Hurricane RITA- #18 - Thread #3

Animal Control isn't taking anymore, either. They dont' have any news on locations for an additional emergency pet shelter.

http://www.willowrunkennels.com/faq/

Jen, this place is in South Dallas...call them and see if they can help..or steer you in the right direction...they seem like a good place.

Can you find a pet friendly hotel? I think all Holiday Inns are pet friendly.

MSJen and the rest with the hotel suggestion - I was avoiding staying in a hotel because I don't want to be alone with neighbors I don't know. I don't have ANYBODY here. No family, nothing.

I totally understand Jen. I've been "living" with the same people for almost a month now and i'm really starting to not like alot of them.
Its a tough choice. My heart was in my horses, and felt so helpless and hopeless when i knew there was nothing i could do about it. I so envied the people that had cats and dogs, because they *could* take them to hotels and whatnot, whereas i couldnt very well load up my horses and bring them here with me.

Dear Angel, Your posts have a frantic note that makes my heart feel for you. We go WAY back to when Allie was a baby in SC, so I feel like family,(at least Allie's family) *grin*

If they are not suggesting any evacuations in your area, they must consider it fairly safe from surge water. Stop a minute and take stock...do you have a place you can use for a safe room.....do you have water and food for the furbabies....do you have the basic flashlight and a battery radio?

If you stay, put the kitties in a carrier, that's one purchase you need to make. Put Allie's harness and leash on and keep it on during the storm.

You need to remember that the storm passes fairly quickly, so we aren't talking about days hunkered down, only a few hours.

After really thinking it over, make your decision, and whatever it is, just concentrate on putting it in action. Once you have made a firm committment it eases some of the stress.......not all, but it really does help to have a plan. At least you feel like you have some control.
(hugs)
Pati

Angel, the storm is a cat 4 now...so get out of there b/c they talked about Victoria, Corpus, Galveston, Freeport as the biggies this morning on Foxnews. I understand, single female....but anyone out there....I go to an awesome church that will open their homes to anyone that needs somewhere to go!!! DH and I have a sofa...so dmail me please if you need somewhere to stay. Austin and San Antonio will lots of rain and some wind...but no big deal I am sure!

Michelle

Austin American statesman has this prep list for peeps gettin' out of dodge www.statesman.com/rita :
The basics you need

The following items are recommended for a basic disaster supply kit:

•three-day supply of non-perishable food

•three-day supply of water (one gallon of water per person per day)

•portable, battery-powered radio or television and extra batteries

•waterproof material or ponchos

•flashlight and extra batteries

•first aid kit and manual

•sanitation and hygiene items (moist towelettes, toilet paper, low suds soap)

•matches in a waterproof container

•whistle

•extra clothing (one complete outfit per person, including shoes)

•kitchen accessories and cooking and utensils, including a can opener (manual)

•photocopies of credit and identification cards

•cash and coins

•household bleach or purification tablets

•blankets

•useful tools (shovel, fire extinguisher, scissors)

•special needs items: prescription medications, eye glasses, contact lens solutions and hearing aid batteries

•items for infants, such as formula, diapers, bottles and pacifiers

•contact and financial information

•other items to meet your unique family needs (playing cards, small books, paper)

source: "Are You Ready?" by FEMA, The American Red Cross

Pass the water please: Menu for one day for one adult

In addition to one gallon of water per day per person, plan to serve:

•Two breakfast bars

•Boxed juice or milk

•Two small cans or cups of fruit

•Peanut butter crackers or ready-to-eat meal

•Small can of green beans or other veggies

•Can of nuts

•Dried fruit

•Snack food of choice

AngelSong, I understand your fears quite well, but please consider the excellent suggestions that the wonderful people from here are giving you. I know it must feel like an insurmountable task what you are going through, but there is always a solution to problems. I think you will be safe in a hotel away from the area, or perhaps the kind offers of shelter from some of our DG friends can be an option. My heart goes out to you and I think that if you are open to some of these suggestions all will work out in the end.

MSJen - don't you have kids with you, though? See, I have nobody. And when I watch the news, I hear reports of the Katrina victims that were raping & shooting people, then two days later, we brought them to San Antonio, Austin, & Houston. I don't exactly want a rapist as a "next door neighbor". Maybe that's over-reacting, but I went through something similar in grad school, and it has permanently changed how I look at "being alone".
As for the horse, Chewie will probably end up in an open field with very little around to bounce into him. It's the safest thing. He's well inland, and well above sea level, and could probably care for himself much better than the cats could if they ran out of water in 100F temps.

Angel, Saint, Sandy and Trois...everyone...I'm praying for y'all this morning!
Michelle

Making cat arrangements at a vet's where I'd be evacuating to. Expensive, but I'm doing it. That's a good solution, huh??!!

I feel a lot better now.

yeah! now give your self a good back rub and take deeep breaths :-)

Good on you, Angel!!!!!
Pati

AngelSong, that's the spirit!!!!

Great Angel!

ok off to Home Depot...I swear they are gonna know be by name.

Great Job Angel!

It seems like a HUGE event.
And it is.
Break it down.

Make a list of things to do.
Cross of the cats as they have been taken care of......
Just take each task one at a time.
Hurry slowly....that is think out each task, do it right and it doesn't have to be done again........


