This video shows the aftermath of Hurricane Ike on Galveston Island, TX on Saturday morning after landfall. One of the biggest threats were fires, which were almost impossible to control given the strong winds. Check out the pre-landfall surf and landfall videos on the TornadoVideos.net channel
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One neighbor has power, but the one across the street does not. Centerpoint Energy is getting people back on line where there are not poles down or transformers blown. Areas hit hard with lines down, poles severed and down, etc. will take days, and some weeks. Electricity and when it will flow to an individual home, one of millions of points of a vast power grid, is on everyone’s mind. In Houston, who’s juiced is a block-by-block situation.
In Galveston, City Manager Steve LeBlanc said 15,000 to 20,000 residents remained on the island today out of a population of about 60,000. About 3,000 are trying to get off the island, he said. Buses have been taking residents to shelters in San Antonio, and LeBlanc said Austin is willing to accept more evacuees. Among the buildings falling victim to the storm is City Hall, where the roof was severely damaged and floodwaters were about a foot deep inside.
Hurricane Ike has shut down the East Houston Regional Medical Center for two to three months, said David Cramer, the hospital’s director of facility management. Patients had been evacuated Friday afternoon because hospital officials knew that nearby Greens Bayou has a history of flooding at the facility in the 13100 block of the East Freeway and the surrounding area.
Houston Mayor Bill White said the problems with a pumping station have been corrected. Still, he urged residents to use bottled water and conserve tap water when possible. He also recommended that all residents boil tap water for a minute before using it. Although there is no indication that tap water has been contaminated, he recommended boiling until tests of the water could be done tonight and Sunday.
HISD schools likely will not re-open for a week to 10 days because of Hurricane Ike, said Superintendent Abe Saavedra today. “The electricy will be the major problem,” he said. “Without the electricity, we can’t check the mechanical systems.” Athletic events were canceled for this weekend. Saavedra said he is unsure whether the HISD schools will resume holding atheletic events the week of Sept. 22-28.
HISD’s 290 schools mostly sustained minor damage, including leaks and minor roof damage. No estimate of damages has been made. The district’s insurance policy will require that it pay a $2.5 million deductible. Now that’s one huge deductible that we tax payers will cough up! :-(
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There are many types of shutters that you can choose from when you are going to update your home. Two different types to choose from would be hurricane shutters and plantation shutters. There are other viable options that are out there and it is completely up to you as to what you choose and will be more aesthetically pleasing or what makes the most sense in regards to what you need. Depending on if you want something that will be more for the purpose of making your home look nicer or if you are looking for something that will serve more of a purpose and be beneficial in the long run. Shutters are very beneficial in many ways. One of these can be in increasing home value through the installation of shutters. Another benefit would be that of increased safety and storm protection depending on the type and style that is installed on the home. There are so many options that are available to be used ion and on your home to make the purchase more worthwhile. Take into consideration all of your possibilities such as in color schemes and types of products that they can be made of. These of course can be wood, vinyl, synthetic or aluminum to name a few.
Think again about how you will be going about installing your new shutters. Since you can do it yourself, ask for help or hire someone to do it for you. Look into how hard and time consuming the project may be as well as how cost effective it will be to do it for yourself. Make sure that if you do the project yourself that you do so carefully and accurately that you have the right tools and the patience in order to make the project go well.
All in all you need to consider the benefits and the drawbacks that are associated with the shutters. Figure out if you are looking for something will be more for looking more to make the house look nicer or if you are looking to find things that are physically beneficial to your house in the way protection and safety. Consider all of the aspects that are available to you and what it is that you are most looking to do. If you are looking to sell soon consider aesthetics, if you are considering to stay there long term look for more beneficial shutters.
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Like presently with Hurricane Bill, are they predicting that it will not hit the United States?
I meant, how are they predicting it will not hit the United States.
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I thought I would put together some facts about the realities of hurricane season, where to go, what to avoid, how to still travel, etc…
Official Hurricane Season:
June 1 - November 30 is the official hurricane season for the Atlantic region. This would affect the entire east coast of the United States, Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Eastern Mexico and all states bordering the Gulf of Mexico. As we know, hurricanes can turn into major flooding, tornadoes, etc…once it begins to travel on land.
