Antonio... Are you OK?

[dave9999]

Antonio
And anyone else in Central and South Florida,

I was just ckecking to make sure you didn't get caught in Hurricane Charley.
Man, that a massive storm. We had a near miss with Tropical Storm Bonnie
earlier this week, and I have been keeping a close eye on Charley.

I have lived in Fla all my life and have been through some serious storms,
but Charley is almost as strong as Andrew that devastated South Florida
in '92.

Anyway, Antonio I was going to email you to see if you were riding it out or
leaving, but you don't provide an email address.
Good luck. Dave

[Big_Boy_4005]

I thought of that too, Dave. He was here less 2 hours ago posting. It looks like the worst of it passed to the south of there. I suspect he's getting some pretty heavy wind and rain though. I'm sure he'll tell us all about it when he gets a chance.

[Don Gibson]

Perhaps his power is out?

[dave9999]

Yes I saw it hit a little farther south than anticipated and I couldn't remember if Antonio was in Tampa or
not. I knew he was in Central or South Florida.

Well lets all pray everyone down there makes it through without to much destruction and injury. These
hurricanes can be very ruthless. Dave

[Anonymous]

Antonio,

I hope all is well with you, and that the storm has passed you by. I guess you are just "out there" on your layout, checking for storm damage to the rolling stock, and structures.....

[Anonymous]

The Tampa Bay area escaped unscathed, fortunately. However, the Ft. Meyers/Port Charlotte area got hammered, and there are a couple dead and more injured. In that area where the hurricane went ashore, winds were well over 100 mph, not to mention storm surges and flooding. If the storm had hit tampa, the damage would have been incredible, especially with all the glass skyscrapers downtown and low lying areas.

[krump]

Praying for all of you in Charley's path. How difficult, unpredicatable, and devastating.
God Bless

[NHRRJET]

I received an e-mail from Antonio today; he's OK! According to him "they dodged a cannonball" in Tampa.

[AntonioFP45]

Dave, Fellas!
I am very humbled and touched! You've really have been wonderful in your concern and support for our safety in this deadly storm. My neighbors and I were scrambling in preparing for the storm. Grocery store shelves were being cleaned out., gasoline stations packed. People, overall, were cooperative.

Talk about the right place at the right time! At a gas station, I observed an old man in a stalled SUV, he was wearing an oxygen line. Another old man was attempting to push it off to one side. I went over and assisted them, as I tried to pu***he truck, the driver recognized me. Robert was a diesel mechanic from the transit bus line we worked together at years earlier. He was now on total disability with a bad heart. We were able to call AAA for him. I gave him my phone number to contact me in any emergency. I said a prayer of thanks that I was put there to help him.

At the moment, life is returning to normal, but this was a big "jolt" in our complacency. It's the price we're paying over here for living in the so called "sunshine state". My main hope is that because we dodged this monster, that people in this area don't become too comfortable for the next one headed our way. A trajedy that even though there was sufficient warning, some people were still killed. Punta Gorda, where the storm made landfall, is about a 2 hour drive south of Tampa. This town looks like it was hit by a California quake!

You're a great bunch of people!
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!

[Anonymous]

Welcome Back!

Next time you leave get a sub from the extra board.

[dave9999]

Antonio,
I'm glad to hear that the storm missed you and your family. I've been though the same situation with all
the scrambling to prepare. It can be a hectic time.

The year that we had Erin and Opal hit back to back was a trying time. Although I recieved only minor
damage, we were without power for a week. And the clean up lasted even longer.

People were everywhere trying to get food and water and plywood before the storms hit. When the second
storm was coming I decide to leave. We got into one of the worst traffic jams I have ever seen. And I
was taking secondary highways!

Well, good to hear your ok. Let's hope it's a long time before another storm comes our way. Dave



This is a picture from Opal, this storm struck two months to the day after Erin.
Oct. 5 1995

[Noah Hofrichter]

I had a though about that too watching the reports in My hotel room. I'm glad your all right.

Noah

[Anonymous]

Hurricane Charly just missed Jacksonville, accroding to weather maps; did it hit Orlando? Glad to hear all of the members that got hit by the storm are all right, but I feel sorry for all of the other people down there who got their entire homes destroyed.

Of course, here in the Midwest we don't have to worry about hurricanes, just a lot of tornados! Even though I live in "tornado alley", I've never seen one, although funnel clouds have come within seeing distance...

[dharmon]

Glad to hear you're okay Antonio. Been through my share of those when we lived on the east and gulf coasts.

Dan