Hurricane rescue?

The EMS here, and along the coast, has said that when winds get over a certain speed, they will no longer go out to rescue people because it puts the first responders in too much danger. I can't remember speed - maybe 30, 40 or 50 mph. They said if you stay, you're on your own.

As far as whether they get charged or not, I don't know. I think if you are under mandatory evacuation, you should go. I have seen stories about people with small children who are planning on riding this out - I think that's child endangerment.

I used to be very black and white about people who didn't evacuate. I'm still utterly frustrated by those who have funds and transportation and choose to "ride it out" and put first responders at risk. But for those living in or near poverty, evacuating is often NOT a straightforward process. This article explains some of the populations who have difficulty evacuating:

blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/dont-condemn-people-who-dont-evacuate-for-hurricane-florence/

Bingo!

There is a difference between can’t and won’t. But with anything there are lots of gray areas. It’s easy to say “I’d evacuate” when you don’t live in hurricane prone areas. It’s never just that easy. And they come every year pretty much. And money or lack of is one of the biggest reasons along with nowhere to go. Some of these people don’t have family or friends they can bunk with. All their family lives in the evacuation areas. And for some of these people we’re talking weeks or months with no job and no way to pay to feed and house yourself after you’ve evacuated.

Boy, can I relate to so much of that!

People could have pets that they don't want to leave behind and can't take to the shelter. I know someone in Florida who when she evacuated earlier this year just sat on the freeway for hours in a deadlock with everyone else who left at the same time. She had money to go stay in a hotel but couldn't get anywhere. I imagine if you have that experience once, you won't do it again if you don't have a full tank of gas.

Flooding is a bigger problem. We don’t have land anymore, we have asphalt.

... and that asshole Allison that couldn't make up her mind in 2001.

Myrtle Beach has really lucked out so far and it looks like they will continue to do so.

Senator Tim Scott of SC addressed this very issue in his comments about the hurricane. It's a very complicated issue for many people.

The news media tends to interview those stubborn, braggadocios people who stay. They are less less to tell the story of the others who stay for all those complicated reasons.

we evacuated once - ended up in a motel that lost power/water longer than our house did. That was 2004 the year we had 3 hurricanes come through our area - we stayed home for the next one.

We're far enough inland that flooding tends to be a bigger issue than wind - our area flooded badly when TS Debbie sat over us and poured rain down for days. Our house is high enough that while the roads and our front yard flooded - the house didn't and nor did the well. We're in a mobile home though so the authorities usually suggest evacuating for even Tropical Storms.

We would go for a mandatory evacuation but not for a voluntary at this point - money is a factor, so are the SIX cats (2 of whom are elderly - 15 and 16), and we have no local family. Our area tends to be an evacuation destination or waypoint (we're at the junction of a N/S and a E/W interstate and one of the only ways out of the state) so traffic tends to gridlock, one of the interstates tends to flood near us, and gas ran out last year before Irma. By the time they were evacuating near us - there was no gas and the interstates were gridlocked by the folks from further south and the coast - there was no where TO go (and the local shelters were full and not open to pets)

For sure.




I have been in mobile homes that were very, very nice. They can be an excellent choice for a home.

They are also dangerous places to be in high winds, as I'm sure you are more than well aware and a major consideration in your decision each storm.

If the decision was between staying in a relatively safe home vs the horror of the gridlocked road during a storm without the wind danger, I can honestly say that I might very well make the choice to stay back as well.

Rescue would then be for reasons that would include downed trees, illness, accident, or possible flooding and most likely not needed during the most dangerous times of a storm when rescue can't go out.

Are you to be denied help solely because you made an informed decision and opted for what you hoped was your best option?


Experience makes a tremendous difference here. If you have ever been trapped in traffic on a highway that is lined with cars that have run out of gas and there is neither food nor gas to be found while a monster hurricane barrels directly towards your back, you are going to have a far different understanding of what evacuation may involve than someone who's sitting at home in their nice, dry, safe home. People die on the road every day. You aren't suddenly safe just because there is danger elsewhere. It becomes something you must consider in your decision - how and when you can most safely make it through a storm of any level.

My mother lives in a very old mobile home in coastal NC half a mile from Bogue Sound. She did not evacuate even though I offered to fund the entire evacuation. None of her neighborhood evacuated either. Power came back on this morning for her and the only “damage” are dead branches in her yard. No flooding. She was in the 9-13” storm surge area about 7 miles southwest of downtown Morehead City.

And this is the reason she didn’t evacuate. After 40 years of living there, they have never flooded in her neighborhood. They hear the horror stories of people who get stuck on the road or can’t get back after the storm to cleanup. Personally I would have evacuated, but I have the financial means to do so.