Why aren't those in Galveston, TX, evacuating?

[Michelle in MO]

This is an honest question---I'm not trying to be nasty at all here. I'm really concerned about those people and I'm wondering---why aren't they evacuating? Do they have no money or gas or vehicles or any other means by which to evacuate?

 

What's going on? I'm a Midwesterner, so I'm ignorant about hurricanes and evacuations. Please help educate me on this topic.

 

My dad told me that a weather forecaster on a station he listened to today said, very bluntly, "If you stay there, you'll die."

 

I would think it might be even better to be homeless for a while, if necessary, than to stay on the island. Can someone please educate me?

 

Thanks.

[Joanne]

This is an honest question---I'm not trying to be nasty at all here. I'm really concerned about those people and I'm wondering---why aren't they evacuating? Do they have no money or gas or vehicles or any other means by which to evacuate?

 

Being local, we are watching tragic, scary story after tragic, scary story.

 

Bless the emergency personell willing to assist at this time.

 

We've experienced "get ready for hurricanes" a bit this season; preparedness readiness might be a factor. But we've not had mandatory evac orders; these should have been met with urgency by those in the listed zip codes.

 

I think some of it is an immature, residual "it won't happen to me" mentality. Some of it might be pride/shame on not having resources to leave (I could see myself in that situation prior to second marriage).

 

Some of it is pure stupidity. The people with kids tend to get more of my visceral reaction.

[*anj*]

 

Some of it is pure stupidity. The people with kids tend to get more of my visceral reaction.

 

That is what is making my blood boil. If you're an adult and you choose to risk your own life, so be it. But I'm seeing footage of kids and that enfuriates me. If what I've heard is true, every person had the option of evacuating, they had plenty of warning. I hate it that kids are the victims of their parents irresponsibility.

[Michelle in MO]

I think some of it is an immature, residual "it won't happen to me" mentality. Some of it might be pride/shame on not having resources to leave (I could see myself in that situation prior to second marriage).

 

Some of it is pure stupidity. The people with kids tend to get more of my visceral reaction.

 

Again---if someone had absolutely no means by which to evacuate---those people I truly feel sorry for. But, if someone has the option, it's really hard for me to understand why they would choose to stay?

 

I almost wish buses could be brought in to help evacuate people, although now it may be too late. God, help these people!

[hsmamainva]

From what I understand, buses HAVE been brought in to evacuate those who couldn't leave on their own.

 

The rest are staying because they choose to do so -- for whatever reason that might be .... and that just boggles my mind. I can't think of any piece of "property" in my house that's worth dying over.

[Tracey in TX]

Adrenaline rush? Immortality?

They are not making a good choice to stay. One should protect their life and not worry about the worldly goods. Those are all replaceable. I did hear a sad story on NPR. An elderly man said his wife died this week and her funeral was scheduled on Saturday. They had to cancel, but he felt a moral obligation to stay until his wife was in her final resting place. This same couple evacuated during Rita, and spent 21 hours in traffic. He didn't think he was capable of during that in his current state. Obviously, his story is an exception, but we never really know what goes through peoples' minds.

I don't think anyone who chooses to stay should expect emergency services, though.

[Kathleen in VA]

I'm guessing they're suicidal. OK, probably not, but it's the only answer that makes any sense to me. I mean, jumping off the Empire State Building is "certain death" and the only folks I ever hear of attempting to do that are suicidal. It's a mystery. Maybe they're hoping to buy the t-shirt, "I Survived Hurricane Ike and I Didn't Evacuate."

 

I, too, am incensed when children are involved.

[sleepy]

I did hear a sad story on NPR. An elderly man said his wife died this week and her funeral was scheduled on Saturday. They had to cancel, but he felt a moral obligation to stay until his wife was in her final resting place. This same couple evacuated during Rita, and spent 21 hours in traffic. He didn't think he was capable of during that in his current state. Obviously, his story is an exception, but we never really know what goes through peoples' minds.