The Northeast Pacific basin has a broader peak with activity beginning in late May or early June and going until late October or early November with a peak in storminess in late August/early September. Translating into travel, this means the Pacific Coast from Canada down to the West Coast of Mexico.
Typically, the worst of the storms for the Atlantic are between mid August thru the end of October. Guess when some of the best travel deals to the Caribbean and Mexico are? You got it, hurricane season. Hurricane season is a gamble, there are years these islands and areas are not hit, but there is no guarantee. If the price is right and the timing is right for you, book the trip, get trip insurance or check on the airlines/hotel/tour operator policies on hurricanes.
Cruising: if you love to cruise just to cruise and want a steal of a deal, book it during this season. The ship will reroute out of harms way. The only time the cruises are cancelled is when the hurricane is so severe; the ship can not leave port. However, if you are booking a cruise because you want to visit very specific islands, September/October may not be the best time to do this.
My favorite time of the year to travel to the tropics tends for great weather and low pricing is either May or mid November to mid December (taking out Thanks giving week). You still get those amazing “off-peak” hurricane prices, but your chances for hurricanes are low and the weather is usually terrific.
Booking Caribbean destinations in the fall:
An interesting phenomenon on travel bookings is when people book. All of the talk of hurricanes tends to turn people off from going to the Caribbean. However, some of these amazing prices are being advertised in the fall, but are not for Fall travel. Look carefully, many of these great deals are for winter travel - completely out of hurricane season. It seems when people are bombarded with news of hurricanes, they are not apt to book a trip to the places that are anywhere in range of the storms- even if the trip is 6 months away. The closer we get to “high season” which is Christmas to Easter, the more expensive that same trip will be. However, the savvy traveler will grab these deals now and still stay dry!
Here are my picks of travel deals that are being promoted now, but for travel at the tail end of the hurricane season or winter:
Cruising:
Here are a few specials that are running in the fall but are for Winter departures:
7 Night Caribbean Cruises starting at $699 (this is an amazing “peak Season” price, if you check back in December - the price will be much higher!
3-7 night cruises fall and winter sailings from $199.
Tropical & Caribbean Vacations:
$545pp for air & 3nts All inclusive in the Riviera Maya (quiet area near Cancun) including airfare for November travel, this is an incredible deal - still hurricane time - but much less of a gamble
Luxury in the Dominican Republic where some of the coolest all inclusive resorets are located, if you view this page, you will clearly see the low prices for air and 3-7 night all inclusives for each time of the year. Even early December, which is a great time to go is very decently priced - for example, a four star all inclusive resort with airfare for four nights starts at $639 in December!
If you have travel questions, contact me. Or if you would like to view continually updated travel deals, posted for its value to the consumer, go to www.dunhillvacations.com
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Hurricane Chris gives SpitYoGame.com a exclusive 51/50 Ratchet Freestyle outside of the collipark studios. Check this out
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For those people living in coastal areas that are prone to hurricanes or hurricane-force winds, there are various safety factors that must be taken into consideration when building or remodeling a home or other structure. In 1994, two years after Hurricane Andrew struck Florida, Miami-Dade County began to establish building codes specifically focused on improving the structural integrity of new buildings to reduce damage from hurricanes. Today, these building codes and regulations have been widely adopted in other hurricane areas, and are considered the “holy grail” of hurricane protection and safety.
The Product Control Section of the Miami-Dade Building Code Compliance Office was charged with evaluating and certifying specific building materials as compliant for hurricane force winds. Since then, this organization has become the authoritative source for establishing hurricane safe products and building materials. Many companies that manufacture building materials, particularly hurricane shutters and shutter hardware, strive to meet the compliance codes of Miami-Dade County. However, it’s important for consumers to remember that not all products have met the Miami-Dade criteria. Before purchasing building items, consumers must remember several important things.
If a product has been tested and approved, it will be stamped “Miami-Dade County Product Control approved.” Keep in mind that this approval applies to a specific product design. If the manufacturer later changes the design of the product, it may no longer be approved, meaning they would have to go through the testing and certification process again. With regard to functional hurricane shutters, there are some basic guidelines to keep in mind when shopping for Miami-Dade approved products.
