Hopefully this hotspot holds up. First things first, we are surrounded by the grace of a loving God, and we are thankful.
To begin updating day #2 on the ground in Southwest Florida (SWFL) allow me to please remind everyone to take these storms seriously and take all the advanced preparations needed to protect yourself and your family. You can never overprepare. Additionally, if you did evacuate from the area, stay where you are. There’s no need to come back into the recovery zone and there are virtually no utilities (electricity, water) operating in most areas.
Working today with a search and recovery team from Fort Walton Beach, Florida, there are multiple agencies from around the Southeast sending resources. We are incredibly grateful, and every resource is a blessing.
Day 2, while efforts continue, there are parts of the barrier islands (Sanibel, Pine Island, Matlacha and Fort Myers Beach) that are still inaccessible by anything other than air. There is an evacuation ferry operation running every 90 minutes from Sanibel (West side of where causeway used to be) to pull people from the island. 10am – 5pm
Matlacha (North end of Pine Island) is also a boat rescue operation after the bridge failed.
Incredibly, the historic Sanibel Lighthouse did survive the storm albeit with damage. The lightkeepers house is gone as are all the buildings around the Southern tip of the Island, but the Lighthouse is standing. There’s a metaphor and a message in that outcome.
Unfortunately, there are many people missing, and frantic out of state families looking for their loved ones. Hopefully, those missing were just last-minute evacuees that don’t know people are looking for them, and/or people with no way to communicate their status. Local radio stations are broadcasting names and addresses of missing persons in the hope that people can call in with information. This is why a communication plan is so critical for anyone in an extreme weather impact zone.
Search and rescue units are still working throughout Southwest Florida by air, boat and house-to-house searches. Some power and some water services have returned to the Eastern side of the impact zone, but as you go west (toward the coast) the power and water services are in much worse shape. [Tip: This is why garbage cans full of water are a part of the proactive planning. You can hydrate with bottled water, but you cannot clean without a stored potable water supply.]
The origination and transfer stations for electricity have been hit hard. There is no reason for linemen and pole diggers to be in the western zones because there is no infrastructure to trigger the origination of electricity. That’s why power will return in a systematic way from East (inland) to West (coastal). The thousands of power company employees are working on eastern impact areas where their efforts can restore power, while the longer engineering work of rebuilding transfer stations is happening in the west. Power will likely be out for several weeks in multiple areas.
Debris removal is about 50% throughout the zone. By ‘removal‘ I mean temporarily moved, shoved, pulled, cut or sawed out of the way. Again, the further West the more debris remains. Main roads are cleared, but local roads are blocked throughout. Stay close to home if you don’t need to travel or secure critical supplies.
Some food retailers have begun limited operation to open for the community. This will continue improving each day. Publix Supermarkets have generators running primary store functions.
There are nighttime curfews in affect throughout the Southwest Florida impact zone.
Fuel is a major problem, in part driven by the absence of power. A gas station without power is just a big underground gas tank. Most recovery teams are traveling with their own fuel supply.
Unfortunately, the heavy rains from north Florida are still flowing downstream into rivers and the flooding inland continues. The Peace River is expected to rise to a historic 24 ft above flood level; the previous record was just over 20 ft. Additionally, the current Myakka River flood has caused I-75 to close from North Port to Englewood.
Evacuations along the increasingly flooded inland waterways continue. Ian will be known as a storm carrying the deadly combination of wind and water as a storm event. Wind damage extreme, storm surge extreme, and river flooding (rain) extreme.
Janet, a 40-year-old single mom in a wheelchair, who just moved to SWFL a week ago, stranded on the second floor of her apartment building without power and without a community of friends to call for assistance. Her story is typical. Delivering food and supplies to people like Janet is a relief service anyone can handle. Radio networks are doing a great job using their format to organize local person to person assistance. Listeners are responding to each request; it is inspiring to see/hear the community pulling together. Fellowship lives here.
Alice, a 75-year-old woman without cash, and the only gas station she can find will only accept cash. Within seconds she is in line at the station with cash in her hand. This is what people do. Define living and you will find the light left by these comfortably invisible community stars. These are ordinary angels that defeat the looters by orders of magnitude.
There are many Janet’s and Alice’s right now, and fortunately there are overwhelming numbers of people responding to each call.