 

 

Oh, that's so sad. :(

[mcconnellboys]

I think that die hard folks in coastal areas, whose families have lived there for generations, tend not to ever leave. Residents of Grand Isle, in Louisiana, are hard to get to leave, too.

 

This is particularly true if it's been a very long time since a hugely catastrophic hurricane - and bad as the great Galveston hurricane was, it's been over a hundred years. There were folks in Pass Christian, Mississippi, whose homes DID survive Camille, who thought that nothing could ever harm them because Camille didn't get them. Katrina did. Totally wiped them out.

 

I just heard a person on Galveston Island today saying that they had a Victorian, three story, that had survived other very bad hurricanes (so maybe it even got missed in the Great Galveston) - but that doesn't mean that they'll get a pass this time......

[Mom2legomaniacs]

One quote from a man said that God would take care of him. That is so frightening. Yes, God was taking care of you by giving you the pre-warning and the bus to get on to evacuate! Those poor people, some of whom are stupid and some that are very misguided. There will be a lot of tragedy from that.

[Michelle in AL]

I pray everyone will be alright and that this storm will calm down like Gustav.

 

We live on the coast in Alabama and the effects here (400 miles from the storm) are worse than what I saw with Gustav or Fay that were closer. The wind has been 30 miles per hour for 2 days. Low lying areas flooded here on Thurs. The waves are 15+feet. We watched the beach in some sort of scared awe yesterday. The waves are huge and crashing. They aren't even organized in lines like they normally are they just sort of errupt and crash up into the air like an explosion. I can't imagine what it would be like to be in a town in its path. The weather here isn't anything like a category 2 storm, it seems much more powerful, maybe there's more water involved or something.

[Mandamom]

that part of the issue was that people didn't understand that although this hurricane is "only" a category 2 (and strengthening as I write) due to wind speed that the shear diameter of this 'cane is bringing in way more surge than would be expected in a Category 2. I wonder what would have happened had there been a Category 4 storm heading toward Galveston and if some who chose to stay would have left.

 

This is one nasty storm and knowing that landfall isn't likely for another 6+ hours and is showing signs of strengthening is just terrible.

[Carrie12345]

 

I, too, am incensed when children are involved.

 

Would you support forceful removal of the children? That's the question I've been kicking around in my head today.

[Kathleen in VA]

Would you support forceful removal of the children? That's the question I've been kicking around in my head today.

 

No, not really. That's a mystery, too. What do you do for them? I don't know. It's just frustrating to watch people act so selfishly and children have no voice in a matter that affects their lives so directly and finally.

[jamnkats]

Being local, we are watching tragic, scary story after tragic, scary story.

 

Bless the emergency personell willing to assist at this time.

 

We've experienced "get ready for hurricanes" a bit this season; preparedness readiness might be a factor. But we've not had mandatory evac orders; these should have been met with urgency by those in the listed zip codes.

 

I think some of it is an immature, residual "it won't happen to me" mentality. Some of it might be pride/shame on not having resources to leave (I could see myself in that situation prior to second marriage).

 

Some of it is pure stupidity. The people with kids tend to get more of my visceral reaction.

 

Hey, Joanne - how are you guys faring? I thought we'd crawled out from under Ike today but this afternoon got hit with a feeder band. That mades 4 days under this monster. I don't envy you guys and hope you stay safe.

[Jane in NC]

When we were preparing to evacuate for Floyd (which came in as Cat 2 but which was initially anticipated as a Cat 4) my neighbor's friends came by to say goodbye to them as they were boarding up. Were the friends leaving? No. I asked them why not. "We don't leave for storms."

 

Sometimes we want to bang our teenagers' heads on brick walls when they are so foolish, but I fear that where I live there are some retirees who have returned to their adolescent immortal states. It is an inconvenience to leave. It is an inconvenience that even when your local officials say you can come home, you cannot return because roads between your community and evacuation point are under water or bridges are washed away. (This was the case with Floyd. It took five days before the Highway Patrol would open up the roads, allowing us to return.)

