The Rohrbaugh Forum
Miscellaneous => The Water Cooler -- General Discussions => Topic started by: jimacp on August 14, 2004, 10:54:23 AM
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Several of you were close to storm. Duane has checked in...anyone else?
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RJ was in the path as it went overland. I heard that Winterhaven airport was hit hard. I sent RJ some email, but he's not responded. I assume he will check in once he gets power, surveys the damage, etc.
My son works on Captiva Island and was evacuated to Ft Meyers. He tells me the island resort where he worked was hit hard. They aren't letting anyone back on the island yet as the bridges are closed...
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RJ could be out of power, I guess. He isn't too far from K-Man, who said damage in his area was minimal.
South of here had some real devastation -- Andrew-like. The worst thing was that a lot of the areas hit were somewhat unsupecting -- the storm took a hard right turn away from the Tampa Bay area and increased from a Cat 2 to a Cat 4.
In fact, a lot of people fled this area and actually went into the path of the storm -- Polk County, the Orlando area, etc.
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Duane, I'm thankful you're O.K. Hoping the best for RJ.
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No effects from Bonnie or Charley here in my part of the state. We've got several agencies -- as well as Gulf Power crews -- gearing up to head down to assist those areas hit hard.
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Heard on the radio a short while ago that there are approximately 45,000 people without power in Polk County (area where RJ lives). The power folks expect to have it restored in the next 48 hours.
As I traveled about the Bay area today, I saw many, many out of state electric/utility vehicles traveling eastward towards Polk County and southward towards Punta Gorda area. Some of those vehicles had license tags from Illinois and Indiana.
As DDGator mentioned, I live near RJ (about 15 miles away). We experienced 40-50 mph winds and, of course, a fair amount of rain. RJ was on the west/northwest side (same as us) of the eye of the storm as it traveled northeast. That side generally takes a lesser hit in comparison to being on the eastern side of the eye. Nonetheless, there were a couple of tornados spawned near him (10-20 miles away).
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If we don't hear from RJ by morning, I'll go over and check on him. I have another friend in that same area who is wheelchair bound that I want to check on, too, that I have not heard from yet.
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I tried to call the phone number I had for RJ, but couldn't get through. Either the lines are down -- or are overloaded....
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Relieved to hear from you guys that got off more lightly .... and does sound so far as if RJ is down on power. Here's hoping that is all the problem and nothing worse.
Must have been total mayhem in some places ... truly horrific and .... as Duane said ... the change of track almost made sure some who'd fled, actually got in its way.
I'll be glad as we all will to hear from RJ pretty soon.