Disaster Strikes

Here in Florida we are all somewhat prepared for the tropical storms and hurricanes we know will eventually touch us. In that terrible summer of 2004 three hurricanes came close; one of them passed over us directly and it was the first time I have ever experienced the eerily quiet 'eye' when all motion stops for a few minutes. Then the storm returns in full fury.

We had the bottled water, the canned goods, cars full of gas, buckets and all the rest. We had a propane stove, a corded phone, three dachsunds, a chainsaw, and a swimming pool of water we could dip buckets from to flush the toilets. It wasn't cold; it was close to ninety degrees by day and hotter at night with the frightened dogs in our bed. So many trees toppled or were uprooted, we could not get out. The phone, even the cells, could not work, and electricity was days away. Our family was anxious about us, we knew, but there was nothing we could do. During the hurricane we were terrified, and after it left we were ready - so ready! to get back to normal. But we had to endure a few days of being totally incommunicado and with no power. We vowed that asap we'd get a HUGE generator. And we have done that.

Ho hum, everyone has their hurricane stories, most more harrowing than ours. But now, I think of so many family members living on an island in Puget Sound, accessible only by ferry. There was a ferocious storm there last Thursday night, torrential rain and then a huge sucking wind from the Pacific. Sure, there are storms there, but nothing like this. No one is prepared.

The ground, already saturated from weeks of rain, could not hold on to the trees so many of them went down on houses and roads and power lines. Early Friday I could call my sister and she reported how awful it was. It is cold there this time of year, low temperatures hovering near freezing. Fortunately they have a fireplace, and she said they have a propane camp stove. I do not know if they are on a pump or have city water. My son, his wife, and two very small children, who live in a more remote part of the island, cannot be reached by phone, and as of today, even my sister's phone is out.

I know that all these are competent people, they were in scouting and went to camp and watched survivor shows. But I worry about whether baby Caroline is warm enough. Is little Joseph worried? (Where are they, anyway? Hunkered down with my sister and her family and the fireplace and the propane camp stove?) I know they don't think like Floridians and have a corded phone always on hand ($6.95 at Walmart), gallons of water in the back of the closet, those extra canned things that no one would actually eat. They do have extra dogs on hand, always a plus since dogs run hotter than humans.

In the odd way of social communication, I heard from a friend whose son lives on this island that his wife said, before the phones went out, she saw my son in the local grocery store on Friday. And after that all communication stopped, lines down. I cling to that fact: my son was getting supplies on Friday morning. This means..what? The store has a generator so people could come in and buy supplies they need.

As parents, we feel anxious. We want to connect and know that everyone is o.k.

I have read that four people died in this storm. I will continue to call every hour. I really believe that everyone is alive, certainly uncomfortable, but coping. Having the hurricane experiences gives perspective.