 

There is a good chance that the storm will be nothing more than an inconvenience: no power, yard debris, maybe a tree limb down. Not every home is destroyed or under water--media outlets focus on damage not on what has withstood the storm. Of course, one never knows...

 

As I said in another thread, when my son was younger I could not see remaining here on my barrier island home for a Cat 1 storm. I was outta here but now I have joined the legions of shoulder shruggers for smaller storms.

 

Not everyone on a barrier island is at sea level. There are flood prone areas, wind prone areas. Floyd with its twenty inches of rain in 24 hours caused more damage inland than on the coast--even though there were a number of houses that were washed off their foundations along the beach strand.

 

Frankly I am not that wedded to my stuff to stay behind. It is just stuff. Some people seem very attached to their worldly goods. Not worth risking life and limb, ya know?

 

Jane

[Kanga]

Don't throw tomatoes!

 

I have lived in 3 different hurricane states and have evacuated ONLY because my family who lives in the midwest says many of the things that have been posted on this board. So because I do not want my dear father to lose sleep, I have packed up my family with all of my neighbors shaking their heads saying, "you realize it is only a cat 2? You realize that the outer perimeter where you will supposedly be staying safe is going to be hit with tornadoes?, etc." Our houses never suffered damage in the hurricanes because we have chosen preperty without a lot of trees and have chosen property that is 17 - 25 feet above sea level (which I know doesn't sound like a lot, but it is). I realize that there are some idiots who stay in their beach front houses, but not everyone who stays is an idiot, and not everyone who leaves is doing so for safety reasons.

[Kathleen in VA]

When we were preparing to evacuate for Floyd (which came in as Cat 2 but which was initially anticipated as a Cat 4) my neighbor's friends came by to say goodbye to them as they were boarding up. Were the friends leaving? No. I asked them why not. "We don't leave for storms."

 

Sometimes we want to bang our teenagers' heads on brick walls when they are so foolish, but I fear that where I live there are some retirees who have returned to their adolescent immortal states. It is an inconvenience to leave. It is an inconvenience that even when your local officials say you can come home, you cannot return because roads between your community and evacuation point are under water or bridges are washed away. (This was the case with Floyd. It took five days before the Highway Patrol would open up the roads, allowing us to return.)

 

There is a good chance that the storm will be nothing more than an inconvenience: no power, yard debris, maybe a tree limb down. Not every home is destroyed or under water--media outlets focus on damage not on what has withstood the storm. Of course, one never knows...

 

As I said in another thread, when my son was younger I could not see remaining here on my barrier island home for a Cat 1 storm. I was outta here but now I have joined the legions of shoulder shruggers for smaller storms.

 

Not everyone on a barrier island is at sea level. There are flood prone areas, wind prone areas. Floyd with its twenty inches of rain in 24 hours caused more damage inland than on the coast--even though there were a number of houses that were washed off their foundations along the beach strand.

 

Frankly I am not that wedded to my stuff to stay behind. It is just stuff. Some people seem very attached to their worldly goods. Not worth risking life and limb, ya know?

 

Jane

 

Well, I understand not wanting to leave because it's inconvenient especially when there are so many times when nothing much happens. But when the government says you face "certain death" I'm confused about those wanting to stay put. Sounds foolish to me. Just sayin'.

[Michelle in MO]

I realize that there are some idiots who stay in their beach front houses, but not everyone who stays is an idiot, and not everyone who leaves is doing so for safety reasons.

 

It may be that, if you live in hurricane country, you get used to these storms, in a manner of speaking, so Cat 1 and possibly even Cat 2 storms don't seem so bad. You're used to them.

 

It just sounds like Ike is so bad that---it's scary!

 

Can we have a roll call of who from these boards will be affected?

 

So far, the names I come up with are:

 

Joanna

Michelle in AL

Myrtle (I think)

Aubrey

 

Who else? We need to be praying for these people!

[Kathleen in VA]

Definitely praying here!

[mom42terrificgirls]

75 miles from galveston here. power is already out across the street at 8:30 p.m. central. A ten-year old boy on our street was killed today when a tree his dad cut down fell on him. he was cutting it down so that the tree would not fall on the boy's bedroom.

