| This article is directed towards the topic of hurricane | | | | and for individuals who opted to stay. Only after |
| sensibility. My concerns for the population residing within | | | | rescue and law enforcement officials have stabilized |
| hurricane prone areas nagged at me until I sat down at | | | | the area by assessing damages and securing the |
| my laptop to compose this article. Although my | | | | area, will we return. There is no desire to stay in a |
| inscription will be elementary in comparison to the | | | | sweltering hot, humid place to be picked apart by |
| writings of those educated in disaster preparedness, I | | | | mosquitoes and angered wildlife. Although I find the |
| hope to enlighten as many as possible. | | | | meals that FEMA distributes to be very delicious as |
| In the past, I resided in areas indigenous to tornadoes, | | | | well as nutritious, it is my opinion that we assist the |
| earthquake fault lines, and presently hurricanes. | | | | community better by evacuating until officials announce |
| Therefore, whenever someone inquires how I can feel | | | | we may return. I have to confess, waiting in a lengthy |
| comfortable living in a hurricane prone area, I find it | | | | line in sweltering weather, within a storm-ravaged area |
| effortless to provide a halfway-educated answer. | | | | to obtain a melting bag of ice, rations and bottled |
| We live in Pensacola, Florida where hurricane Ivan and | | | | water is not appealing. |
| Dennis made their debut in less than a year. | | | | Sometimes I am concerned about the thought process |
| Additionally, that year brought us numerous tropical | | | | of numerous people living in these areas. A large |
| storms. We have always evacuated in plenty of time | | | | number of these people state they are not worried, |
| to avoid injury or death of my family members or | | | | they will buy provisions and sit it out. I have yet to hear |
| myself. Areas prone to tornadoes are struck with | | | | of anyone farther north jumping in front of a tornado |
| diminutive or no warning. People living in areas where | | | | while exclaiming, "Give me a bottle of water, a candle, |
| earthquakes are indigenous have no forewarning | | | | and I will take this thing on!" (A tornado is a much |
| before the earth starts to shake and buildings collapse | | | | smaller version of a hurricane). If they did and survived, |
| upon them. We have full warning when a hurricane is | | | | I am confident someone would have him assessed at |
| approaching. | | | | a nearby mental facility. So why are we accepting of |
| Living in an area with palm trees, snow-white sand | | | | others staying through a hurricane? You are risking not |
| beaches, and weather so warm, you can wear shorts | | | | only the lives of your family, but also the lives of |
| ten months out of a year is awesome. Most of the | | | | people who come in to rescue you. Please |
| time, the Gulf of Mexico is stunning, with water so | | | | immediately vacate all areas under order to evacuate. |
| clear you can see your feet whilst standing waist | | | | People will be risking their own lives to rescue you if |
| deep. We are blessed to awaken in a vacation retreat | | | | you do not. |
| each morning. In addition, I am thankful that we have | | | | During the aftermath of hurricane Ivan, everyone was |
| the resources available to be informed when a storm | | | | appreciative of the volunteers that came from within |
| is approaching rather than obtaining a 5-minute warning | | | | the U.S. as well as other countries to assist in the |
| to vacate the area. Several areas prone to natural | | | | stabilization and repairing of our infrastructure. I was |
| disasters are not as fortunate. Fortunately, we have | | | | witness to several Canadian electrical trucks outlining |
| not had our home destroyed, my heart goes out to | | | | the roads, as their workers were perched atop |
| those that have. We appreciate having such a lengthy | | | | electrical poles repairing the chaos the storm had |
| warning to get out of its way. | | | | created. Their kindness and assistance was like angels |
| I offer this straightforward advice to everyone who will | | | | from heaven paying us a visit. I never complained they |
| listen. Always have an emergency plan to vacate your | | | | were not fast enough; I praised them because they |
| family from the path of a hurricane. The few days | | | | were here. In addition, I was grateful to their families for |
| before the hurricane lands, should be used to | | | | sharing them with us. |
| implement your plan, instead of devising one. This is | | | | There are forces of nature that we cannot be |
| especially critical to those that are handicapped, elderly, | | | | prepared for, that can cause death and destruction. A |
| or indigent. Contact the American Red Cross, your | | | | hurricane is not one of them and it is asinine to |
| local churches, law enforcement, public transportation, | | | | entertain dangers we can avoid. You will never see |
| or any number of help agencies in your area for | | | | me grab a candle and a Dasani and stand in front of a |
| assistance. If necessary, reach out to the governor's | | | | tornado, strap a saddle on house to wait for an |
| office and ask how you can get assistance to | | | | aftershock or wait in the path of a dangerous |
| evacuate the area. Do not remain within the path of a | | | | hurricane. |
| horrific storm hundreds of miles wide and containing at | | | | I have no desire to be informed of how many people |
| least 74 mile an hour wind. This monstrous storm has | | | | have survived in the past, I am concerned about the |
| winds capable of impaling a two by four with a straw | | | | one they will not. In reflection on a scene from the |
| whilst spewing tornadoes in every direction. It is within | | | | movie Forrest Gump, Lieutenant Dan was hanging on |
| its capability to create a storm surge so rapidly that it | | | | the crows nest during a hurricane cursing and |
| leaves no hope for escape. It can wipe away an entire | | | | screaming into the wind. I feel confident the actors |
| city with one quick sweep, yet it will continue for hours. | | | | would never have tried this feat in real life, so why |
| All hurricane activity assessed to be elevated beyond | | | | would the residents of a coastal city behave in this |
| a category two will set in motion the assembling of my | | | | manner? |
| family and the retreat to safety in a distant state. | | | | Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere |
| Ultimately, we will sit securely in front of a television | | | | ignorance and conscientious stupidity. |
| monitoring the hurricane progress, praying for our city | | | | |