Your thoughts on aftermath of IKE

[Bosshound]

I can understand your meaning but I have this feeling that even if all that were able too did evacuate, emergency personnel would still be put in the position of grave danger. Considering the sheer size of IKE and effected areas and the danger, there would still have been a need for brave individuals to check for the ones that couldn't or were unable to leave. No not an excuse for the dummies that decided to stay and surely would only make rescue efforts that much worse. The fact remains rescue or no rescue, brave emergency personnel (bless them) make the decision to face the dangers and put themselves in those positions and then theres no guarantees, without checking things out-how would you ever know for sure. As far as the dummies go-are they to blame for the rescue workers dangers?, do they make it that much worse?,yes. Just let them herd-up on a man-made highway overpass island,someone will get to them eventually..

+1 Believe it or Not...Somepeople Had Nowhere to Go. NO FAMILY, NO FRIENDS.... SH.. Happens I Guess. God Bless our Service People. Cops, Paramedics, Firefighters, Coast Guard, etc

[BusaWizard]

For the people who didn't have any where to go, God bless them. For the the ones that could have and didn't, shame on you.

[Mrs.Rubber2Burn]

I agree 100%

What really puts me on my soapbox is the idiots that CHOOSE to ride out the storm and put their young kids in danger! I was listening to an interview of a true "redneck" who decided to weather it out in his house on Galveston Island. He described putting his two young children in lifejackets and writing their names and ss# numbers on them with a sharpie as the the first four feet of water poured in. THIS MAN SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH CHILD ENDANGERMENT! Those poor kiddos can not evacuate on their own and are at the mercy of their idiotic parents!
With that said, my parents were here this weekend because like if miserable in that area. 4 million with out power and they are being told at least 3 weeks before it will be restored. They bought a generator and portable A/C to help out. Their house sustained some damage that you would never believe wind could do.

[Mrs.Rubber2Burn]

OH - I did get a giggle out of that moron Geraldo Riveria getting swept off the seawall into the water!

[FastBusa]

Well since everyone is in agreement let me play Devil's advocate. I am on the Hurricane Response Team for my Plant (BASF). We have our procedures, and this time it was to shut down turn off the lights and lock the gates, ( I actually turned off the lights). Because I live about 10 miles north of Beaumont and at a higher elevation I was going to ride it out. But my decision was over ridden by the little lady. See we also have a nice little house 300 miles north of here just outside of Dallas. So Dallas is where I am at now. Here's the kicker. Its the unknown, is my house still there? What damage do I have etc ( is the Busa OK?). This will drive you crazy, This is my 3rd evacuation in three years. The other thing is looters. Scum of the earth, I want to be there to keep what is mine, like we all do.
I know things are just things, and they can always be replaced, but to loose all to a hurricane is one thing to loose something to looting is unacceptable to me.
All in all I came out OK, a friend stopped by my house yesterday, and other than looking like a was zone, and a large tree uprooted across my drive was pulling up my main water line all else is good, the Busa is safe.
One last thing, I know a lot of first responders, both fire fighters and rescue. They love this kind of thing. And they will thrill in "war" stories for years. This is the truth of the thing.
I have been on the BASF Emergency Response Teams for over 25 years, Fire, Rescue, HAZMAT and IC. At 53 years old now I don't get the thrill from this kind of adventure like I did in years past.

[BlueHaya]

Some pics of aftermath

[BlueHaya]

and 1 final one

[Wallie]

This thing are not fun, I went thru a lot of this in Puerto Rico.

[Sloto200]

Unless those that stayed had a legit reason for doing so, i'm with making them pay for their rescue... why should we have to pay for it. I just read a story of a lady and her son that couldnt leave because they were flat broke. They had fled Gustav and had no money left for the evacuation of this hurricane. The son is a diabetic and needs to eat 4 times a day... so she was faced with evacuation and no money for food or stay and feed her son. Thats a hard decision there... If i were faced with the choice of staying or leaving, it would be easy for me... money or not, i'm getting as far away as i can and hitching a ride the rest of the way if needed.

[MPH 200]

I completely agree.

But keep in mind... if they leave they can't loot

[Rocket_Man]

Darwin -

'nuff said.

[Rayabusa0818]

My first thought is, to quote Jack Nicholson in the departed, "givem up to the almighty" Seriously though, if they had the opportunity to leave and chose to stay I think they should pay for their rescue. I think Colorado does something similar for rescuing mountain climbers etc. But the reality is a lot of them probably would not have the means to pay the bill. I had a similar discussion with my son that is in the Coast Guard about his feelings toward having to rescue people that put themselves in peril by doing dumb things. He said it doesn't matter their goal is to save lives no matter what led to the situation. Here's to the brave men and women that do these jobs

[Leo]

I was listening to an interview with a guy on a rescue team, and his response to "what he thought of the people who stayed behind" and now he had to place himself in harms way to rescue them was...

I don't judge them for staying, there are people here who didn't have cars or $ to leave, there are people who have medical conditions etc... some have no family, some are unfortunate in other ways. Who am I to judge whether their reasoning was sound or not? A lot of people did leave, and and the evacuation went fairly smooth.

[captain]

For the people who didn't have any where to go, God bless them. For the the ones that could have and didn't, shame on you.

Everyone had a place to go..... Oklahoma opened up emergency shelters for thousands of people and they weren't full......

[Fate]

This guy was one luck SOB, lucky horse too!!

[DREW]

Ike bit us with 8 downed trees and 34 hours without power. We have no damage other than the trees . Very lucky. The closest I have seen to a Tornado. Prayers to the folks hit hardest.

[FastBusa]

Will post pics tomorrow when I get home.

[racerV]

I think they should be put up in a FEMA trailer and their insurance settlements forfeited to help the people that deserve the funds. I was at XFest 13 when Ike hit us, concert was obviously canceled. Came home to my plumb tree relocated to my neighbors yard and no power until last night. Thankfully, I have a 3800 watt generator and was able to hook up direct to my panel. Only house in the neighborhood with lights and TV.