What It’s Like to Live Through a Hurricane

It was the most massive hurricane to ever power through the Atlantic Ocean. And for days we knew it was more than likely coming our way. I wrote here about the uncertainty of all that. Living through a hurricane is a unique experience. The closest thing to which I can compare it is a snow storm that dumps two feet of snow…but with much more force and destruction.

Going through a hurricane is a process. There are things you experience before the storm, during it, and then as it breaks up into a tropical storm and goes away.

Before:

  • Hype: If you live anywhere in the country you certainly heard about Hurricane Irma. But If you live in Florida it was on TV, the radio, newspapers, social media, and overheard in every conversation out and about. Yes, this was a strong storm. Yes, it was important to prepare. But the hype was more than over the top.
  • Uncertainty: First Irma was supposed to come straight up the east side of the state. Then she was supposed to come straight up the middle. Next she was supposed to come up the east side of the state. Then straight up the middle. The famous “cone of uncertainty” that they show on every broadcast was so big it was maddening. Finally, Irma came up the east coast then straight up the middle of the state. So I suppose they were sort of right.
  • Purchases: You should have seen the stores. You’re supposed to get your hurricane preparedness supplies well in advance of the season. But of course people don’t. So there was a run on bread, water, batteries, and canned goods. Now that the storm is over we have two cases of bottled water we never touched and a whole bunch of canned goods that will probably end up at our local food pantry. We also have a battery powered transistor radio that we didn’t even use, and probably won’t use again until the next hurricane (God forbid).
  • Preparation: You have to prepare your house. Some people boarded up their windows. We didn’t…and were a little nervous about that. All of our porch furniture and plants came into our house. There were towels in every window. Everything got unplugged. I turned off the air conditioning breaker. The garage doors were locked and we backed our cars into the garage doors so that they wouldn’t flex and blow off the house. We even put our pictures in garbage bags and important papers in the trunk of my car. Our really important papers came with us. In addition, we also have photos of just about every item in our house in case we needed to make an insurance claim.
  • (Lack of) Sleep: It’s very difficult to sleep in the days leading up to a hurricane. All the things you have to do to prepare are running through your mind. Worst case scenarios are running through your mind. All the uncertainties are running through your mind. No sleep.

During:

  • TV: During a hurricane the TV, as long as you can have it, is your lifeline. You watch the cone of uncertainty narrow down to become nearly certain. Then you watch the bands of the storm get closer. It keeps you awake while every last little bit of wind and rain squall is analyzed. (Why is it that the worst part of a hurricane always seems to hit in the middle of the night?)
  • Snacks: Now’s the time to break out the snacks you bought. Most of them can be eaten right out of the bag or box since you’ve been anticipating a power outage for weeks. Everyone sits around nervously eating stuff they usually wouldn’t be.
  • Fear: See TV above. The media will do whatever they can to scare you to death so that you keep watching their station and they can sell more advertising. Yes, a hurricane is very serious and shouldn’t be messed with. But let’s have a little bit of balanced reporting.
  • Family: In the midst of a potentially life-altering storm, along with your faith, this becomes the most important thing. We were thankful to be able to ride the storm out with our daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. It was very real, very good, quality time. The bonus was the meals our son-in-law cooked us while we waited for “the worst.”
  • (Lack of) Sleep: How can you sleep when a hurricane is blowing through your town?

After:

  • Water: Now, let’s see. What do we do with all the water the media told us to buy before the hurricane? I’m sure we’ll eventually use it.
  • Restaurants: If you own a restaurant, and have willing employees, open your restaurant as soon as humanly possible after the storm blows through. Since we were downtown we were able to walk to a pizza joint that opened at 4 in the evening the day after the hurricane. We got there before 4:00 and it was already packed. The entire time we were there a line of people was waiting outside the door. And as we walked home with leftover pizza in the box no less than three cars stopped in the middle of the road to ask us where we got it.
  • Assessing (damage): Since we were not in our own home for the storm, we were worried about what we would find when we got home. All in all, we were fortunate to have only some interior damage to our window sills from seeping water. Others fared far worse. Insurance companies, power companies, home improvement stores, gas stations, and grocery stores are working overtime to help people with all the issues that have arisen from Irma.
  • Waiting (for power): I’m here to tell you that having no power is no fun. Especially when you live in hot and humid Florida. My heart goes out to those who are still (four days later) living without power. We were without electricity for about a day-and-a-half, and that was bad enough. Linemen who bring our power back are true heroes.
  • Sleep: One of the best nights of sleep I have ever had was the night after our power was restored and the storm was all over. I can’t remember the time I slept that well. Must have needed it.

What have you learned from living through some kind of natural disaster?

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3 thoughts on “What It’s Like to Live Through a Hurricane

  1. Thanking our Lord with you and all your family (here, there, and everywhere else!!) for this news of you dear two and your daughter & family — thank You, dear Lord, Savior, Shepherd, Keeper and All in all!!
    And praying for you as you minister among neighbors, friends, your congregation and so many others who are affected physically, emotionally, spiritually . . . . .
    With you in His great care and love,
    Dottie

  2. Stay calm, treat people with compassion and plainly just try and show JESUS through it all. Oh, and 1 more thing. JESUS is always in charge and it can’t get any better than that. I prayed that he would keep us safe through the night and HE did. I prayed before going to bed on Monday that the electric would come back on soon and it did. I really can’t thank HIM enough for loving us so much and taking care of us. You are never, never, NEVER alone if you have JESUS!