[Michelle in AL]

 

Can we have a roll call of [b]who[/b] from these boards will be affected?So far, the names I come up with are:JoannaMichelle in ALMyrtle (I think)AubreyWho else?  We need to be praying for these people!

 

 

Oh, thanks Michelle, we'll be fine here though. Our worst is over I think since it's not underneath us anymore. I'll be praying for everyone else though.

 

I'm so thankful for this board though and all it's support.

[Michelle in MO]

that the intention of my OP was definitely not to cast aspersions on anyone who lives in hurricane country. I've never lived there, but I can well imagine that these storms become a part of life; so many are probably used to weathering out many storms and continue to try to do so.

 

But---this one worries me. What was Katrina? Was it a Cat 5 hurricane? Ike seems pretty big to me!

[Mamagistra]

Can we have a roll call of who from these boards will be affected?

Here are some...

 

And some more.

 

There may be more; these are just the threads I recall. :001_smile:

[TN Mama]

75 miles from galveston here. power is already out across the street at 8:30 p.m. central. A ten-year old boy on our street was killed today when a tree his dad cut down fell on him. he was cutting it down so that the tree would not fall on the boy's bedroom.

 

I heard about this on the news a little while ago. Just breaks my heart.

[Jami]

It may be that, if you live in hurricane country, you get used to these storms, in a manner of speaking, so Cat 1 and possibly even Cat 2 storms don't seem so bad. You're used to them.

 

It just sounds like Ike is so bad that---it's scary!

 

Can we have a roll call of who from these boards will be affected?

 

So far, the names I come up with are:

 

Joanna

Michelle in AL

Myrtle (I think)

Aubrey

 

Who else? We need to be praying for these people!

 

Aubrey is in the DFW-area and not that you should pray for her, but our weather shouldn't be to bad if the storm veers towards Arkansas as predicted. A little wind and rain, but nothing too crazy. Of course things could change, but if you're limited in prayer time, I'd focus on the coastal/Houston gals. ;)

 

Karensk who posts on the curr. board is in Houston also. I didn't see her on the former threads. (*waving hi to Karen*)

[amy g.]

We have all of the animals packed in the barn, and a few in the house. Dd is worried that the turkey coop will blow away. I just said no to her bringing a male and a female into my bathroom (just in case) to ride out the storm.

 

We cut down 2 dead trees that were threatening the barn, and our power line. We were horrified to read about the little boy who was killed. It's easy to imagine how it could happen.

 

There is still a big dead tree hanging over the kids' bedrooms. It was too big of a job for us to handle on our own. I'll make the kids sleep on the other side of the house tonight. We just have sand for soil, so even the healthy trees could topple in enough wind and rain.

[Sunshyne]

There were folks in Pass Christian, Mississippi, whose homes DID survive Camille, who thought that nothing could ever harm them because Camille didn't get them. Katrina did. Totally wiped them out.

 

 

 

I haven't read every response... but I was one of the ones that you speak of, though in the last hours we did leave, and we did lose our home, and our family *would* have drowned had we stayed.

 

We came so close. So close. Why? Why with 3 boys did we even ALMOST stay?

 

We were tired of leaving.

 

8 hours to get less than 100 miles. Many times. The last time before Katrina, it didn't even rain. The fire dept. came that time and told us to go.

 

Our subdivision took less than 12 inches of water for Camille. That it took any water at all is the only reason we left.

 

Katrina brought over 12 feet. And it was there for HOURS. We would have died, but I don't expect anyone to understand why we almost stayed. Doesn't make me or them a bad parent.

 

I can't tell you had bad the nightmares were. My kids died in my sleep every night for 2 years. It was awful. I'd wake up shaking and shivering, rocking, thinking "We LEFT. Why do I have to endure this?"

 

We only left because we had somewhere to go that we could get to. I worked until wee hours the night before we evacuated. We spent the morning getting the house ready, and for some reason I cut the grass. The GRASS?!? It's not a rational logical thing to be explained. it's almost...cultural. The response to a storm, I mean.

