Watching the hurricane

[Daisy and Delilah]

Stay safe, Cori and gang. Keep checking in with us if you can.

We've had alot of rain here today. I'm not sure if it's Gustav or not. That's just what we need here in my already flooded town. More rain!

[sasvermont]

I am not sure I could live in the areas where you guys live, knowing that nearly each year you have such terrible weather. I guess there are many parts of the world with nasty weather.

Here in Vermont we do have flooding in some areas, ice storms from century to century and snow - sometimes lots of it......just not hurricanes and tornadoes......or not many, anyway.

I wish you all good luck and take great care to stay out of harms way. I know it must be difficult to collect all of your precious things and leave.....but hopefully it's for the welfare of you and your loved ones.

We will all be thinking about you folks in the path.

[Laura's Babies]

Traffic is already backing up here. I had to go to Gonzales in search of a new battery for my cell phone (wouldn't you know it chooses NOW to no longer hold a charge!) and traffic was backed up on highway 61 headed out of the storms path.. and yes, they are already jacking up the price of gas!! Controflow will start out of New Orleans at 6am in the morning so there will be no going anywhere. Geez!

If anyone here has a cell phone with texting, pm me your number so I can text AFTER the storm to let you know how we are here and you can post on here that you heard from us. I am sure we will be without power for awhile afterwards and that would be a way to let everyone know we are safe or whatever... And hope I can get a text OUT, but we did learn from Katrina that text could get out where a call wouldn't, plus that will work on the boat when I can't call out from there.

(I am sure I will get more than one number to text so I will pick just ONE or TWO to text..IF I can get out!)

I am so nervous!! Our landlord is staying on the grounds in his CAMPER.. That's Crazy!! My buddy Mike has pulled his up here from where he had it in La Place, they were ordered out yesterday.. Right now he has it just parked at the parking lot at Wal Mart but he is bringing it over here to the park I am in to leave it today before dark and staying here with friends with his 2 babies Klinger and Yetta..

[sasvermont]

You might want to get one, if you don't already have one.

You better get out of there deary.

Hey, I have texting ability. 802-735-5305. I don't care if anyone else has my number. No one ever calls it anyway! It is with Verizon.

Good luck! Stay dry. Keep us posted.

Sas

[Laura's Babies]

Just got this from my brother who is now in emergency management in Oregon, that was down there for Katrina and moved away soon afterwards..

Highlights provided after watching Mayor Nagin's briefing - 13h00 NOLA time.
Next briefing 19h00

CAEP [city assisted evac plan] began at 08h00 - seems to be working well.
One bus contractor did cancel - was supposed to handle pets. Fire dept has
stepped in to assist.

Union Passenger terminal is a processing center - 22 buses have already left
1100-1200 people. One train - 1500 people aboard - to leave imminently for
Memphis TN. 20,000 registered estimate 30,000 total. have contingency plans
if number exceeds 30,000.

- Once th storm gets into the Gulf, Mayor Nagin expects a surge in
evacuations.

- Curfew has not been issued yet. Once issued, anyone on the streets
not on their property will be arrested in all likelihood.

- 1500 NG troops in the city - good partnership with the NOLA PD

Bus pick-up continues. Water being taken to pickup points. [from my sources:
EMS crews at Union Passenger Terminal to provide water, wellness checks.]
Misting machines being brought in. Senior may require wheelchairs - cots.
Resources incoming. Misting tents.

Registration system crashed - processing will take place at shelters
instead. 311 registrations - 13,000 to 20,000 and counting - system is very
stressed. People do not need to register on 311 unless they have SPECIAL
NEEDS.

Gustav jogged to west. NOLA in cone of probability. Significant storm surge
and rain.

Mayor strongly encouraging people to evacuate North. Time for tourists to
leave the city. Do not wait. Start the process now.

Gustav now a cat 3 - if path continues - mandatory evac of NOLA will begin
at 08h00 after 07h30 briefing. While not mandatory yet, evacuation is
strongly encouraged.

ContraFlow will start as early as this afternoon but more likely tomorrow
morning. Mayor Nagin suggests State stage additional buses at Zephyr Stadium
should there be an additional surge at last moment. Buses are transporting
evacuees to Shreveport and Alexandria. Everyone evacuated out will be given
transport back to the city. Nagin emphasizes State should max buses pre
stage at Zephyr Stadium.

If you decide to stay, you will be required to stay inside your property.
Progressively step-up in rhetoric. Next time will be 'Get the heck out!' -
direct quote from Mayor Nagin. We need to shut down all tourist activities
so we can focus on senior citizens and people with special needs. Can
tourist take the city buses out? We will accommodate any tourist who needs
to leave the city. Most hotels are closing at 4 pm today. University staff
shutting down as well.

