Have friends and family in Sanibel and Tampa.
Hope folks are heeding warnings.
9’-12’ storm surge on a high tide is no bueno.
Yeah, this looks bad.
Stay safe any Florida Utes.
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And all those rowdy gator fans too.
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I’m just waiting to find out what is going to happen to a ton of my family and friends in Florida. Hopefully their moving inland will help them.
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Looking like sustained winds of >150. Holy ■■■■!
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Thinking about Buddy this morning:
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Oooof! Not even a steel tower.
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i worked in South FL for about 10 years and have many friends and former colleagues in the area.
I’m happy I’m no longer traveling to the area weekly, and concerned for all the folks I know there.
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Just read that they closed the Waffle Houses in the storm’s path. That’s how you know it’s some serious sh*t.
A reminder for those saying “why don’t they just leave?”. Many people either can’t afford to leave or have nowhere to go.
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Strangely enough Waffle House is a barometer of how bad a storm is. As you said, you know it’s serious if Waffle House closes. Often times they’re the only place emergency workers can get food.
Give WH a couple of days, they’ll be up and running to help get the area back on it’s feet.
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This is looking like Katrina all over again. Big storm that leaves a ■■■■ ton of damage in its wake. The difference? Population.
I hope these folks went inland and that we have the support agencies at the ready to come in and help with the rescue and recovery efforts.
I hope FEMA has the checkbook at the ready to reimburse the State and Local governments affected. These storms are budget busters for these agencies (speaking from experience). They will need money fast!
Hope the casualties are few and the damages don’t hit Katrina level.
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Hence my comment. 
FEMA is one of the primary clients I work with. They have been in full mobilization across the entire org this week. I’m sure they’re ready to jump in, but it’s looking like it’ll be a big lift.
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I understood, not everyone does. WH may not be great food, but they’re consistent. Hope things go as well as possible in the storms path.
On a side note, I expect a call from my MiL about the storm. We’re not even in the cone of possibility for storm tracking, and she’ll still freak out over us getting a few inches of rain this coming weekend. We’re WAY too far east to get much.
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Understood and also people have pets that are dear to them. I totally appreciate that.
Back in the day, people just really didn’t know much information - and there wasn’t a lot of news coverage either. Nowadays, there’s a lot of very detailed information for those who want to learn as much as possible about the threat to their lives and property.
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Supposed to land near Sanibel Island, then slowly move inland and basically right over where I live, much like Charlie did back in 2004. Here we go again.
Just rain and some wind at the moment in Central Florida, but that is going to change overnight. We have done all we can to prepare.
RR
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I have a mediation scheduled for Oct. 11 in Miami. It involves a number of people from Naples, which is on the west coast where the brunt of the hurricane will hit. I have friends in Tampa too. Ugh. Worried about them.
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I think Tampa will be spared, and that is a good thing. Pinellas county, if it took a direct hit from a cat 4 or 5…damn.
The Sanibel, Estero, Ft. Myers area and also Naples and Marco Island have a big issue right now.
RR
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My friends and former colleagues are all in the greater Miami area, and I’ve been in touch with them this morning. Everyone is doing fine and feeling very grateful the storm will be focused northwest of them.
Most are lifelong residents of the area, and well practiced at preparing for these sorts of storms.
Back in 2004, three went right over my house basically, with Charlie being the most destructive. So, yeah, been there, done this, but the aftermath of Charlie …well it looked like a war zone…the entire power grid was blown away. So yeah, MIami was spared, and Tampa/St. Pete to a certain extent, but that means some else is getting clobbered.
Charlie ripped out power lines and poles and such, and threw them into the atlantic. ugly.
RR
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