 

Careful when you judge, unless you've been there...

[TXMomof4]

Again---if someone had absolutely no means by which to evacuate---those people I truly feel sorry for. But, if someone has the option, it's really hard for me to understand why they would choose to stay?

 

I almost wish buses could be brought in to help evacuate people, although now it may be too late. God, help these people!

 

 

There were hundreds of buses down there to evacuate people. They've been arriving here in the DFW area all day. These people CHOSE not to evacuate.

[Robin in Tx]

Some people are just idiots and will stay no matter what.

 

But I think most of the people staying are doing so because they think it's just a cat 2 storm so what's the big deal. Their homes have withstood cat 3 storms and more.

 

There is a lot of local talk about updating the current cat system because it takes only wind speed into consideration, and storms like this who have other, more deadly factors (huge size, huge storm surge the equivalent of a cat 4/5 storm) are not being taken as seriously as they should be because a cat 2 designation just doesn't conjur up the concern the storm deserves.

[tibbyl]

This is an honest question---I'm not trying to be nasty at all here. I'm really concerned about those people and I'm wondering---why aren't they evacuating? Do they have no money or gas or vehicles or any other means by which to evacuate?

 

What's going on? I'm a Midwesterner, so I'm ignorant about hurricanes and evacuations. Please help educate me on this topic.

 

My dad told me that a weather forecaster on a station he listened to today said, very bluntly, "If you stay there, you'll die."

 

I would think it might be even better to be homeless for a while, if necessary, than to stay on the island. Can someone please educate me?

 

Thanks.

 

So the weather forecaster is saying with confidence that everyone who stays behind will die in the disaster? Sounds like he is going for the dramatic effect.

 

Some adults of sound mind and body do not wish to leave their homes susceptible to natural and human predators. Others may experience a rush in defying or witnessing a natural disaster. One can probably safely assume that they have weighed the risks and benefits and accept that death is a possible consequence. A few thousand people drowned in Galveston early in 20th century when hurricane damaged bridge, stranding people. Residents and scientists died in the Mt Saint Helens eruption.

[LanaTron]

So the weather forecaster is saying with confidence that everyone who stays behind will die in the disaster? Sounds like he is going for the dramatic effect.

 

 

 

The Galveston National Weather Service issued this statement once they all figured out the potential for the storm surge:

 

All neighborhoods... and possibly entire coastal communities... will be inundated during high tide. Persons not heeding evacuation orders in single family one or two story homes will face certain death.

 

Were they being over dramatic? Well, I think they have to express the worst case scenario, just in case it is that worse case scenario. We won't really know until sometime Saturday how extensive the damage is.

[Heather in the Kootenays]

:grouphug: Decisions are only clear in hindsight aren't they. glad you made the right one. :grouphug:

[beansprouts]

I think the "Beansprout" family could easily have been among those who stayed behind during Katrina. :grouphug:

 

Some people are just idiots and will stay no matter what.

 

 

I do not trust the media to accurately report these storms. They have a field day every hurricane season. They drool over it. They actually want the storms to be bad because it sells more headlines. It is sick! Every storm since Katrina has been a "deadly storm" so who can truly evaluate the danger and make an intelligent choice?

 

People are sick of running from a little rain. It's not as simple as "hopping on a bus" I am sure. It is hours of traffic, crowded crime-ridden shelters, an enormous amount of stress and hassle. Remember Rita? They aren't staying to protect "stuff", they are staying to protect themselves and their children from "shelters" like the Superdome during Katrina, or from hours and hours of sitting in a car on the highway just waiting for the storm to land...

 

What scares me more than the wind and the rain are the freedoms which are slowly eroding away. There is talk here on the board of arresting people and forcing them to leave their homes. One of you suggested that maybe we should go in and take people's children. I find the idea horrifying! Has anybody actually considered the implications of this?

