I am taking time out from politics and social issues today for a hurricane. I am in Brunswick, Ga. and, starting sometime tomorrow, we will be getting slammed by Hurricane Matthew. High storm surge, intense rains, and heavy winds will be upon us. The winds, depending on the exact path, will range from 60 to 100 mph. It will be a mess.
We will likely loose power, so I may be unable to blog for a bit. But, these storms are weird. Having lived most of my life in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., I have seen several and the only thing you can count on is that you can count on nothing. They sometimes weaken unexpectedly and sometimes they strengthen without warning. They sometimes move quickly and sometimes slow to a crawl and wobble around for days. This one is traveling along the very warm Gulfstream so any sudden change is unlikely, but who knows.
For once, I want to congratulate the news media. They have done a darn good job in reporting the news without getting hysterical. Government officials are also doing fine work.
You have got to let folks know just how dangerous these things are and make sure they understand the necessary precautions. If people pay attention and do what is necessary, they should be alright.
Anyone reading this who may be affected by this storm should know that they are going to have a very rough day or so, Do not go outside. Even when the storm has passed, be very cautious when you go out. There will be standing water and sometimes it can be quite deep. Do not drive your car through deep water; it will kill that car. Sometimes power lines come down and they can be live so touch no downed wires.
If you lose power, be careful cooking over fires and do not light a grill anywhere near you house. Carbon monoxide poisoning is an issue with fires in closed in spots and it won't hurt you to live on cold canned food for a few days. Fill every available container in your home with water. Sometimes, with power outages, cities cannot pump water for a few days and you really do not want to be outside standing in line for bottled water. Fill your bathtub with water; you can use that to flush your toilet.
Just pay attention, stay calm and use your head and you will be fine. Stay safe and I'll write again when this mess is past.
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