Yes, this is the fellowship part. Sweaty, perhaps a little scruffy, often accompanied by the smell of fuel-oil mix in the hug, but when you remove all class distinctions the remarkable human spirit that surfaces makes the back pain and callouses insignificant.
Electricity is nice, potable water even better, but perhaps fellowship is the most important part of the restoration process. At least, I think it is.
The desperation and worry on that unknown face tell me that you need my spot in line; here, take it.
I am not alone.
Every person reading this knows exactly what I am talking about without me even writing another word.
Life.
The best part.
Many people ponder the great universal questions of “why” these disaster events happen. I don’t have any idea.
Perhaps it’s just the way I’m wired, but I can only look at the immediate task at hand. Usually, I’m too busy focused on making the next two feet of my immediate surroundings better, because looking at the hundreds of miles scares me. If I can make these next two feet in front of me better, then I will have accomplished something; and then – another two – and another two. Perhaps that’s my goofy way to deal with it.
However, when I think about fellowship and my community – perhaps we shouldn’t wait for hurricanes.
Love to all,
Sundance
Sundance you are a special kind of human being. Your family is lucky to have a man like you. A real man who appeciates his blessings and shares his strengths! Thank you for all the wisdom you share.
One step at a time. Thank you for blessing us with these updates. Even though we are located a thousand miles from you, well seasoned, we are part of the recovery and our continued prayers will lift the spirits and strength and endurance for those who surrounded by devastation. Shock and fear is a battle as well as the physical. God is the balm that soothes the pains. In all things, no matter what they may be, continue to Praise God. Praise God in all things even when all “things” seem destroyed. Thank you Sundance for communicating with us.
I hope everybody that couldn’t evacuate is found safe, and that they DO NOT rebuild this area as it’s just a matter of time before this happens again. Time to relocate to higher grounds
not sure where you’re from Phil but Americans rebuild.
Can we at least agree not to rebuild on barrier islands? 30 years living in Florida and assisting in the Andrew effort, to say nothing of being in N’awlins most of September ’05, has left me with the opinion rebuilding in some places is just good money after bad.
As long as the government flood insurance keeps paying, they will rebuild in the same place.
Same goes with developing properties on mountainsides, forests or on the plains where droughts occur in most yrs.
forests? plains? not the same at all. poor argument.
as for cliffsides, i’ve seen pricy homes clinging to cliffs in California i’d agree are likely in the same category as barrier islands in hurricane prone areas.
Absolutely agreed..
It is true we shouldn’t build too near water but people are drawn to water.
Perhaps if we didn’t insurance would be affordable and these special places can be visited by all.
A lot of taxpayer dollars will be spent to rebuild. If it comes from one’s own pocket, the decision might be far different.
I have some friends who bought a house in a hurricane zone. When they moved there that area had not had a direct hit from a hurricane in decades. Within ten years they had 3 direct hits from hurricanes. After rebuilding and rebuilding and rebuilding again they finally gave up. Living in Paradise was not worth the cost time after time after time. While insurance covered some costs, it does not cover everything, and they were out of pocket about $100K each time.
The only way I’d live in a direct hit hurricane zone would be if I lived in a towable camper trailer and could get out of dodge a week before the storm hit, live in the camper somewhere else while cleanup happened, and then come back to the pad and hookups. A tree coming down on a house can happen anywhere, but storm surge is totally avoidable. Even in areas where we don’t get “hurricanes” storm surges can do a lot of damage to property right along the water.
no one is forcing insurance companies to offer insurance.
Remmber the Lower Ninth Ward?
I ran an Army National Guard helicopter reconnaissance task force out of Belle Chase (sp) Naval Air Station for weeks following the immediate aftermath. Occasionally I look at the pictures we took of there, St Bernard Parrish, down Plaquemines Parrish and the like, and am again astonished by what I saw there. It’s still overwhelming to look at those pictures now, so many years later. Now retired, my former unit members and I still talk of this when we get together.
You may have run into hubby in NOLA. The KS National Guard ran the operation a couple of days after the levee break. They did this so in-state Guard members could care for their own families.
Touched to the core!
Thank you for your inspiring thoughts and words.
I am amazed at how quickly recovery is occurring and thankful for all first responders, Coast Guard, linemen, neighbors….
Love one another!