 

My guess is there are quite a few "idiots" on this board feeling pretty hurt right now. Let's have a little grace, and not be so quick to judge or lean on our own understanding.

[cricket1178]

I haven't read every response... but I was one of the ones that you speak of, though in the last hours we did leave, and we did lose our home, and our family *would* have drowned had we stayed.

 

We came so close. So close. Why? Why with 3 boys did we even ALMOST stay?

 

We were tired of leaving.

 

8 hours to get less than 100 miles. Many times. The last time before Katrina, it didn't even rain. The fire dept. came that time and told us to go.

 

Our subdivision took less than 12 inches of water for Camille. That it took any water at all is the only reason we left.

 

Katrina brought over 12 feet. And it was there for HOURS. We would have died, but I don't expect anyone to understand why we almost stayed. Doesn't make me or them a bad parent.

 

I can't tell you had bad the nightmares were. My kids died in my sleep every night for 2 years. It was awful. I'd wake up shaking and shivering, rocking, thinking "We LEFT. Why do I have to endure this?"

 

We only left because we had somewhere to go that we could get to. I worked until wee hours the night before we evacuated. We spent the morning getting the house ready, and for some reason I cut the grass. The GRASS?!? It's not a rational logical thing to be explained. it's almost...cultural. The response to a storm, I mean.

 

Careful when you judge, unless you've been there...

 

I just wanted to tell you that although I don't live in a hurricane prone state, I understand your (and many others who have lived through hurricanes) hesitation for leaving. If you have gone through stronger hurricanes, I can understand why a lesser hurricane would give you cause to pause. I hope we are all learning from the experiences of these last few years, and although it may not seem bad enough to evacuate, I hope we will err on the side of caution.

 

I sorry you had to suffer nightmares.

[TN Mama]

I haven't read every response... but I was one of the ones that you speak of, though in the last hours we did leave, and we did lose our home, and our family *would* have drowned had we stayed.

 

We came so close. So close. Why? Why with 3 boys did we even ALMOST stay?

 

We were tired of leaving.

 

8 hours to get less than 100 miles. Many times. The last time before Katrina, it didn't even rain. The fire dept. came that time and told us to go.

 

Our subdivision took less than 12 inches of water for Camille. That it took any water at all is the only reason we left.

 

Katrina brought over 12 feet. And it was there for HOURS. We would have died, but I don't expect anyone to understand why we almost stayed. Doesn't make me or them a bad parent.

 

I can't tell you had bad the nightmares were. My kids died in my sleep every night for 2 years. It was awful. I'd wake up shaking and shivering, rocking, thinking "We LEFT. Why do I have to endure this?"

 

We only left because we had somewhere to go that we could get to. I worked until wee hours the night before we evacuated. We spent the morning getting the house ready, and for some reason I cut the grass. The GRASS?!? It's not a rational logical thing to be explained. it's almost...cultural. The response to a storm, I mean.

 

Careful when you judge, unless you've been there...

 

Wow. All I can say is... I am so thankful you left. :grouphug: And I am very sorry for what you have lost.

[Michelle in MO]

The Galveston National Weather Service issued this statement once they all figured out the potential for the storm surge:

 

All neighborhoods... and possibly entire coastal communities... will be inundated during high tide. Persons not heeding evacuation orders in single family one or two story homes will face certain death.

 

Were they being over dramatic? Well, I think they have to express the worst case scenario, just in case it is that worse case scenario. We won't really know until sometime Saturday how extensive the damage is.

 

that the Weather Service itself issued its strongest possible warning regarding the situation. Again, let me emphasize that the intent of my original post was not to condemn or belittle anyone who decided to stay. It was meant as an honest, non-judgmental question; I hope there's been no confusion over that.

[Sunshyne]

that the Weather Service itself issued its strongest possible warning regarding the situation. Again, let me emphasize that the intent of my original post was not to condemn or belittle anyone who decided to stay. It was meant as an honest, non-judgmental question; I hope there's been no confusion over that.

