Preparing for Ike? (Miami: mattress, price, shelter)

[blackklight]

i just watched the news and they said it might hit as a category 4, uhh what? i need to get my ass the f out of florida!

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by blackklight

i just watched the news and they said it might hit as a category 4, uhh what? i need to get my ass the f out of florida!

I'm probably going to go to Tampa depending on the forecast track. They are always spared...

If it's coming from the south or west though, yeah, I'm with you lol.

I know the cone shows it passing through and coming up the gulf but it's hard to trust a 5 day cone.

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

I'm probably going to go to Tampa depending on the forecast track. They are always spared...

If it's coming from the south or west though, yeah, I'm with you lol.

I know the cone shows it passing through and coming up the gulf but it's hard to trust a 5 day cone.

Is not about trusting a 5 day cone is about awareness;)

[planetsurf]

The cone of DOOOOOOM!

[sunrico90]

Check the following: Miami-Dade County - Emergency Management & Homeland Security

[sunrico90]

This is funny: Office procedures concerning storm and office closings

[intelfan11315]

compelled, are you ready for the burgeling of a lifetime? This is what we live for!

[popcorn247]

My house survived Andrew. It did get roof tile damage and had to be replaced. It is in Homestead. My home was built in 1956 and seems like a bunker. Lets all hope Ike takes a dive way down south.....below the Keys.

[noland123]

It seems like the country of Haiti has taken the worst beaten by the hurricanes and storms so far this year as well as Cuba as there have been quite a few deaths reported already .

[vpcats]

Originally Posted by planetsurf

If my memory serves me right, none of the shelters in S. Dade were wrecked during Andrew -- the last Cat 4/5 to hit SoFLa. They wouldn't use it as a shelter if they thought it wasn't safe no matter how west or east it is.
Remember that during a hurricane, the first danger is water, mainly from storm surge. EVERYONE needs to get off the barrier islands (like M Beach) and away from the bay. You could be just 2 miles inland and perfectly safe from that.
The second danger is the wind. A house recently built or remodeled in SoFla should be able to withstand a Cat 2/3 no problem., Cat 3/4 is more questionable but it should stay intact with minor damage, a Cat 4/5 ??? -- depends on your house, location, etc.
If you own a SFH in SoFla and you don't have shutters, plywood or hurricane windows and haven't had extra hurricane straps added to your roof joists and a giant blue tarp shame on you. It doesn't have to be expensive to get things ready.

As to leaving ... it's all well and good to run to Orlando everytime a hurricane comes close, but when? How strong? How close? Ike is supposed to hit Key West right now, but that's not until Tuesday! The forecast will change 4x per day until then. Andrew hit stronger than they thought, Gustav just hit LA weaker than they predicted so sometimes the strength will fluctuate too.

EVERYONE needs to be prepared! You should have supplies to last you 5 days without electricity the first day of hurricane season. You should have a plan for "escape" either before or, G*d forbid a massive mess, after a storm. Have gas in your car, cash, crankable radio, etc. KNOW where the shelters are if the eye jogs towards you and is strong enough to concern you.

You don't want to be caught on the road in a last minute dash to "safety" and don't count on flights out of "Dodge" on Monday. Just make like a Boy Scout and Be Prepared.

Personally, I have EVERYTHING we need to survive a catastrophe for a few days afterward (like no roof) until we can get out. I have an Aunt in Boynton, parents in Aventura, we are in CGables near UM (NW of US1) and friends in Plantation. Everyone in our circle knows we can go to the others even in the case of just a lose of power (which happens in the Gables every month lol) or for months if we lose a roof.

We are staying in a Cat 2/3, probably a 3/4. A 4/5 predicted 50-60 miles of us and we are at the shelter, no doubt.

Just have your plans and you'll be fine.

Planet... I think I am about as prepared as I can be - supplies, shutters, generators, gasoline, etc., etc. It seems like you are too. I'm not too far from the Gables, in a CBS home from 1956.

Why would you leave your home and go to a shelter for a Cat 4/5? What makes the huge difference?

Edit: I'm reading the other posts now, after I wrote the above. I guess it wouldn't be the brightest idea to stay in a SFH but I don't know if they'll let me park in Disney World with a truck full of pets.