As a Louisianian, I know your pain. There are saving graces as the heat is less likely to harm and eventually you’ll be somewhere you can base out if while the area is restored- prayers for you as you have no idea how much we rely on your website for news and Godly wisdom.
Also- I tell everyone I meet to be a treeper- I’m the reason your numbers are going up!!!
just lovely and restores one’s faith in humanity
Your words reinforce what I posted before the storm, Floridians help Floridians and others.
When we lost power we got generators going, due to the past we have more power than we use, next thing we started running water hoses and electrical cords the the adjacent houses. The area here is mostly cleaned up with tree limbs cut and waiting at the street.
There is something that is hard to describe and that is the clean smell the morning after brings.
Many lessons were learned after Andrew and the 2004 season. The areas will heal but will not be the same.
Look to Miami today compared to after Andrew, almost all the scars are gone, one problem is many there have no memory of what it was like in those years after the storm.
The same can be said about the path that Charlie cut.
The equipment needed for the sub stations and the switch gear mostly doesn’t exist, it is not something that is kept in inventory by the power company or the manufacturer, to add to it as with many other items much of it is not made in the USA.
Best to all.
You are right about the “Not made in America”. This should also give people something to think about.
South Korea makes most, and is one of the only U.S. friendly
Now that Kamala has switched allies to North Korea, South Korea may start having supply chain issues..
Regrettably, the folks currently running the nation thought about that some years ago, and made the decisions that profited them, and left the rest of us dependent on foreign nations’ industries. A long term plan, playing out behind the scenes, which becomes visible to most Americans only when an Ian or similar event occurs.
There was an energy guru on Steve Bannon’s show (forgot his name), and he was saying that some critical parts for the sub stations have a 2 year wait time frame for delivery. He also noted how many power companies from around the Southern States are here helping out. At the end of the segment, he did say the engineers will do whatever it takes to make it work even without those parts.
Dave Walsh…
Great energy consultant.
Lives there if I’m not mistaken.
Suddenly, five days ago, Potatus signed one of his EOs directing CFIUS to consider the strategic harm foreign infrastructure investments and outsourcing might do to the US’ security. Close the gate twenty years after the horses run away, in order to be able to say “we are doing everything in our power to protect you yada yada” just before the midterms.
Read it and weep: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/raising-the-bar-biden-administration-9747584/
This wait time for transformers (only made in China like everything else) has been known to be a big problem for 20 years or more.
Yea though I walke through the valley of the shadowe of death, I will feare no euill: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staffe, they comfort me. – King James Version (1611)
We have come from a season of malice and people trying to destroy others. There are enough storms we don’t need man made catastrophy and raids.
I pray all missing are found alive. This brings tears to my eyes…the devastation. I tell myself it’s just stuff, but it’s not my stuff!
The power of one on others is like a stone skipping across the pond. Sundance is in the midst of a big event….the rest of us, today, will walk thru a normal day. BUT—you can make the day better for everyone you meet-a smile, a door held, a kind word of appreciation,giving a place in line, starting a conversation and concern. Keep doing it and it will become automatic in your life. The power of one-you know it matters, just do it.
Image a world where everyone treated each other as children of God, we see glimpses of it in moments like these, but it is difficult because other things cloud our perception, well I know for myself that is sometimes the case.
But you are right it is about the day-to-day moments.
How will I treat others Today? Moments build, compassion spreads, and the world can be a little better because of one person aiming for the highest Good(God).
“However, when I think about fellowship and my community – perhaps we shouldn’t wait for hurricanes.”
Amen to that.
Christ is with the rescuers, fellowshippers and the comfortably silent and nameless angels. God bless.
Sundance, you are just a remarkable and special person. You really are. I admire you. Thank you for the update. I am sure it is not easy, but then again maybe it is therapeutic for you.
Thoughts and prayers to you and your family and all Floridians that lives have been turned upside from this monster hurricane.