All hospitals open - most fragile critical patients being evacuated. Nursing
homes being evacuated.

Multiple languages being used for briefing - English, Spanish, Vietnamese
however no signing visible at this time. No text accompanying briefing at
this time.

We will stop evacuations when winds reach tropical wind force. We will work
24/7 as best we can. Fragile psyche in the city - it will be a tough one and
we'll get through this.

Gustav now a Cat 4 storm - winds of 145 mp. NHC now calling this an
extremely dangerous storm. Jefferson and Orleans Parish will be affected
first. coming from the South.

PD essential personnel - being sensitive to people with signs of stress -
will allow them to exit the city - being firm and flexible.

Be well. Practice big medicine.

Hal

Hal Newman

Executive Director, National Emergency Management Resource Center [NEMRC]

Toll Free: 1-888-NEMRC-11 [1-888-626-7211]

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I'm praying for everyone in the path of this storm. It looks like it could be a monster for sure.

Problem with evacuation is where to you move that many people to for safety? We even get damaging winds and rain from the hurricanes sometimes way up here in Kansas.

[molucass]

Beaumont/Port Arthur area? I can't remember my counties.

Gosh, I hope this thing loses some of it's force before it hits - wherever it hits.

Yeah, we are in the Beaumont area. I am praying that nothing else happens like happened with Rita, but you just never know. That thing could turn any way at any time.

My parents made it home safely, thank goodness. I was really worried because they had thought of staying up there, which they would have been safe there, but I was freaking out because I didn't want us to be here by ourselves.

I will PM you my number, Laura, if you haven't already gotten other numbers.. I know we are probably going to be in the line of the storm too, and may be without power, but maybe not.
It seems that we are staying here at my parents house though.. We are just going to stay here and ride out the storm.

[gini]

Just, please take good care of yourself and your babies. This is a very frightening hurricane headed your way. It has me very worried about everone in that vicinity.

[sirrahbed]

Laura - hubby and I are praying for you and anyone else in the path of Gustav May God protect and calm you all. We are watching the news carefully.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

One thing that concerns me is that thing is over Cuba now and is showing no signs of weakening. Usually they weaken over land.

[Laura's Babies]

I now have my 2 numbers and THANKS for doing this..

I will also pray for everyone in the path of this monster that we all be safe and no one suffer to much damage. No matter where it goes, it is going to do damage but the only predictable thing IS, they are unpredictable!

I also remembered awhile ago that my company has a Hurrican hot line for us to call for things like this to report in, so first thing Monday morning I have to call them. They want to know where we are going if we leave our homes and after it has passed to report back in on availability for working (if we are due back in the near future, which I am) and if we need ANY assistance and what we may need.

After Katrina they offered a $5000 interest free loan for those who needed it and sent down a barge with a building on it fully stocked with anything and everything people may need and had bunk rooms for the companies families to live in with A/C and everything.. like a floating hotel that had it's own power and water supply. That was docked only about 30 minutes from where I live on the River. Not many companies do something THAT big! There is a smaller company office here and that is where they docked it.

The rest of you stay safe too!

[Catty1]

Oh LAURA...you and your babies...what room in the house is the safest? Couldn't you and two LARGE pet carriers get on one of the buses?

PRAYERS - everyone, I hope you are safe and ok...we're all here on the other side of this, you're in our thoughts!

LAURA - is your manager's shop cat safe???

[Hellow]

One thing that concerns me is that thing is over Cuba now and is showing no signs of weakening. Usually they weaken over land.

Sadly, Islands don't weaken storms of this magnitude too much because they are still 9/10 over water .

[chocolatepuppy]

Prayers headed out to everyone in the path of this storm. How scary this must be Laura. Please stay safe.

[Laura's Babies]

Catty-Toby is safe up there. He offers that to us also to stay in during storms for those who want to leave their mobile homes and have nowhere else to go. It never got even a bump during Katrina and it has withstood many hurricanes.

My concerns about traveling is Amy and how bad she stresses and how the stress effects her. Today she looks bad, like the pending weather already is bothering her. It will be stressful enough taking her to Rie's and that is only 2 miles away from me. I would say taking her anywhere on a bus would just be extreemly stressful on us all.. I have a big van but I just don't think it is safe to get out on that highway in all that traffic alone with 4 screaming cats. I freak in bad traffic without 4 screaming cats as it is. If I was the real brave sort, I would load up and go to Eddies in Virginia but I am to much a chicken to do that, especially alone.

What worries me the worst is all the stuff people have outside around me and nobody remembers all that stuff is flying wepons during storms like hurricanes. NOBODY picks up and puts things away and you think they would know better! I have already picked up outside my house and shoved everything in my shed.