How do I store my ancient coins..... for a hurricane?

@TIF I'm glad to see you're OK. I can't imagine what you are going through right now. Stay safe!

 

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Well, I live thousands miles away from almost all of you, people, but I'm crossing my fingers and praying for that this hurricane passes as far as possible from all of you (or at least, with the minor impact).

 

A simple, but sometimes overlooked, idea is to move things to the second floor in advance, if you have a second floor. A foot of water soaking a sofa can ruin it. If it is on the second floor, it will be fine. My in-laws fled Ivan (2006, Pensacola) together in their RV, leaving a BMW behind, which was destroyed by salt water. They should have driven both cars away. They were very near the coast and the storm surge took out the first floor, but stuff on the second floor was largely fine.

 

I posted in the wrong thread last night (a general discussion thread). I'm alive and unharmed. Hospital, where I rode it out, was heavily damaged and isn't function (the only hospital here). Sun just rose, now we'll see the extent of destruction. Irma's eyewall reportedly rode the north side of the island... that's where I live. Prelim info is that my condo is standing but not sure whether the shutters and windows held. My downstairs neighbor survived a harrowing ride. Half of her shutters were ripped away. She's uninjured but trapped.

Roads are of course impassible so work has begun to clear them, and then rescues can commence and the injured can come to the hospital for triage. Anyone needing more than basic care will probably need to be evacuated... but to where? The usual locales are in Irma's path. I've heard that the Navy is on the way to help. I hope so. I'll know more about the plan shortly. I haven't had time to check online news so you may know more than me about the damage at this point.

Summary: glad to be alive.

 

Wow. Very glad you are ok. Thinking of you.

 

She survived by standing/squatting in her washing machine which was in a relatively protected shallow closet. She put her cat in the dryer. Both are unharmed.

 

So glad to know you're OK, shocked but OK


Q

 

i'm so glad

 

I thought of you the second I saw the hurricane path. I'm hoping all the folks we met last year are safe. Those are beautiful islands with some of the nicest people we have met. I'm glad the hospital is largely intact. An island chain with only one hospital was something that concerned me.

Be strong TIF, I'm afraid your hospital is going to be very busy.

 

I think I can speak for all of us and say—we’re thankful that you’re okay!

 

The hospital is not functional; damage significant; morning headlines say it was catastrophically damaged, which seems overblown but there are definitely major problems. Xray suites nonfunctional. ER damaged. Patient floor windows damaged; patients evacuated to other places. Cancer center heavily damaged. Water intrusion in many places that were otherwise undamaged (you know how water leaks follow pipes and other stuff...) OR was okay last night but had issues. About to find out if it is functional. Mainly, the intact portions of the hospital will be used for triage and whatever basic care we can give.

 

I am very afraid for Florida and the US coast.

 

Having been through a category 5 storm in the Caribbean, I have seen nature's fury and it can be a terrifying thing. It can also bring out the best and worst in people. I am hoping all in this storm's path can find somewhere safe.

 

Hang in there @TIF ! Looks like you have a very busy day ahead of you.

 

@TIF Very glad to know that you are okay.

 

That is terrible news. Really terrible. The news here only shows snippets and the severty of the devestation is certainly not being captured.

You obviously need a hospital ship(s) sent to the vicinity. I also worried that the airport would get mud slides from the neighboring hills. (St Maarten lost its airport) The low lying areas at Charlotte A.? Gone? All those mountain roads...washed out?

Tell me you have fuel for your generators......

 

I've heard but haven't confirmed that the Navy has a ship on the way. The first helicopter just landed a few minutes ago. Took a few flyarounds to find a clear landing spot.

Looking around at the limited part of the island I can see from here, the damage isn't as bad as I'd feared-- I was afraid it that buildings would be knocked down, not just roof and window problems. It's still going to be a massive and extremely prolonged recovery and the island was in dire financial straights to begin with.

The hospital does have what appears to be a robust generator. Don't know the fuel situation.

As for mudslides, I was afraid of that too, especially for my home. So far no reports of such landslides. The airport is well away from risk of landslide, although I'd assume the storm surge put at least part of the runway underwater for a while (runway begins over the sea on a jetty)

Gotta get to work now.

 

Hospital damage is indeed catastrophic. ER, ICU, patient floors ORs, all damaged and unusable.

 

My thoughts and best wishes for all of you affected by these storms. I have been in contact with all of my extended family scattered throughout Florida. Most of them are 'riding it out' but a few have moved further inland and northward...


Stay safe guys!!

 

We are as ready as we can be. Got water, gatoraid, beer, wine, canned foods, emergency radio, gas, flashlights, and map to the shelters around this area should the need arise.

And the house is shuttered.



The backyard has been stripped of any furniture and objects that the wind might pick up. Its been quite the job. I've been at it nonstop since yesterday. Only a few more items to bring in and I am all done with securing the perimeter of the property.



Im just finishing in the yard at this monent. There is hardly anything left to do for the house to be secured. The rest is in the hands of the gods and mother nature. Ill be drinking a glass of wine as the storm rages on as a big F you to the hurricane.

I did cut one of my fingers rather badly on a metal shutter. But I bandaged it up, and you know what they say, no pain no gain.

Glad you made it safe @TIF and thank you for your concerns.