I received this from the Mayor of Sanibel this morning from friends who live on Sanibel
Great up this morning in the face of and overwhelming task. Spent a fair amount of time along the Gulf coast after Katrina and you paint the same picture that I saw. Biloxi, Ocean Springs, Gulfport and my favorite little town D’Iberville with the blown out “Jitney” store that became ground zero for news, water, food and jugs of Clorox. Helping rebuild was one of the most rewarding events in my years, right up there with raising kids and getting married. My s0n and daughter in law live on the east coast of Fla and he and I chatted yesterday, he has told his team to secure their personal lives and property and then reach out to the community. My son and his wife have offered housing options to those without homes. I burst with pride, its true, kids watch the adults in their lives and learn. Advice if you are headed there to help in recovery, update your tetanus shot, never reach where you cannot see, snakes you know, and travel with a couple cases of water…… godspeed and prayers to all
The reason these disasters happen is people unrealistically fall into a false sense of security. South West Florida is a swamp, what could possibly go wrong?
Florida’s coastal and low lands are over populated, over built and over sold to idiots. There should be no shock or surprise and in all reality, no rebuilding of an residential structures in these places.
Oh yeah I’m a jerk, but I’m a native that has lived and worked though dozens of these storms. I also have to pay massively every year to offset home insurance for stupid people and unrealistically build houses. It’s becoming a racket of socialism.
If you are going to allow this to continue, places like the coastal areas and Kissimmee valley flood planes shouldn’t be built on and they certainly shouldn’t be sold home owner insurance. They should have to self bond for not only the cost of their homes. But also for every dollar of cost for the infrastructure to support it and the full replacement in advance.
I have no empathy because this is just that “well duh!”.
I’m totally with you, and I also feel like a righteous minority in this stance. But it’s so OBVIOUSLY not sustainable, wth?
Do you feel the same for those who live in tornado ally, earthquake prone areas or in the west where fires occur all the time. I live on a barrier island I know the risk but buddy to not have empathy for people who have lost their lives or all their possessions is just cold.
“Feelings” have nothing to do with the reality of the situation. If you choose to live in a environment that has consequences it is not up to a government or insurance company to fund your poor choices…
Or especially take from my pocket to put into yours. Which is EXACTLY what is happening here.
That isn’t empathy… That is flat out theft being conducted to offset absolute ignorance.
An insurance company sold them a policy, and that policy was to replace what was destroyed. Exactly how is that the insurance company funding a poor choice? Did you read what you posted?
The Geography of Risk is the book you should check out, written by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Gilbert Gaul about the risks of coastal flooding and funding of shore homes.
Dev,
I live a long way away from Florida, but I’ve been through several hurricanes in my long life. I know what you’re talking about. I lived in Galveston, Texas, a long time.
You are right when you say rebuilding either shouldn’t be allowed or that people should have to self-insure. It sounds really cold and heartless to say that now, and people have been giving you grief for it. I understand their feelings. However, NOW is the time to realize that doing things the way we have been isn’t working and that we need to do things smarter and better in the future. One way to do that is to NOT rebuild in places that regularly get hit by floods and hurricanes. Wind is bad, but it is usually something that doesn’t destroy everything. Water…that is a VERY different story. Places that are going to get flooded regularly should just not be places where there are human habitations. It’s just too expensive. If people want to live in such places and be responsible for themselves, so be it, but the nation and state should not be responsible for them.
Now, having said that, my heart truly goes out to those people who are suffering down in Florida now. May God be with them and may He pour out his blessings upon them as they try to rebuild. It would be worth a lot to ensure that the next Cat 5 hurricane that comes ashore in Florida doesn’t cause this kind of a disaster.
If you compare the amount of money the state and national governments have to spend on these coastal areas that flood and get wind-knocked the difference is profound. It’s simply way less costly to support people living inland than on these coastal plains.
The simple solution is to make homeowners in these low-lying swamp beach areas pay for their own flood damages. Once the government isn’t responsible the people choosing to live in unsustainable areas will back away from them.
Also, forest fires are easier to defend against and tornadoes can be more easily defused. We should be close to having the technology to do so.
We cannot hold back the rising seas. It’s simply too massive.
It’s a luxury to live on the ocean that is costing the country too much. If you must do it, pay for it yourself.
Totally agree. Look at all the park models that are installed near the beaches. It is a matter of time before they are destroyed.
God bless Sundance, to you and all the people who have hope in each step. But I have to ask….Since when has a tsunami been a part of a hurricane?
To see the videos pre storm of all the water being pulled out of the bay and even from rivers is not normal. The geoenginnering of this storm has to be researched.
It wasn’t pulled it was pushed and it happens on every leading side of a hurricane that makes landfall.
