It's really strange, the day after a hurricane, in Florida - it's almost always sunny and beautiful, like it never even happened - but then, of course, you can clearly see the devastation.
While that may be true with higher-end condos, homes, and office buildings, others are not so lucky (and you can see the disparity when you view the photos)
The death toll is currently 12, I've seen, but it is rising as rescue teams still struggle to reach people.
Some of these photos take me back and look familiar - piled up boats, some houses and businesses reduced to matchsticks, crushed cars, trees blocking roads - God bless those people, it will take a long time to climb out.
It worries me, though, seeing people letting their children outside - downed powerlines, sometimes in water, rusty nails sticking up out of wood planks everywhere. I sent my daughter and stepson back to Lexington beforehand, each time, until it was safe enough to return.
I went with them them for the first hurricane, Hurricane Ivan, because I was the newest member on the transcription team for a local hospital and there wasn't enough room to stay at the hospital (which was also a shelter for staff), and my apartment wasn't super stable.
Hurricane Ivan was the worst of the three for us, direct hit - a slow 3, with several tornadoes spinning off.
I called my work the day after, after seeing the windows blown out of the hospital on the national news. They had backup generator power now, but I could tell in my coworker's voice that she was checked out/traumatized and she said the national guard was stationed outside now, because in addition to the hurricane itself, people rushed in the broken windows for shelter, try to get ice and food, medicine, etc.
So I rented a minivan and hightailed it back to relieve them and with a boatload of supplies donated by my grandmother's church. No one was allowed in, at that time, even if you lived there, but having my work ID for a hospital, they let me through. I could barely find my house, due to downed trees. It literally looked like a war zone, and super creepy at night with no power.
It wasn't until about 5 weeks later that the power was back on and it was deemed safe enough for kids by local government, so they have no idea what it looked like originally.
By the time I arrived, there was enough room for us all to work (or even stay) with the hospital having power (though as mentioned previously, it would be five more weeks at home before power was restored).
I remember we'd have to take mini-breaks because it was super heavy stuff we were transcribing - so many sad stories coming in, many of them actually days after the hurricane hit - people trying to remove branches from power lines, stepping in electrocuted water, unable to get their life-saving medicines, limbs being taken off, etc.
So people, please only do what's necessary until the power lines are repaired, but if you need medical attention, still get it, calling 911 if need be (but only if true emergency because they are busy)
Also, now comes the roofing scams and price gouging, so be careful as you can ...
Ft. Myers Beach itself is decimated ...
Lastly, gonna post our anthem, at the time, for those struggling in the aftermath. Pensacola has a huge naval base and is also home to the Blue Angels.
Thus, we could hear the Van Halen song dedicated to the Blue Angels, "Dreams," blasting all day, every day, from our car and portable radios - and the Blue Angels then flew over and tipped their wings at us, to boost morale :)
I'll never forget that, or the sound they make as they rumble across the sky :)
That's the other strange thing about hurricanes, I was talking to our maintenance man from Puerto Rico about that not long ago - people forget their beef with each other for a while, what your politics are, what color your skin is, what faith you are, what your sexual orientation is, and just help each other - people are often at their best when things are at their worst.
It can be done, I've seen it - too bad it often takes things like hurricanes to do it (and so many people forget later and go back to the way things were, how quickly we forget).
Thus, I still tear up when I hear this song - who would've ever thought Van Halen would bring tears to your eyes? lol
Stay strong, Ft. Myers et al ...
Van Halen - "Dreams" - ft. the US Navy's Pensacola Blue Angels
Pictures in an empty room
Your love starts fallin' down
Better change your tune
Yeah, you reach for the golden ring
Reach for the sky
Baby, just spread your wings
And get higher and higher
Straight up we'll climb
We'll get higher and higher
Leave it all behind
Run, run, run away
Like a train runnin' off the track
Got the truth bein' left behind
Fall between the cracks
Never losin' sight, ah
We'll get higher and higher
Straight up we'll climb
We'll get higher and higher
Leave it all behind
So baby, dry your eyes
Save all the tears you've cried
Oh, that's what dreams are made of
In a world that must be strong
Oh, that's what dreams are made of
Straight up we'll climb
Higher and higher
Leave it all behind
Oh, we'll get higher and higher
Who knows what we'll find
So baby, dry your eyes
Save all the tears you've cried
Oh, that's what dreams are made of
Oh baby, we belong
In a world that must be strong
Oh, that's what dreams are made of
And in the end
On dreams we will depend
'Cause that's what love is made of
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