 

I truly think the media is hurting people by issue these life or death sorts of warnings. When the next big one comes, noone will listen. It was a Cat 2. Yes, I understand that the "category" scale needs work, but all of this mass panic/paranoia over a cat 2 storm... It's really sad.

 

As far as my Katrina experience, I thank you all for acknowledging my life and losses. In no way do I feel a victim. We are doing amazingly well as a family, and consider ourselves blessed by everything we've been through. Thank you again for your kind thoughts.

[Carrie12345]

 

What scares me more than the wind and the rain are the freedoms which are slowly eroding away. There is talk here on the board of arresting people and forcing them to leave their homes. One of you suggested that maybe we should go in and take people's children. I find the idea horrifying! Has anybody actually considered the implications of this?

.

 

As the person who posed the question of taking children, (a question that I have not answered in my own heart) yes, I have considered the implications. And they stink either way.

 

I do find it an interesting conundrum, the whole protection of the right to life and what not.

[Laurie4b]

All evening long on the news, I kept hearing the expression: "May face certain death". Huh?

[Laurie4b]

What I heard was that it wasn't the "category" in this case, but the combination of the sheer size of the storm combined with shallow waters along the TX coast and that the danger was from the huge storm surge expected, not from the intensity of the storm.

[Mama Lynx]

So the weather forecaster is saying with confidence that everyone who stays behind will die in the disaster? Sounds like he is going for the dramatic effect.

 

Some adults of sound mind and body do not wish to leave their homes susceptible to natural and human predators. Others may experience a rush in defying or witnessing a natural disaster. One can probably safely assume that they have weighed the risks and benefits and accept that death is a possible consequence. A few thousand people drowned in Galveston early in 20th century when hurricane damaged bridge, stranding people. Residents and scientists died in the Mt Saint Helens eruption.

 

Certainly the media goes for dramatic effect. However, that's why you have to educate yourself and look at WHO is giving the warning.

 

It is my understanding that that "certain death" warning came not from the media at first, but from the National Weather Service.

 

Galveston Island is in a really, really bad place. If the weather service did not emphasize this, and if forecasters did not relay the seriousness, even more people would have chosen to stay. We'll see how many make it.

 

I don't pay much attention to the drama of TV forecasters. However, for instance, if were in Oklahoma and Gary England told me to *run* from the tornado, you bet I'd do it, and not look back. Similarly, if someone like Brendan Loy tells me to evacuate because the hurricane is going to be very bad, I am so out of there. They know their stuff, and they are concerned about saving lives.

 

For this storm, I can understand riding it out in portions of the mainland. If I knew I was on high enough ground inland, I might not leave. I can see it. But on Galveston Island? The facts seem pretty clear that it was tempting fate to stay. You don't wish to leave your home? Fine, understandable. You don't want to risk a shelter? Okay. But yes, you might die. The NWS has to do its utmost to make sure you've been warned.

[Mama Lynx]

What I heard was that it wasn't the "category" in this case, but the combination of the sheer size of the storm combined with shallow waters along the TX coast and that the danger was from the huge storm surge expected, not from the intensity of the storm.

 

Yes, this is correct. The hurricane rating system does not take the storm surge into effect. This is NOT media hype. However, luckily, the models did turn out to be wrong, and the storm surge was not as bad as expected. Here is a really good read on the subject.

[beansprouts]

It is my understanding that that "certain death" warning came not from the media at first, but from the National Weather Service.

 

Galveston Island is in a really, really bad place. If the weather service did not emphasize this, and if forecasters did not relay the seriousness, even more people would have chosen to stay. We'll see how many make it.

 

I saw the NWS report and I agree it did not look good. My understanding is those facing "certain death" would be the people on Galvaston Island. The truth is, I don't think that even I am adventurous enough to remain on an island waiting for a potential 20ft storm surge (unless it is "Bucket List" time.) But I still have only compassion for those who made what may become an unfortunate choice.