Wind moves water on a massive scale.
Remember, it was a new moon and the tides are naturally higher.
Hurricanes rotate counter clockwise. When reaching land, the right side of the hurricane is creating a storm surge while the left side is blowing water out to sea. It was expected and predicted and people here talked about it before Ian went ashore.
I live a few miles from the very eastern part of Lake Erie. If we get high, sustained winds blowing east to west or west to east, you can go down to the shore and be amazed at how much the lake seems to go up and down. Flooding in one case and exposed lake bottom in the other.
Howdy fellow Buckeye! Yep You are spot on. We have a place on the lake and our canal water level will drop or raise depending on which way the wind is blowing. It can be a significant drop or raise depending on the direction and how hard the blow is. We just left our place on the western side of Lake Erie. Boy, she is rolling today….6-9 footers!
You stand out among men, Sundance. May God bless you.
Big Guy, that’s awesome stuff…
Question for all the Treepers: Who do I donate to? Never been a big fan of the Red Cross. Saw another org on The Weather Channel this morning that had Florida in their name but not sure about their effectiveness either. It’s like, who can you trust?
Any suggestions are welcomed. Thanks!
The Red Cross uses disasters to raise money. The money goes to the general fund and not to the “disaster du jour”. Donate to Samaritan Purse. They are the first ones to be ready to go at a moment’s notice.
Samaritan’s Purse
https://samaritanspurse.org/
Thanks, it’s an easy donation to make.
If you use Amazon, use smile.amazon and pick Samaritans Purse and a donation will be made to them.
State of Florida’s official disaster relief fund: https://www.volunteerflorida.org/donatefdf/
Salvation Army Florida Hurricane relief: https://salvationarmyflorida.org/2022/09/28/the-salvation-army-of-floridas-eds-response-for-hurricane-ians-impact/
Samaritan’s Purse
https://samaritanspurse.org/
Thank you much y’all. Most appreciated. Dollars have been added to the Kitty.
Try this: A legitimate 501c3 that works in Florida only: https://www.volunteerflorida.org/donatefdf/
You can trust Sundance.
Great point about fellowship. I find it especially interesting that fellowship was the actual target of the lockdowns 2 years ago. Social support keeps us strong and keeps us healthy. With physical presence having been essentially outlawed, everyone was driven to heavily censored, heavily monitored social media platforms. No facial communication, no handshakes or hugs, only social isolation with a packaged narrative for company.
As Sundance says so often, “This is all by design.”
A thousand “thumbs up”! So very true.
Fellowship makes it obvious that there’s more of us than there are of them…without love, we die.
Dale Carnegie’s book – If you haven’t read it, you intuitively understand it completely -How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. You are all in my prayers.
The Bible teaches the very same message. And did so two millennia before Dale Carnegie.
Hurricane Ian lays waste to Florida – INTENSE Video – – plus how to help out
https://commoncts.blogspot.com/2022/09/how-to-help-here-are-sites-and.html
Although IAN barely slapped us in eastern nc compared to what it did in Florida, I cried all the way through your update, Sundance. My empathy is enormous for those people who lost so much or those who are alone in their desolation. It is good to see people stepping up to help and wish I could do the same. You give me hope that the human race can be saved. Much love and best wishes for all you do.
Amen Sundance, be well.
God bless you Sundance.
It will be interesting to contrast the differences in disaster response between Ian and Katrina in the post mortem. I hope someone does it.
What were the comparative evacuation responses? How effective were the evacuation efforts? What was the comparative number of shelters and their services offered per capita. Have any Mayors of the larger cities impacted in Florida ran away out of state? How many NG were mobilized in comparison and when? How about police to prevent looting and maintain order? How many utility repair assets were pre-staged for each? How many emergency supplies were pre-staged per capita for each? Is any law enforcement going around confiscating firearms from citizens in Florida like they did in “the Chocolate City”? Comparative speed at which vital services were restored and vital infrastructure repaired? Has any areas of Florida descended into total lawless anarchy as occurred in the “Chocolate City”? Ghost employment revealed.
Gov. DeSantis said: You loot we shoot.
Sign at a friend of mines saw mill. “Due to the cost of ammunition there will be no warning shots fired”
I missed hearing that!! Wow. I support that statement. TY Gov.
