..

...of man-made ways, while in Florida nobody is trying to kill anyone else...yet.

All that being said, the mainstream press is doing as good a job at hiding information in Florida as they are in Iraq.

[iamjoy]

37. Yes, I Sorta Thought Of This

that life here is like life in a developing country.
Only here in central florida it does get better every day....

[loveandlight]

18. who benefits from not sending in massive amounts of emergency aid

I don't understand why both the Bush* guys don't send in massive aid immediately, National Guard, supplies, set up emergency tents, etc. It certainly doesn't benefit the people who are suffering by not doing this, and I understand they don't really care about the people, but for their own benefit, wouldn't it make them look a lot more caring (in an election year) if they did??

This is cruel punishment and need not happen.

[gratuitous]

19. Well, there's want to and able to

The Bushistas could certainly appear to be heroes on white horses, dispensing aid and comfort to the disaster-stricken populace.

Unfortunately for them, their white horses are pulling carts in Iraq, and the aid and comfort has been re-routed into the overstuffed pockets of their political donors. They have nothing to ride in on, and nothing to give. So they will settle for photo ops.

The real heavy lifting will be done by bleeding hearts and truly charitable folks who will come from all over the country, driving trucks, bringing supplies, and lending a helping hand. And I hope they all remember to wear their "Kerry for President" buttons.

[jmcgowanjm]

31. Yes, and all politics is local

And every $ less that this region recieves
from what it needs will be like a tax on
the area.

So say the 26 counties need $15B and get only
$11B.
You'll be taxing everyone roughly 25%.

And plywood, cement, petroleum, all have to be imported
into FL anyway.

[Tight_rope]

42. "They have nothing to ride in on"...yup Bush* forgot to save for rainy day

[newyawker99]

29. Hi loveandlight!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Tight_rope]

43. Welcome to DU loveandlight!

[jackstraw45]

21. But Dubya's photo-op went well

That's what's important, isn't it?

[Zynx]

25. Try to imagine what a hurricane does

It's not at all surprising they still don't have power.

Think for a minute. It can take a day or two to restore scattered downed lines with a few snapped poles, when you can get in to do it.

Here, the hurricane most likely simply destroyed the entire electrical grid of the area and took *EVERYTHING* down. This is not simple or quick to fix.

[watercolors]

28. Orlando is a mess!!

have friends there, we got several vans loaded down with ice, batteries, bread, peanut butter, jam,some can goods wipes,and large bottles of water. Took our chain saws and tarps to help out. Believe me it is not fun to be in their situation. we are only 50 east of them, I feel so lucky! I can't imagine how bad it is in Charlotte county!

[KamaAina]

30. At least one-quarter of those without power are 'way up there

well over a hundred miles from landfall.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/weather/orl-bk-charley-afternoon-power081704,0,78468.story?coll=orl-home-specialbreaking

Power has been restored to more than 60 percent of the 500,000 residents in Central Florida served by Progress Energy Florida, Progress CEO Bill Habermeyer said at a news conference today in Orlando.

But 200,000 are still in the dark in Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Osceola, Polk, Hardee, Highland counties and a portion of Lake, he said.

The latest numbers from Orlando Utilities Commission today show that 38,000 of the utility's customers are without power. That's 35,000 in the Orlando area and 3,000 in St. Cloud....

Thousands of Progress customers in the hardest hit areas -- including 28,000 in Conway, Edgewood and Belle Isle alone -- aren't likely to have power until midnight Saturday, Habermeyer said.

Maybe the idle crews from N.C. and elsewhere should be up in that part of the state, where damage is more like what they'd be used to rather than the utter devastation we've all seen down in Charlotte Co.

[reprobate]

32. For those who remember Donna, this is far worse.

In fact, here in Orlando, there has been more damage than from any hurricane in memory. Ususally by the time a storm gets here it has been disrupted by being over land to the point that some high wind and a lot of rain are all we get.

Charlie was a really strange storm. It was very small in terms of diameter, moved like a ferrari, and by the time it reached orlando had no back side. Most of the damage was from the big old oak trees falling on power lines. Tho there was a lot of home damage just from the wind.

You'd think the power companies would get the idea and bury all the power lines. There'd be little power loss if they did.

[truthisfreedom]

33. half a million without power, 400 dead, and no reserves because they are

in Iraq, with the equipment needed for the cleanup.

a sad state of affairs for bushco.

[Gin]

34. saw on TV that operation blessing is feeding and sheltering along with

the red cross....I despise Pat Robertson but if his organization can help..I say...thats great...the seniors and others are just now feeling the overwhelming depression about their situation and my heart goes out to all of them...

Our power convoy left Monday to help...let's all hope and pray this is resolved soon and the folks who lost everything at least have shelter,warm food and some money to start over.

[DU GrovelBot]

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