 

I have also heard that out of 1 million people, there were 90.000 remaining in Galvaston. A 90% evacuation rate seems exceptional to me, isn't it? But the media won't report the huge success of the evacuation efforts or the potential lives saved by it. They are getting too much mileage over the drama of the 1200 emergency calls for rescue recieved much too late. *sigh*

[mcconnellboys]

I'm not judging at all. I lived in south Louisiana for many, many years and some of my family is still in Baton Rouge (and just got power restored from the last storm). I will not ever forget the huge amount of loss in St. Bernard Parish and in Pass Christian after Katrina, among other places. The OP asked why would anyone not go when told to go, and I was offering a tiny bit of the info I've been given over the years by those who have not gone when told to go.

[Reya]

This is an honest question---I'm not trying to be nasty at all here. I'm really concerned about those people and I'm wondering---why aren't they evacuating? Do they have no money or gas or vehicles or any other means by which to evacuate?

 

What's going on? I'm a Midwesterner, so I'm ignorant about hurricanes and evacuations. Please help educate me on this topic.

 

My dad told me that a weather forecaster on a station he listened to today said, very bluntly, "If you stay there, you'll die."

 

I would think it might be even better to be homeless for a while, if necessary, than to stay on the island. Can someone please educate me?

 

Thanks.

 

Well,t here was a truly horrific hurricane there in the 1910s that killed many, many people. In reaction, the island was build up a NUMBER of feet and the first seawall constructed, so that it would never happen again. And people have faith in these changes--more thant hey should. The problem was "fixed," and they are very proud of that fix. And the foolhardy ones rely on it.

 

I had my honeymoon on Galveston!

[Heather in Neverland]

I guess my biggest gripe is the danger that rescuers are now facing (and the money being spent) trying to help those who were stubborn and stayed behind. I think you should have the right to stay or go but if the government says GO and the NWS says GO and the government even provides bussing for those who have no transportation and you STILL don't go...you are on your own.

[Mom to Aly]

At this point, I know there are so many out there trying to rescue people who are stranded, but there are sooo many who might be dead, so maybe we can put this thread on hold and just hope everyone is OK? I think, out of respect, that would be a good thing to do.

[lovemyboys]

I pray everyone will be alright and that this storm will calm down like Gustav.

 

We live on the coast in Alabama and the effects here (400 miles from the storm) are worse than what I saw with Gustav or Fay that were closer.

 

Thank God it wasn't like Katrina as it hit the coastline east of New Orleans either. Things were leveled a mile inland. Did you live in AL during that?

 

Having lived along the gulf coast and other coastal areas, I can say that a lot of people have a hardiness that they can stand up to any storm, however "fool-hardy" that might really be.

 

wrt Galveston, I believe it was the mayor and other authorities telling folks it was a "you stay, you die" situation, and they had assistance/vehicles ready. But even when they make mandatory evacuations, the police and rescue folks are invariably walking door to door to encourage and insist that these few "hardy" souls leave.

 

What really annoys me is seeing the dozens of rescues being performed. Yes, they're highly skilled and brave, but this puts the lives of these people in danger and takes the manpower away from other areas, like the fires that occur, etc.

 

We had a friend stay on a small barrier island through a quick, dry cat. 1 hurricane a few years ago in a "cat.3 proof"house. She was terrified and said never again, she couldn't believe she'd been so foolish, and with a 6 yo dd.

[Robin in Tx]

My guess is there are quite a few "idiots" on this board feeling pretty hurt right now. Let's have a little grace, and not be so quick to judge or lean on our own understanding.

 

The idiots I was talking about are the ones who did things like sneak out onto a fishing pier and try to ride out the storm on a fishing pier. Or the ones who stayed on beachfront property because they thought it would be cool. Yes, sometimes the need to evacuate certain areas is so clear, so evident (even the national hurricane center said that to stay was certain death), that only an idiot would stay behind and do what some of these folks did. That's not the same as those who were behind a seawall and who have ridden out cat 3 storms in their home before, who have carefully weighed the risks and have made an informed, reasonable decision. That's what I meant when I said that there are some idiots out there who wouldn't evacuate no matter what. I doubt you fall in that category :).