SCHOOL BUSES!!!
https://ricochet.com/453453/the-schoolbuses-of-katrina/
Instead the pilied them into the Superdome with no supplies and no security or law enforcement.
” If I can make these next two feet in front of me better, then I will have accomplished something; and then – another two – and another two. Perhaps that’s my goofy way to deal with it.” That’s a wonderful way to deal with it. May the Lord God Almighty be with you.
Tears. Hugs. Prayers.
Yes. Sundance is quite consistent in his approach to monstrous tasks. Whether researching the evidence behind political crimes or rebuilding from a devastating natural disaster, he “eats the elephant” one bite at a time.
It is a lesson many should learn. It comes readily and easily to some; yet remains frustratingly unrecognizable and beyond reach for others.
I feel sorry for everyone that lost everything. However, I do not feel sorry for the boat owners. They had almost two week warning that Ian was coming and did nothing. They should have taken the big boats to Louisiana or Texas and the small ones to dry places inland. But, they want the insurance money to buy a new boat.
“But, they want the insurance money to buy a new boat.”
You have absolutely no proof of that. Further, how would one ascertain where the “dry places inland” were?
My understanding is the ground was already super-saturated before Ian ever hit.
And the aquifers already full.
You also have no idea as to what else these people are dealing with or trying to handle either do they Fionnagh do they.
Moving a boat from one place to another could the least of their problems, keeping their loved ones safe might be be at the top of their list.
You ain’t from the Dixie I’m from……we don’t criticize in situations like this.
Amen.
Huh?
First hand from someone who grew up in Florida, owned both trailered and docked boats, made a living working marinas and boat yards, and weathered more hurricanes than I can remember.
First you watch, wait and as the storm nears people start making decisions, gambles, tradeoffs. Boats are low on the priority list for most – pretty much last thing on one’s mind if a severe storm hit was likely. Rarely is a boat high priority unless the owner is living in it.
For boats that cannot be trailered, inland marinas and mooring sites fill up instantly. You would have to reserve one while the storm was still hundreds of miles away, and even then there is some chance that the new mooring/dock site may end up getting hit harder than your home dock. It is a crap shoot.
If the boat is on a trailer and you are not evacuating, there is not much to do except move it away from trees. If you are evacuating, not much chance you’ll be hooking it up to your truck.
Yes, that is what insurance is for. Regardless, a total loss claim on any boat is also last resort option – hardly a path to get a new boat. The depreciation and other adjuster policies would leave you with less than half the money it would take to replace it.
But ah yes those evil greedy boat owners – I forgot the pecking order of possessions.
The logistics of the preparation you describe are perhaps far more challenging than what you may believe. In theory you’re not wrong, but life must be dealt with in practical reality; theories are often too complex and impractical to put into action on short timetables.
They did **not** have a two week warning that Ian would hit in the location it finally did hit. The storm could have shifted direction at anytime and that put the entire Gulf at risk. At best they had a week.
See: https://www.npr.org/2022/09/27/1125366281/hurricane-ian-track-difficult-predict
Relocating larger craft that cannot be easily trailered and moved overland is limited to movement by water, and requires the assurance of safe harbor and dockage at the proposed temporary berth. For the many thousands of larger boat owners that is going to require a massive amount of available berths out of the range of the storm, not to mention assembling crews on short notice for a week or longer.
While I’m unfamiliar with the number and quality of safe harbors around the Gulf of Mexico, I imagine that while there may be many unoccupied berths in various marinas and public docks, the boat owner would need a ready resource to locate a slip of adequate size, depth, and access to accommodate his/ her craft.
Sailing craft often require bridges to be of a certain clearance over the water in order to pass safely underneath. Additionally, they often have fixed keels that require drafts of 5 to 8 feet. Not all River marinas have many berths that meet those requirements.
Moving trailerable craft out of the water and inland also requires a tremendous effort at every marina or launching ramp. Photos of highway congestion show that northward movement of ten thousand vehicles pulling boat trailers would have added significantly to that problem.
Having owned two displacement hull boats in my earlier life, one being a 8.7 meter sloop with a solid lead filled keel, and nursing one of those safely through a hurricane that came up through the Chesapeake Bay in the early 90s, I can attest to these considerations as being huge and potentially costly decisions that many boat owners are unprepared to make on short notice.