The material that the shutters are made of is critical. Hardwoods, depending on their density, are considered the best material for functional hurricane shutters, based on the established criteria of the Miami-Dade Building Code Compliance Office. The code divides hardwoods into several categories including medium heavy, heavy, very heavy, and the strongest category which is called “ironwood.” Woods categorized as “ironwood” will actually sink in water.
Softwoods such as pine, spruce, larch, Douglass fir, and hemlock are considered less than optimal for functional hurricane shutters, and are generally not recommended.
There are some hurricane shutters on the market made of composite materials, usually containing resin-based plastic components such as ABS and nylon. These composite shutters are usually successful in passing Miami-Dade code compliance testing.
Metal shutters can be found, and they are usually inexpensive to purchase; however, they are generally considered a last resort, or something that can be installed in a hurry if a hurricane is coming soon and there is no time for a more sophisticated shutter system.
Shutter hardware will also be rated as compliant or non-compliant with Miami-Dade building codes. Again, the same basic guidelines apply: A stamp of approval only applies to the specific product design that was tested and certified. If a manufacturer later changes the design, the product is no longer in compliance until it has been re-tested.
For the most part, Miami-Dade building codes as related to shutter hardware will address the type of metal used in the hardware. The importance lies in using good quality metal that will not easily break or fracture. Cast aluminum and cast zinc should both be avoided. Steel is considered to be the best material to use, with stainless steel topping the list as the best quality product. Stainless steel has a good tensile strength and the material will not rust or tarnish when exposed to salty conditions that are prevalent in coastal areas prone to hurricanes. Carbon steel that is cut and formed is also a good choice because it is very strong; however, this steel will rapidly rust and deteriorate when exposed to salty conditions.
If you’re considering buying a home that lies in a hurricane zone, be sure to ask your realtor if the structure is Miami-Dade building code compliant. If you already live in one of these areas, and you’re preparing to remodel or perhaps build a new home, consult with your contractor about the building codes, and be sure that he or she is prepared to build according to the Miami-Dade County standards. Hurricane force winds will quickly damage property and take lives. The best way to protect yourself and your family is to heed warnings, but also ensure that your home is well built and that your have functional exterior shutters in compliance with Miami-Dade standards.
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Located on the Gulf Coast of the Florida panhandle, Cape Coral is a tropical paradise affected by hurricane season from June 1 to November 30 every year, but with its rich array of waterfront real estate, a vibrant community, sandy beaches, and 335 days of bright sunshine each year - Cape Coral is also currently one of Florida’s fastest growing real estate markets. A little stormy weather has never kept people from flocking to this breathtaking part of the world and now a new government program is helping Florida homeowners stand up to the annual hurricane season by providing assessments, grant money, and valuable information on insurance discounts.
The $250 million dollar program, launched by the Florida Department of Financial Services, provides free wind inspections and grants to help Floridians strengthen their homes against hurricanes. Launched in spring 2006, My Safe Florida Home provided reports on over 14,000 homes during the pilot phase alone.
What the program offers:
-Free wind inspections and certifications from government certified home inspection agencies that assess:
-Improvements necessary to increase hurricane resistance such as: roof bracing, shingling and reinforcing, secondary water barriers, soundness of windows, shutters and doors
-Assess costs
-Give your home a hurricane resistance rating based on current condition and predict future rating with improvements
Matching grants up to $5000 for home owners to improve roof bracing, installation and upgrading of windows, shutters and doors
Straight grants for low income home owners up to $5000
Who is Eligible:
- Florida residents who own a single family, detached, non-mobile home
How to apply:
-Fill out the online application at the My Safe Florida Home website or call them toll free at 1-866-513-6734
Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink urges homeowners to take advantage of the free program and the valuable information it can provide. If you’re a new home owner, selling your home or thinking about buying a home in Lee County, My Safe Florida Home will help you get hurricane savvy in a hurry while you prepare and protect against these annual tropical storms. The program is a great way to get assurance that your home is not only beautiful, but sturdy. You may also find that you qualify for additional insurance discounts and financial support for making necessary improvements. Sink says that the resulting reports often show homes to be better fortified than currently recorded by insurance companies. “Many homeowners are eligible to receive discounts from their insurance companies without even making a single improvement,” he says.
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lose electricity.
Since that time, the area has had many days that have been very windy.
Why have there been so many windy days this year since Hurricane Ike passed through this summer?
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