DMail someone here that you trust.
They, I'm sure, will be glad to hold your hand thru this.

Be Safe, Take a Deep Breath and again one thing at a time.

Ric

Our neighbors on either side are staying. Dr. Goldman and his wife decided to stay because they have no where to go. I invited them to come with us but to no avail. They said they have been without electric before, but without house? No use. They are staying.
They are older than me and have a strong 2 story house, but near the Bayou. I hope for the best. and hope we have a place to come back to. We will see.

trois

Stay Safe Trois - we need you back on DG. You can rebuild houses - people are not replaceable.

Please get out of the hurricanes way, dont want to see anymore names of "havent heard from" list on DG. Feel darn helpless in the whole situation. keping all my fingers and toes crossed for your safety.
Janett

The "Offical Forecast" for here on Saturday is 80% chance of rain, wind 35 MPH. It sounds like they don't know a storm is coming, or are discounting the severity.
trois.

We have the same for Sunday - slight possibility of rain - when NOA has a tropical storm over the Dallas area!! I think its left hand and right hand again.
We have a flight out, on vacation, booked for Sunday morning. I suspect we won't be going anywhere! If its a Tropical Storm still when it gets here DFW is going to be shut all day, and anyway getting to the airport would be a nightmare drive for DS who is taking us. I won't let him do it, and he won't let me drive either, conclusion - we are going nowhere if it arrives here!

trois, I'm sorry about your neighbor...that has got to be tough for you to leave knowing this fellow is not budging.

Can't believe your forecast. Weird. Well, Austin is going to get a lot of much needed rain...it is 80% chance of rain forecasted for Saturday.

Okus, you are near Dallas right? A TS in Dallas? Odd. Well, this hurricane is so big that I'm not surprised it will reach up to you. Where are y 'all headed for vacation? That is , if you get to go?

Michelle

Plans for me & critters are made. I'm not packed (for me or them), but if I have to come to work, there's no reason to start packing hygeine items & clothes that I might need immediately.

I guess I'll clean out the fridge after I get back - just in case power stays on (or only cuts out briefly) that way I won't be out of food when I return. If they ever put in the effort to board up windows at my apartment - sheesh!

Staying with friends, so there isn't a reason to pack food (I think I'd offend the host if I brought food).

Problem with the big check-lists is they either aim for folks with a house or "hiding in the closet". So that's why I'm thinking these ideas out-loud ...

I always put my fridge on the highest when a storm is due. That way if the power brakes the food lasts longer.
Janett

Wow, Hurrita is gaining strength rapidly! Hunker down if you cannot get out.

for anyone who needs to go over alist of any kind, go here:
http://www.quakekare.com/hurricane.html

be safe and come back to us soon!
tf

Houston/Harris County are taking this very seriously:
http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou050921_mh_harriscounty.7c522e6f.html

Thanks for the link, Maggiemoo. I set up a "favorites" file for newspapers in areas the hurricane will effect. It puts you at ground-level, so to speak, and you can keep up with what's happening faster.

I don't know how they did it, but the New Orleans Picayune never missed a day on-line!

Pati

Just a gentle reminder to make sure that somebody at DG, way out of Hurrita's path, has your # and street address.
Get theirs too.

That way we can assure quick Check-in afterwards.

It sounds as if TX has learned quite well from Katrina.
I hate to cliche but "Head'em up and Move'em out" seems like the motto of the day. ;)

Ric

***MARYLYN***

I tried to copy your map over here for those who might have missed it, but of course I couldn't do it! DUUH Will you post it here please?
Pati

I noticed that, suppose they were working out of sister papers' offices?

Ric, yeah we learned from Katrina. I gave all my info to mystic, and I posted a thread on the TX Gardening Forum asking everyone to exchange info, let us know when and to where they are relocating.

YA HOO Ric! Good suggestion. I'm in the address exchange and my phone # is 772-465-2779. Wish there was a place to post the phone # on the exchange....optional, of course.
Pati

Here it is, Pati. :-)

Thanks so much Marylyn. Looks like I'm getting quiet a collection of your great maps. *sigh*

When this hurricane season is over, we will have a good idea of where all of the DG'ers live. *grin*
Pati

maggiemoo, the way i understood it was they originally had their computer server contracte with a compnay out of NJ, so that was a foresight that worked out very well :-)

Got this in an email:

Marylyn - you still don't have Angels pin on Victoria.
NOAA still has this as a TS by the time it gets up to the Dallas area on Sunday - bang goes my trip to Gettysburg and the Pennysylvania, Delaware, Virginia area.
Not a great loss compared to what might happen - just feel its not meant to be - this is the second time I've had to rethink my plans.

LOL, Darius!

Houston school districts are closing thurs & fri. Spring schools (between Conroe & Houston) are closing thurs & fri.

Darius, I think we are too!!!

Now, I have to tell you, for some reason that quote just hit my funny bone. It could be that being old timey southern I've seen the bumper sticker,"The South Shall Rise Again" most of my life. I think adding "& Now" brought to my mind, "AT LAST!" LOL

Then again, maybe my brain is getting fried...ya' think?
Pati