His plan, I think to remind us once again that without love, we die.
God, Family, Country.
Prayers up.
You’ve answered your own question, Sundance. Why do these things happen? Check your last line, my brother.
The cost to rebuild the entire SW Florida coast will be a fraction of what the US tax payer has already spent in Ukraine, Afghanistan and Iraq and those were man made disasters!
Well passed time for all states to stop sending gas tax money to the Federal Government. Put it aside for natural disasters. Can’t gripe about government spending and deficits if hard choices aren’t made. I reside in a coastal state and purposely don’t live any where near it nor own any property there..
How inspirational during adversity. Thank you.
It’s a beautiful thing when people show compassionate action. We are the carriers of the light for one another. God bless America and all who believe in her🙏🇺🇸
Thank you for your updates and positivity in this enormous disaster. My prayers are with you and all the people of Florida
We must ban these insidious generators, chainsaws, and other fossil fuel contraptions that foul the pure clean air Giai provides through climate renewal.
Newsome 2024.
Dark Ages 2025.
Hello Sundance, Ménagerie,
Long time no write … Getting old and weary but still keeping an eye on your articles from time to time. My kindest thoughts to you/family for these difficult days.
Great to hear from you, French Reader!
There are days your words bring me to tears. This is one of copious ones. God bless you mightily, Sundance al all the other workers and responders.
Boy that 12 billion we just sent to Ukraine would be a huge blessing to Florida right now, wouldn’t it!
A most inspiring post.
I also live on the Gulf Coast but in Louisiana. …have lived this situation.
By the time clean up comes you are already exhausted ….from the buildup to the hurricane and then the hurricane itself.
God bless you Sundance and All of the individuals involved.
My friend’s daughter left from the St. Louis area last night for recovery work in Florida, this is not her first rodeo and she’s very experienced.
This is going to be gruesome work when all is said and done, a death toll at 21 but with the sheriff of just one county predicting hundreds of dead, it could be an extremely sobering time.
Please continue prayers for all those involved in the clean up.
SD, thank you for the update. You do an incredible job of keeping your own spirits up and keeping on keeping on, and thereby keeping the spirits of those around you. God bless.
Just read death toll now 30.
I live in the Tampa area in a low-lying community. Monday night, we were ordered to evacuate. On Tuesday, we fled east to the Atlantic side to stay with friends there only to have the storm wheel and chase us across the state, flooding roads as it went. After the storm petered out, the roads were still somewhat impassable, so we stayed, only returning yesterday PM.
We returned to find no damage, no flooding, and full power as if the storm had completely missed us (which it did).
Screw this mandatory evacuation nonsense. We would have done better to hunker down and ride it out.
Just heard from family in Port Charlotte and Northport.
All safe.
Minor damage.
Expect to be without power for weeks.
Sporadic cell service.
Praise the Lord!
Good news! My girls at Daytona beach now have power. This despite the fact that just a a couple blocks away from them there is still 2′ of water covering the street.
SEMPER FI my brother..
My son evacuated from Fort Myers to Tampa on I-75 just hours before they shut it down.
He has pics of citizens putting small boats and inflateables into the rising water right next to I-75 to try and rescue people already trapped at that time. Went on for miles.
It’s crazy what the news ISN’T showing.
Though not unexpected. A narrative is being constructed.
They have been trucking water for the hospitals’ temporary tanks into Fort Myers from Lakeland, but in checking the 511 road closure website, it appears that most, if not all, of the highways from that direction to Fort Myers are closed due to flooding. At this point, the ERs there are basically triage and transfer.
Looting has been rampant for days.
Prayers for all affected.
The news doesn’t ever cover anything in a truthful manner. Just sensationalism and click bate stuff. that’s why I don’t own a tv. CTH is my #1 source of news. Even now, working the disaster, Sundance is giving us hands-on news, plus commenters – like your post. Thanks for updating us. Thankful your son is safe.
This post brought tears to my eyes. We Floridians thank each and everyone that has lent a helping hand and a hug.
Perhaps this is what it takes to wash away all that talk of Civil War.
If you wish, you can donate here to a legitimatee 501c3 assistance program: https://www.volunteerflorida.org/donatefdf/
I sent what I had to share to SD, I figure either he can use it, and if he doesn’t need it he will share it w/someone that does.